I've been playing guitar for about two years, and have re-strung my old fender acoustic quite a few times. However, I bought an Alvarez a few months ago, and have had quite a bit of trouble trying to put new strings on it. I got the old ones off just fine, but when I try to put the new ones in, the bridge pins keep popping out! This issue seems to be less prevalent on the higher strings, but the low E and A refuse to stay put. Any tips on keeping my bridge pins from popping out?
stick your finger on the pin and just push as hard as you can. if you hold it with enough strength then you should hold the pins in. that's the easiest way.
Easy fix man Take needle nose pliers and at the end of the string where the little brass ferrule string retainer is that you stick inside the bridge hole pin , make the end have a 90 degree bend as near to the end of the string where that ferrule is looped by the wire so it catches as you tighten it . It snags inside before sliding out the hole like what your having a bad time over ! Good luck I'm picking up my steel string now as I torch up a doobie See ya Aloha Local Boy
First guitar I ever had was an Alvarez acoustic, and I had similar problems when changing strings. I think it's got something to do with the quality of the wood used for the bridge. I always had problems removing pegs when I needed to change strings as well. I wish I had some tips for you, man, but there's not much you can do other than listening to the suggestions others have offered. Alvarez acoustics have a decent sound, but they're pretty lame on the whole.
Howzit man : Alvarez guitars .......some are just plane awesome man . The first guitar I was able to play after 36 years of pain in my left ring finger chording hand was an Alvarez steel string . I started at age 6 then at 12 3 big gallon sized milk bottles got smashed into my left hand and no more guitar for 36 years man ! Sitting at the public library I was learning about the net for my music promotion . There as I sat that last piece ( there were literally 100's of them in the beginning ) of glass poked out of my left ring finger tip as I typed . I didn't realize it till I ended up scratching the living hell out of my right forearm and forehead ! Yep I was confused as heck since I couldn't for the life of me understand at first what the heck went down till I saw the finger under a hand held magnifier lens . I literally ran to my buddies home where an " Alvarez " was waiting for me to test my finger out . My buddy knew about my finger problem and wondered what the heck I was up to till he returned with his Alvarez , as he gave it to me I gave him a piece of clear scotch tape with that little bastard shard of sharp arrow head looking glass about the size of a LP record needle and told him what just went down . I made my first ugly sounding open chords and bar chords in 36 years , I almost cried with happiness heh heh . It sounded bad but there was no heavy pain like before . It took 3 months for the skin to fill in the hole left behind to the point of being able to really begin the re learning process of playing guitar again . So you see , every time I see an Alvarez acoustic steel string I get a lump in my throat thinking about how it went down 10 years ago and I was given a second chance at guitar again in my life . Yep I have a soft spot in my heart for Alvarez steel string guitars . Here's to you and your Alvarez ( lighting up a doobie ) and anyone else who has conquered adversity to play any musical instrument ! Aloha man Local boy