How To Remove Bridge Pins From Acoustic Guitar

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A stuck bridge pin can be a hassle when yous're trying to restring your acoustic guitar. You lot could e'er buy a special tool to pull bridge pins easily without damaging the pivot or your guitar—merely you don't have to! Information technology's relatively easy to take out your span pins using things you probably take lying effectually. Play around with unlike tools or objects and choose the one that'south easiest for yous.

1
Locate the bridge pin puller at the finish of your string winder. Many acoustic guitars come with a string winder that helps you lot easily current of air the strings on your tuning pegs to string your guitar. The end is notched so that the bridge pins will fit perfectly into the notch.^[one]
- If you don't have a string winder, it's a worthy investment. You can buy them online or at guitar stores and they're typically betwixt $10 and $xx. The more expensive models may be battery-powered or come with a string cutter.^[2]
- Cheaper plastic string winders might not be durable enough to utilise equally a sturdy bridge pin puller. You can still try it, but be careful not to break it. Metallic string winders work better.
2
Fit the outside of the bridge pivot puller around the caput of the bridge pin. Plow your string winder so the open side of the span pin puller slot is facing the strings and fingerboard of your guitar. And so, slide the slot at the end of your string winder right at the throat of the span pivot so the head is secure.^[3]
- If your string winder came with your guitar, the slot should fit your bridge pins perfectly. A cord winder you bought separately should yet piece of work, but you might accept to jerk it around a piffling scrap to make sure it's belongings the head of the bridge pin securely.
- Put a business carte forth the bottom edge of your bridge, below the span pins, if you're worried virtually accidentally denting your bridge. This is more important if you're working with a metal cord winder.
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3
Press back against the bridge to gently pop the pivot out. Wiggle the string winder around a bit to loosen up the pivot, then printing backward towards the bend in the notch to pry the bridge pin out. You might have to do this movement several times before the bridge pivot pops out.^[4]
- Even with a business card, avert applying too much force, or you could harm your span.
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1
Find a set of string cutters or needle-nose pliers. If you work on guitars frequently, y'all likely have a pair of string cutters in your guitar bag. Whatever other wire cutters or needle-nose pliers will too work.^[5]
- If you lot're worried nearly dissentious the bridge pin with your cutters or pliers, put a soft cloth over the head to protect it.
2
Close the mouth of your tool around the head of the bridge pin. Simply close the oral cavity of your pliers around the caput, don't squeeze information technology. Lay the handles over the saddle of the guitar, in the direction of the strings.^[6]
- Y'all can also do this from the other side, with the mouth of your pliers or string cutters facing towards the strings and fingerboard of your guitar.^[seven]
three
Twist and pull straight upward to remove the bridge pin. The pliers simply give yous more grip on the bridge pin. Rather than trying to pry the bridge pin out, elevator straight upwardly. If it seems stuck, requite it a piffling twist, and then endeavour pulling once more.^[eight]
- If you endeavor to pry the bridge pivot out, y'all could snap it in ii. Yous likewise risk widening the hole, which would mean the bridge pin won't sit securely in place when you pop information technology back in.
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1
Necktie a string around the span pin and pull the string to popular the pin out. If you don't take any tools handy but you lot can find a piece of cord, tie a loop around the top of the span pivot and pull information technology tight. Then, pull the finish of the string up and out to release the bridge pin.^[9]
- Once you've pulled off one of the span pins, y'all can untie the string and use it again to pull out the other bridge pins.
2
Use the end of a spoon to pry off the span pin. Have an ordinary kitchen spoon, preferably 1 with a relatively thin handle, and position the tip of the handle just under the head of the bridge pin on the string side. Rest your fingers on the sides of the bridge pin then you can catch it and go on it from flying off. Then, gently press the spoon down, using the saddle for leverage, to release the bridge pin.^[10]
- Be careful to be gentle when doing this—you don't want to gouge the bridge or knick the bridge pin itself. That'll make it more difficult for the bridge pin to stay in place in one case y'all put information technology in again.
- Yous can also apply virtually annihilation that has a reasonably apartment, straight edge, such as a ruler or a apartment-head screwdriver.^[11]
3
Push button the pin out from inside the guitar with a coin. Identify the money in your fingers and slip through the soundhole of your guitar. Locate the tip of the bridge pin with your fingers and place the money over information technology so the span pin is roughly in the centre of the coin. Push the coin with your thumb to release the bridge pin.^[12]
- Be careful not to get your hand stuck in the soundhole. If it's a tight fit, you might want to stick to another method that doesn't require yous to stick your paw within your guitar.
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While you have your strings off your guitar, take the time to make clean and polish the trunk and the fingerboard.^[13]

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Brand sure you loosen your strings before you accept out the bridge pins. Otherwise, the string may snap up and hit you.^[14]

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