Most Martin guitars come equipped with standard plastic bridge pins. The job of the bridge pin is to hold the string in place at the bridge, and while plastic pins get the job done, there are several other materials that can greatly improve your guitar's tone. Tusq, Bone, Ebony and Fossilized Walrus Ivory (FWI) are just some of the better pins on the market today. Some of the improvements you can expect from a bridge pin upgrade are increased sustain, more clarity, and overall volume. Depending on which material you choose, you can also steer your Martin guitar towards more bass or more treble. When using plastic as a reference, I would describe the different bridge pins like this:
Ebony can add bass and warmth to your Martin, along with a signifigant increase in sustain & volume.
Fossilized Mammoth Ivory can add sustain, volume, and a transparent richness to your guitar, with an increase in harmonics & overtones!
Tusq can add a moderate amount of treble, sustain, clarity & volume to your Martin.
Bone offers everything Tusq provides, but in bigger doses.
Fossilized Walrus Ivory provides the greatest increase in volume, sustain & clarity among all the pin choices. Some high end Martins actually ship with FWI as standard equipment!
Changing your bridge pins can be a fun experiment, and with the exception of FWI, its a relatively inexpensive one. The only modification that changes your sound more dramatically is a change in saddle material, which can also be a good idea. Tusq, Bone and FWI are also excellent saddle materials, and the above tonal descriptions are also true for saddles when compared to plastic & micarta. Whether you're looking for that extra bit of tone, or just plain curious - take the plunge and see what you come up with. Your guitar just might surprise you!
Maury Rutch
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