bridge pin sizes

[Ron Nossaman]

>I am rebuilding (partially) a Baldwin R and some of the bridge pins were 
>loose.  Usually when I find a few loose pins they've all been loose.  However,
>We got started pulling a few pins and began to find quickly that only a 
>very few were loose.

Even if they don't pull easily, they're still loose enough at the bridge 
surface to make plenty of false beats when it's restrung. At least epoxy or 
CA the ones you don't replace.


>The pins we pulled mic at .078 to .080.  Aren't .076 and .086 the only 
>close sizes available?  Which ones would you use?

If the strings will go in between them, I'd use the 0.086" (#7). I think #6 
pins are too small for use in pianos. Drill the holes out to fit (#45), 
then epoxy or CA the new ones in. Side bearing increase isn't significant, 
but making sure the strings will go between the larger pins is.

Ron N