Martin Liquidmetal Bridge Pins Review | Worth $150?

[@DjBydLo]

yes, they sound different. Hell, one more thing to spend money in. 😂

[@RandallWhitted]

After adding the liquidmetal pins to my D-35, there wasn't a noticeable difference at first, but as I went through my repertoire of songs, I definitely noticed different sounds, tighter pop on several notes up the neck, and an overall fuller sound. The most pronounced differences were in the high B and E strings, especially with a capo. My reason for buying them was to accelerate the break-in of my new (2023) D-35. I know the liquidmetal pins vibrate more, and I know that's going to open up the guitar more/faster... "know" being subjective, of course. I was also influenced by Larrivee's attitude of not liking plastic on a wood guitar. Yes, I could have gone with bone bridge pins, and I've had great success adding bone instead of plastic on other acoustics I own, but I'm able to afford $100 bridge pins so why not. Thanks for the great video!

[@sonoman9095]

Great Review!. Randal I have a question about the D35. Recently, I bought a D35 in my local store. The guitar sounded really well, but it felt a little stiff. For that reason, I took it to a luthier for a complete setup (level the frets, the nut, saddle, change the strings for an elixir .12 and to adjust the bridge, etc). After all this work, I feel that the guitar changed, lost sound, and it feels more stiff. My question is: changing the string and reducing the nut and slot height could affect the sound of the guitar? I'm thinking about to purchase a new nut, saddle and .13 strings from Martin to recover the original sound and feeling. What do you think?

[@RandallWhitted]

@@sonoman9095 Interesting - do you know if anything was done to it before you had it? I've had Larrivees do similar to what you're saying when the action was lowered - maybe turn the truss rod yourself to give the strings a bit more room to move? I wouldn't bother with a new nut and saddle, unless they were shaved down. I'd recommend Martin's Bluegrass strings for the .56 low E - though I've been putting StringJoy on everything I own now. Really impressive strings. I'm also sold on the ToneRite for opening up my guitars and to break in new strings.

[@0bm31770]

That guitar sounds great with either set. It didn't need any improvement, but the Liquid Metal pins do give it a different sound that was also excellent.

[@matteliasmusic]

it really is a beautiful sounding instrument. thank you!

[@cooloutac]

I think the main difference is volume is louder with metal pins when strumming. Thats about all you paying $150 for lol. but at least unlike most other bridge pins they aren't making the martin sound muddy and muffled to me like, bone, ebony, rosewood etc... lol. I pretty much agree with everything the first guy said without hat. He's got a good ear, spot on.

[@birthcertificate7223]

the sound was a little brighter and slightly louder especially when strumming. $150 worth ?! If they came with a nut and bridge and 5 packs of strings maybe

[@matteliasmusic]

Honestly I tend to agree with you. For some people any improvement they can find will be worth the cash though 🤷‍♂️

[@Glicksman1]

@@matteliasmusic Anyone who wants real improvement should learn to play better.

[@treatb09]

@@matteliasmusic that will usually result in so much change that the guitar wont sound anything like it used to. Typically then you spent so much time and money you believe it sounds better simply cause you cant be honest with oneself that it was better before lol

[@stephensmith799]

I’d like liquid metal nut and saddle pieces too for the full effect…

[@zedheres8280]

@@treatb09ahaha lol😅

[@Kennardy]

The best side-by-side test of the Luxe bridge pins that I have seen. Well done and thank you.

[@soundthinking1534]

I use the Luxe Pins on my D-35 reimagined and it gave it more volume, low end, and sustain. The highs were less creamy but the barre chords ring like bells when cross picked. Worth the money IMHO.

[@matteliasmusic]

Sound Thinking that’s what matters, I think it’s awesome that changing such a small piece can make a difference like that

[@garychen483]

“Probably not” is the most honest and truthful pinion, which I appreciate it. Now I’m not going to think about it. Thanks for sharing!

[@matteliasmusic]

Absolutely. Glad you got something out of it!

[@leeyun1324]

I'm honestly surprised at how this sound changed just because the pin changed. thanks!

[@matteliasmusic]

Sure thing!

[@lynnfrancesanderson1829]

Good to compare against stock. More manufacturers are using these cheaply plastic pins presuming if you want more, you’ll buy better ones if you know better. Compare them against high quality bone (not horn). That’s more likely to be a closer comparison and better value.

[@matteliasmusic]

You’re not wrong there I would really like to see that comparison myself

[@lynnfrancesanderson1829]

@@matteliasmusicMy favorite comparisons like this use a spectrum analyzer so you can see the frequency waves. Not everyone can hear and identify the differences, so it’s helpful to see the sine.

[@patrickv.9225]

Nicely done! Useful comparison boys, keep it up!

[@matteliasmusic]

Hey, thanks for saying so, glad you found some value in it!

[@CoolCat11]

Hi. I just bought a Martin 0-18. I had not tried it (bought it online), but I was keen to throw everything at it, as it's the baby in my collection. I have just received the guitar with the metal bridge pins and almost fell over laughing when I strummed it. Just like a baby, it has some loud pipes! Also, as mahogany to me could do with a little more brightness I am thrilled. I think it's a valuable exercise to consider the size of the guitar as well as the tone woods. I wouldn't use them in every Martin that I own, but I would consider them for some. I'd love to hear them compared with bridge pins that aren't plastic as well, to see or hear a cost/benefit analysis of all available types of pins. No regrets about my first set and thank you so much for your comparison.

[@cashmoney9256]

It definitely changed the sound. For the better is preference. Kinda reminds me of when I switched from phosphor bronze to 80/20 on my Martin OOO15M but with a little more sustain. I think the metal pins sound good on your guitar. Thanks for sharing!

[@matteliasmusic]

You know, I did the same switch myself from phosphor bronze to 80/20 and found that it was a bit brighter and if you had a similar experience with them I can totally see why this test reminds you of that. I’m glad you enjoyed the video, thanks very much!

[@matteliasmusic]

P. S. I didn’t end up keeping the 80/20s, I went back to phosphor bronze!

[@cashmoney9256]

@@matteliasmusic I hated how the 80/20s sounded on the OOO15M so i went back to Martin Retro 11s. They are my favorite on that guitar. I've tried ernie ball earthwood PB which were my second favorite. Elixir PB are good and 80/20s were terrible. On my Yamaha FS TA I did like the elixir 80/20s but now I'm trying elixir PB. I always use 11s. I have a set of diadarrio Nickel Bronze but idk what guitar I'm gonna try em on yet...I'll wait till one of them needs a new set.

[@nocaster51]

Thank you for sincerity. It's hard to admit 150$ pin set is a nay.

[@toddhayes9511]

Made a difference for sure. Biggest change/improvement, to my ear, is when strumming. Fingerstyle not a much improvement to sound. Thanks for video!

[@cheapskate8656]

That was a really good attempt at a test from musicians who were trying to be neutral. Its very hard for a player to test these things. Just your expectations can not only change what we hear but also how we play. I noted distinct differences in playing during the strumming. Also I timed the length of time the final chords were held .... The final chord was held for 1 to 2 seconds longer with the metal pins even though I could not hear anything. To really test this stuff we need a strumming/picking machine and measuring equipment.

[@WysteriaGuitar]

I put these on my Esteban premium plank board guitar and now it sounds like a Martin!!!!!

[@matteliasmusic]

Whoa! Those results are kind of unexpected but if it sounds good to you then hell yeah, play it to death 🔥

[@nelsonc6173]

LOL!

[@jboy8735]

Only a Martin can sound like a Martin

[@WysteriaGuitar]

@@jboy8735 Yeah no kidding...

[@Martin000-45]

Thanks for sharing your honest review on those pins. I've tried various kinds of bridge pin materials (bone, ebony, cocobolo, brazilian rosewood, plastic, etc), and found ebony and bone for my go-to. Bone adds more definition and punchy tone, while ebony adds warmth and rounder tone. I was thinking about trying Fossilized walrus ivory pins, but that's another $100+ investment. I do appreciate the subtle difference these pins make, it's like a fun experiment.

[@matteliasmusic]

Yes! Thank you for the input there, you've done a lot more digging into bridge pins than we have, and it's so satisfying to have gone through a bunch of alternatives to arrive at one you then know is your favorite. Like me, after an expensive and long journey I know that for example mahogany body acoustic guitars are NOT my bag. So many things to try out without even getting as in depth as changing bridge pins! Cheers!

[@brushstroke3733]

I agree with your sentiments. I think bone and ebony sound best for bridge pins, generally. However, it's awesome learning how each material affects tone so that any instrument can be experimented changed to personal taste. Brass or "liquid metal" pins might be perfect on mahogany guitars with their dark tonal characteristics. Similarly, TUSQ might be the material of choice for nut and saddle if one wanted to brighten the sound of a tonally dark guitar. In general, I think bone and even plastic sound warmer and rounder than TUSQ, but again, on a mahogany guitar, the glassy brightness of the TUSQ might pair well with the dark tonal quality of the wood.

[@123Shel12]

First of all, you have a really nice sounding guitar! I ran the sound from your video through a high quality sound system and really couldn't hear much difference, if any. All I could think was what a great sound your guitar has. About five years ago I replaced the plastic factory pins in my two Martins with bone (about $40 a set) and the difference in sound quality was immediately apparent. I can't see spending $150 for pins that provide a barely perceptible (on KZbin audio) difference. Go with bone, you'll get big improvement for a lot less money. Again, you have a nice sounding guitar!

[@TheBoomtown4]

123Shel12 where’d you get the bone pins?

[@brushstroke3733]

They sound a bit too bright, but that could just be my tablet speaker making it sound too crispy. My thought is these are good for people who don't like to change their strings often. Their added brightness might pair well with the dullness of old strings.

[@matteliasmusic]

That is a fair point honestly. I would imagine you’re right about the tablet speaker too, because we didn’t notice THAT big of a difference in the room tbh

[@tylerhenderson4244]

Do they offer financing on these?

[@yourtubisfilled7164]

Not sure how you reviewed the results yourselves but on my pretty decent stereo monitors it's pretty substantial. I may get some. But arguably slotting your bridge and using solid pins is even better, so not sure yet.

[@danpaesano2429]

I bought my d-28 in 1975 for $575.00 with a V.A. disability check. that same guitar today is over $3000. For that price Martin should supply the liquid metal bridge pins with it. Santa Cruz, Collings and Taylor didn't exist as far as I knew back then, but they are definitely competitors now. If Nazareth Pa. want to stay the home of Americas best know guitar they need to rethink making these bridge pins an extra.

[@matteliasmusic]

Can’t say I disagree. I bet that d28 sounds amazing though, that’s so cool

[@IronheadStakebreaker]

Great vid. Would you guys be interested in slapping those pins in a cheaper guitar? There may be better tonal margins available for the pins to work on in a scenario like that.

[@matteliasmusic]

That’s an interesting idea. Like a low end Yamaha or something

[@larryrhindress2972]

What great demo guys!!!! I want to try them on my D28, but $150.00 is not fair!!!!

[@matteliasmusic]

Thanks! It's definitely a steep price for a subtle change, for what that's worth !

[@lonestarpatriot876]

I appreciate you all making this video comparing the two. I did not hear a difference with the finger picking but I did hear it when you were strumming. I think I will pass on these and get a set of their ebony pins. They do make the guitar stand out more. I saw those liquid metal pins on a $51,000 Martin.

[@matteliasmusic]

Ebony pins will look sharp!! Curious, what was the fancy Martin you saw?

[@lonestarpatriot876]

@@matteliasmusicD-45S 1936 with Aged Wood. It is truly a work of art.

[@lonestarpatriot876]

@@matteliasmusic Got the Ebony pins with pearl inlays put in today and was blown away! My highs were really bright and I was looking to warm the highs and blend them more with the mids. Went from plastic to the Martin Ebony pins and hit the nail on the head!

[@matteliasmusic]

@@lonestarpatriot876 duuuuuude I’d love to see that

[@GuitarQuackery]

How important is sustain on acoustics? If you strum a cord and hold it until it dies off, perhaps you want it to ring longer, perhaps not. It would depend on the piece you're playing. While strumming, can anyone actually hear that each individual strum, within a rhythmic patterns, sustains for a longer time? And would we want those individual strums to sustain longer? Wouldn't we get more dynamics out of the rhythmic patterns if the individual strums faded quicker? Volume, of course, is a different issue.

[@matteliasmusic]

Like you say, it depends on the piece. I would say for myself I would rather have the good sustain and not need it than need it and not have it 🤷

[@stevenpdxedu]

Seems the difference came from your attack on the strings. I'm changing the plastic pins on my Orangewood Echo Sunburst to bone because both nut and saddle are bone. ($16) As a bonus, the pins are set with Pearl same as the MP rosette. Just a little matchy-matchy tweak to be different. If I get a small sound boost, bonus. I'd take your Martin any day even with plastic pins. 😎

[@TheTroyallen23]

I was not willing to pay $150 for the pins last year. I've tested guitars in person with the liquid metal pins compared to the same model guitar with the same strings and I note a slight improvement in overall volume and sustain. I find the best overall improvement is to strumming. Now that sweetwater has them for $99, I'll order three sets :-)

[@susanroycroft89]

Well done, We've all gotta keep our Witt's about us 😮

[@station2station544]

Guitarists are gearheads and they are also keen on tone. You can get these under $99 today and when you just want something cool that will affect your tone in a positive way, I think guitarist will go for them. And the Turkish Emory color which is a matte black, look great on the dark bridge. I say they are a cool thing.

[@matteliasmusic]

You're certainly right about that, I also know plenty of players who are willing to pay for any kind of tone improvement because they love it. Thanks for the input!

[@20Posaunen]

Okay - few questions: Did both sets of pins have new strings installed for the comparison, or just the metal pins? Did you play with your palm touching the bridge while fingerpicking (damping the bridge either way and negating any differences)? Did you weigh the new pins and the original pins? One set lighter than the others?

[@matteliasmusic]

Hi! Thanks for your questions- I’ll answe them as best I can: 1. No string change- same set was used throughout the entire test 2. I don’t believe Gregg was resting his palm on the bridge during the test, not as far as I could tell anyhow 3. Unfortunately no, We didn’t think to weigh them!

[@gs3173]

Thanks for being honest. God bless you!

[@Artorias001]

I could hear a difference but for $150 that's a crazy price point but I'd love to hear the difference between these and brass I bet they sound really similar but for a fraction of the cost

[@janmario64]

Nice and clear review!

[@kazkellyquest1792]

Brighter!! My D35 is already so bright. Wish I could test them before buying.

[@DavidS19551]

Your playing makes it hard to tell IN A GOOD WAY 👍

[@mambamentality2663]

Hi, buffalo horn Vs liquid metal pins, which would be louder and provides more sustajn???

[@matteliasmusic]

hi! i've never used horn pins, it's likely that both will be an improvement over stock pins if they're just plastic though! my advice is don't expect a gigantic transformation, the improvements may be very subtle!

[@tedcastillo8398]

Considering that I spent close to 3 grand on my D-28 it's worth it.

[@matteliasmusic]

That's definitely a fair point, at that price point another 150 seems not so significant if you actually enjoy the tone change from the pins

[@jimcamp2423]

At that price point, one would think that a $ 2-3K acoustic guitar would have something more exotic as OEM out of the box. And if metal is the key to volume & sustain, nickel, brass or copper works. As inexpensive as it is, stainless steel is an option as well. D'Addario has Titanium pegs.

[@bustedhonda]

Major difference strumming...Wow!

[@heinz_fiction]

If someone says you have to hear a difference, you will hear a difference. Basic psychology.

[@davedean1571]

I want to try them on my 1947 0-17 Martin that’s a cannon in its own right already.

[@treatb09]

They cost so much cause its a seriously specialized item. Titanium composite. Designed in a lab somewhere. N they do sound by video to actually work. There is an odd high frequency shimmer though that could be really off putting. Its a different sound. Clear. Cleaner. If you close your eyes and listen. Some stuff doesnt sound too different. Ill explain why. Thats because the energy isnt enough to be influenced by the pin to where the impact of a regular pin is a hinderance. . But i think you can get the same effect from decent bone or ivory pins... just wont boost decibel levels. My stock pins warped a bit which is a design flaw that actually benefits play at lower volumes because the plastic is pushed into the bottom of the bridge plate. A straight hard pin then wont have that effect. So if they molded these pins to a shape of a used plastic pin. Itll have the benefit at less energy on the top from light strumming. If you could see the energy flowing through the top. Itd be more easy to understand the physics. The warped plastic pin is probably the most interesting thing about older martins. The physics of how that leverage force on the bridge plate distributes energy to the top by lifting slight verses a straight push on the top with no lift.

[@DEADDROP100]

Why do the pins look like the stock pins, when your playing the lux Liquidmetal.

[@larryb3946]

It did make a difference to my ears. The LM pins sounded livelier and fuller

[@robertnewell5057]

Very hard to tell. Greg tried very hard, but I believe any subtle difference could be attributed to more attack by the player on the metal pins. I am at least as sure I could detect that visually as I could detect an aural difference. You guys did a good summary. Add to that the difference made to tone and volume by a well set up nut and saddle and I can't see any pins making that much difference. Finally, a lot of people who are in the market for these will be plugging in. Issues of volume and sustain just don't enter into it after that. I'll spend my £144 on more frequent string changes.

[@matteliasmusic]

Fair points- you’re especially not wrong about being plugged in. Your guitars will thank you for the fresh strings !!! Thanks for the comment, I’m glad you enjoyed the vid regardless 🤙

[@nelsonc6173]

I have a D'angelico SD400 with brass bridge pins. Came with the guitar. Love it. Definitely a deeper tone and slightly brighter sound. So I guess Metal pins do make a difference. But is it a 150 dollar difference? Not sure. Your Martin sounded wonderful either way, with and without metal bridge pins. I did detect a deeper tone and higher highs but nothing that would have me screaming "that's a miracle"! But like someone said in this thread, if you spend 3 grand on a guitar what's another 150? All depends on how much you wanna supe up your guitar. Thanks for the vid! Really enjoyed it and your playing!

[@matteliasmusic]

Nelson C thanks Nelson! Would love to hear that d’Angelico, i don’t think I’ve ever heard brass pins before.

[@nelsonc6173]

​@@matteliasmusic You should try it. I never had Brass pins before until I bought the D'Angelico. It's always been bone, ebony or plastic. Brass is quite lovely in it's own right. It's deeper in the lows and higher in the highs but with more subtlety, more control, I would say. You should try it! I have a Guild and a Taylor and I find myself playing my D’Angelico more!

[@matteliasmusic]

Nelson C I’ve heard bone, ebony, plastic, obviously these $150 Martin liquid metals. Maybe I’ll snag a set of brass ones and try em out!

[@nelsonc6173]

@@matteliasmusic LOL cool do a review vid! you made me a subscriber as result of just this vid! Keep them coming! Be safe and thanks for all your hard work!

[@matteliasmusic]

Nelson C aw man I really appreciate that, thank you very much ❤️

[@kresimirjuricic3990]

Thanks for the demo! I think a comparison between bone pins and liquid metal could be even more revealing, since a majority of folks who would give this kind of money already have at least bone pins in their guitar, which are better than plastic to begin with

[@matteliasmusic]

Thanks! That's a fair point too. I wonder how bone does vs the plastic as well myself

[@ashtonkoh6548]

Is there any difference in tone for the different color of Martin Luxe Bridge Pins? They prices are different though with the gold chrome one being the most expensive! 😊

[@matteliasmusic]

Lol! I’m not sure, but I highly doubt it 😀

[@ashtonkoh6548]

Thank you 😎🤘

[@larryperino8716]

Legit. Ranger PT shirt. Absolutely trustworthy. Made me want to agree with whatever was said. RLTW

[@mikehoehn1475]

What strings are on it ?

[@samain1804]

I prefer the plastic, to my ears it's warmer. And for $150, I'd get a set of mammoth ivory bridge pins (with inlays) from Maurey's. Really wanna try their walrus jawbone for 80$

[@frankmormon2503]

The pins add a bit of weight to the bridge without changing the stiffness of the bridge, it’s interesting but all I heard in fingerstyle is a loss of treble and in strumming threes a volume increase that is expect with a heavier bridge but again a pretty noticeable loss of treble. Which may make your Martin sound exactly the way you want, or not.

[@philipdonovan6510]

I really wasn't expecting to hear a difference but I noticed more of an edge with the Martin pins. The original pins where warmer. Interesting. If I wanted a more aggressive and clear pokey sound I'd go for the liquid metal bridge pins - if the wife didn't string me up by my underware.

[@matteliasmusic]

Hahahah Right, I’m sure your Mrs. wouldn’t be excited about the $25 per pin price point. But that’s a great way to put it, I totally agree that the metal pins sound more clear and pokey. Cool for a little extra help in cutting through a mix with a band.

[@stevenpdxedu]

@@matteliasmusic Just remember not to complain if she spends for liquid metal clothes line pins to string you up with.

[@HungryH1951]

There might be a slight difference but not enough for me to put out $150 for it. The plastic sounded quite good and I'd go with that. Maybe tusq.

[@arnoldrutjens6663]

The fun thing is that jou can experiment with all sorts of material en then let your personal (ears) taste make the disision witch one you like most, i think everyone has to make this journy in his guitar playing life.

[@xboxpalcollector]

If you had a choice between 2 similar Martin guitars but one sounded stronger with added sustain, most would pay 150 extra for the stronger guitar - when we just look at it as just pins, then it seems excessive... so I think it all depends from which angle you approach it, as to whether it's good value or not.

[@matteliasmusic]

Hey man that is most definitely a fair point, thanks for jumping in with that

[@joshuabaker9611]

I could hear the sustain and even an increase the bottom end

[@believer936]

They both sound good to me. I don't remember if you said the stock pins were bone or plastic. I don't hear over $100 difference there.

[@matteliasmusic]

I believe they were plastic! We didn’t hear the 100 difference either honestly!

[@tyhunter2000]

I put these on an HD28 and they worked very well. I wouldn’t personally put them on anything with a lot of high end clarity

[@matteliasmusic]

I bet the hd28 sounds incredible 🔥

[@joefarmer7727]

Honestly it sounded louder and clearer but maybe just bone or brass pins or even tusq would do similar.

[@Shovel-om7kn]

Dreads benefit is pretty good too.

[@susanroycroft89]

Thanks matt, Good Video thanks 😊😊😊

[@matteliasmusic]

Thank you!

[@Mrtaco-bs1lg]

The metal ones just sound so much clearer

[@jeffreybonacci2523]

RANGER T shirt I love it !!

[@texhaines9957]

Actually, Martin owners can get the pins from the Martin shop on sale for $59. Still pricey but on those smaller guitars worth it in my opinion.

[@matteliasmusic]

Tex Haines thanks for that info, at that price I would have to say my opinion would be much more warm to these pins

[@titusrider7948]

So I took out a HELOC, Home Equity Line Of Credit loan, to buy them, not sure that was a brilliant idea ? 😅

[@matteliasmusic]

Hey man leverage those assets I love the resourcefulness 💪

[@EliNews]

Great editing (!!!). Too expensive, yet It does sounds better in my opinion!

[@matteliasmusic]

Thank you! We kind of agreed, better but perhaps not totally worth

[@jerbear1601]

Stock pins sounded warmer and more harmonically rich. The metals sounded brighter but lost warmth. If a set of pins made the guitar louder that would be good, but changing the tone too much is hit or miss. An acoustic for me needs to be warm but also have a nice chimey high end ring at the same time. If it gets brittle or loses low end punch and harmonics it's a no go.

[@matteliasmusic]

I would agree with that I think

[@stephensmith799]

Noticeable difference Plastic sweeter Metal greater clarity. Might Martin make metal bridge pieces?!

[@matteliasmusic]

Stephen Smith I think I agree with your assessment, and seeing this again a couple of months later I think I prefer the plastic honestly!

[@dondeleon78]

The sound became a little bit metallic in a nice way... But for the price... Hmmmm 😭🙄🤔

[@PatatoKeftes]

Andy Powers from Taylor guitars said that changing pins and listening to a difference isnt a difference in material rather than a difference in fit. He also pointed that the best way to get excellent fit is to have pins of the same material as the bridge, the two surfaces dont wear each other out due to hardness difference and a better fit for longer time is achieved.

[@matteliasmusic]

Interesting stuff. I’m inclined to listen to what Andy Powers has to say 🙌

[@dangitbobby0001]

The ebony ones my 00-15m came with are just fine.

[@matteliasmusic]

dangitbobby0001 fair enough! Love ebony everything, I bet that 00 sounds great.

[@dangitbobby0001]

@@matteliasmusic I have been debating these for my OMCPA4...it has the plastic ones, stock. Little steep on price. Might can find some used ones.

[@JohnMcPhersonStrutt]

What is liquidmetal? Do they contain Mercury?

[@matteliasmusic]

My god, I hope not?

[@JohnMcPhersonStrutt]

@@matteliasmusic So do I ! !

[@MrBaxter24]

I really don't care that these cost 150 because my Hd35 deserves them. 😂

[@Glicksman1]

I have a real pearl pickguard for $3000.00 to sell you.

[@billbergen9169]

@@Glicksman1 do u notice any difference?

[@Glicksman1]

@@billbergen9169 Yeah, there's a difference. A real pearl pickguard would lighten your bank account by exactly $3,000.00 plus shipping and increase mine by the same, wise guy.

[@billbergen9169]

@@Glicksman1 but does it change the sound?

[@wearsider]

Their is a difference in sound even when finger picking with metal pins, which I think are much clearer and possibly louder, its hard to tell with youtube, but not worth that amount of money. Good review though.

[@clawhammer704]

Iv tried these Liquid Metal pins against brass pins. Sounds the same to me.

[@wearsider]

Does Martin put plastic pins on a $3000 guitar ?

[@matteliasmusic]

Yes 😔

[@HerringboneRecords]

Actually, it depends on what you want your Sound to be. I never want my Acoustic to sound More Metalic, I have Electric guitar for that. I want my Acoustic to Sound Wooden which is what it's made out of, Wood. Ebony pins work for me. Same reason I don't use Brass nuts on my Acoustics. The Metal accentuates the brightness and metallic tone of the strings but looses the richness of the bottom of the spectrum and fullness of the tone of the Acoustic. There's reasons most who play prefer Bone nuts and saddles. Of course, his Martin is obviously pretty new and will sound different after 10-20 years of playing.

[@Theincrediblespud]

Which guitar model is that?

[@matteliasmusic]

It’s Gregg’s Martin 00-28!

[@HyraatShantar]

Nice one bro!

[@sphinx9517]

Which guitar is this

[@matteliasmusic]

It’s Gregg’s 2018 Martin 00! We’ve done tons of gigs with it and it always sounds perfect

[@jerbear1601]

I picked up some bone bridge pins and honestly they took away from my Taylor 214ce Rosewood. I found it lost the deep low end and actually butchered the nice highs and harmonic richness that the guitar has and that sold me on it in the first place. Plastic pins just sounded better and Taylor likely used them for a reason. Also I used a set of 80/20 bronze strings to replace the Phosphors that were originally on it and they sounded brittle and lacked warmth. I returned to Phosphors and it sounds great again. Maybe Martins could benefit as they aren't the brightest guitars out there.

[@matteliasmusic]

Interesting about bone pins, I’ve never used them. I hear you about the phosphor sets I use them on guitars I want to sound dark and they work for that. How do you like that 214?

[@jerbear1601]

@@matteliasmusic I picked up the 214ce at a store that had it for an NOS deal. It was great as soon as I played it, the neck felt good and I had already decided that I like guitars with rosewood and Sitka. I like guitars that aren't too expensive that do the job. They aren't easy to find but when I find one that speaks to me I try to be ready to pull the trigger. I believe in well built, nice playing and sounding guitars that are under $1500. Over that I feel I would worry about it too much.

[@matteliasmusic]

@@jerbear1601 love that. You’re not wrong, I have a 714ce and it scares me

[@mragunathan1627]

The liquid metal pins make the tone more rounded and warmer, volume seems to be the same, sustain does increase a tiny bit.

[@matteliasmusic]

And it's interesting about the little change to the tone too, I would have expected the opposite effect!

[@col145]

All things being equal, the strings still make contact with the bridge ( after the pins ) so how can there be a difference?? Hey, Who’s fooling Who ?🙃

[@ibizstudio761]

The stock pins are probably ebony not plastic. Nevertheless, the stock pins sound better because they probably fit better. Other than that, there would be no noticeable difference in the sound.

[@alimbawip5345]

Interesting. The change in sound is obvious both plucked and strummed. If this sound difference were achieved through a different body/fingerboard wood etc. many people would spend 150,-$ extra (if they like it). These pins probably cost almost nothing in production, and maybe any decent metal pin would have the same effect.

[@derekfromtauranga6012]

Anything is better than plastic but I wouldn’t waste money on these. Bone or ebony pins sound great. 😀

[@uvp5000]

To my damaged ears, the Liquidmetal Bridge Pins do help create a different sound, and I do like what I hear.

[@alexrodriguez4643]

The one thing I haven’t seen people talk about is the durability. If they last 10x longer than standard bridge pins then maybe it would be worth it in the long run.

[@matteliasmusic]

That's seriously a good point

[@IRequireMedication]

How many times have you worn out and replaced your bridge pins?

[@matteliasmusic]

Has anyone else put new bridge pins into an acoustic to try and make it sound better????

[@mikepj1025]

Matt Elias I never leave the plastic in. Always replace with tusq and love it. Martin D35, Seagull S6 Original, Taylor 310ce all made a subtle but noticeable difference for the better. IMHO

[@matteliasmusic]

@@mikepj1025 well, If you like how those tusq pins sound across 3 different instruments like that, that's legit!

[@sc12100]

I put the liquid metal pins in my hd28 and Im surprised to hear that there is a big difference in sustain somehow.

[@matteliasmusic]

@@sc12100 that's awesome to have more sustain! did you also notice more volume?

[@sc12100]

@@matteliasmusic yes a little bit more. its also has a bit brighter sound as well.

[@shield400]

I don't want to admit it cause I don't want to spend $150 on pins but.....yeah I likes the metal pins better.

[@matteliasmusic]

Haha! Nothing at all wrong with that imo, if you dig the sound and you can swing it I say treat yo self 😁

[@bradparnis1800]

I think all the people that say it’s not worth it need to go and spend 150 on an audiologist appointment If your spending 1000’s on a Martin what is $150 more for a product that clearly provided what it claimed? My 2 cents worth

[@bjamminsincebirth3494]

I think on an already expensive guitar it’s not much different. I hear brighter more output in the time. I think on an all mahogany guitar it would be a better test.

[@matteliasmusic]

That's not a bad point about an all mahogany guitar, since it might sound naturally less bright maybe these pins would make more of a difference

[@clintwhite3021]

The "liquid metal" must be gold.

[@matteliasmusic]

For $25 a pin you might be right hahaha

[@stevenhamilton5238]

If I'm willing to spend $1,000-$3,000 on a Martin, why would I not be willing to put high end pins into a high end guitar? Better question... Why is Martin NOT putting them in all their guitars? Oh yea.... It's an additional sales point for their already expensive guitars. Oh well... I'll give them a try. I've done brass, bone, and Tusq over the years now, so why not ones that are designed for my Martin?

[@matteliasmusic]

Yeah, you make some good points. Any preference between the other upgraded pins you've tried?

[@ComicKish]

martin is law of dimishing returns

[@peterpulpitpounder]

Stock pins are warmer. I like them better. Metal pins strip some warmth away, which the OM needs.

[@matteliasmusic]

This is a fair point.

[@peterpulpitpounder]

@@matteliasmusic I guess it's a matter of experimentation, age of the strings, pick choice, the environment, and how the guitar is approached. I have an HD28, and while I don't think it sounds as great as I would like in my carpeted living room, man does it shine in my bathroom!!!

[@matteliasmusic]

@@peterpulpitpounder perfect for shower pickin 😂

[@marciefree]

You know… think 🤔 of it this way guys, you still own the guitar and likely will for a long time right? Say ten years. Over ten years you’ll have spent 12 cents per day for having the metal pins. And… 😮 you can always switch em back! Cool! 😎😎😎

[@startreker8591]

The container is $60 etc

[@toneman335]

The Martin "Liquidmetal" pins are overpriced!