bridge pins

[Ron Nossaman]

Perhaps something informational.

I've always sort of considered #7 bridge pins to be in the same category as
#17 music wire was in the old string scales... magic. Use them everywhere
you can. When I'm making bridges, I'll use #7 through the tenor and treble,
with #8 on the wound strings/auxiliary bridge, and bass bichords. In pianos
under 6 1/2', I use #8 in the monochords too, though I'd probably go to #9
in a bigger piano. I haven't made new bridges for anything bigger that I
didn't just duplicate what was there, but it will happen. I don't normally
use #6, or #10 at all unless I'm just replacing what was there. I consider
#6 to be too light and flexible for solid string termination, and #10 to be
about the right diameter, but too short for a club. Just my personal take.

So here's the question. Has anyone out there got preferences and/or logic
(other than just replacing what was there) on bridge pin sizes as relates to
piano size, tension ranges/mass/impedance, scale position, This kind of
thing doesn't come up for discussion anywhere and I'm trying to fill yet
another of the many (many) holes in my education.

Thanks,
 Ron