When was my Avalon made, and any other info...:)

[namrok]

I just bought used a L310, serial No. L000466, Amazaque/Spruce.
Great guitar, really opening up, as it seems it hasn't been played in a while. I'd like to know when it was built and any specifics about this guit. Is it a Sitka spruce top of European spruce top? Doesn't really matter, just curious. Also, any recs for strings? I play open tunings fingerstyle, mainly. I have owned Lowdens and McIlroys and thi guitar is obviously from the same family tree.... Curious the advantages/differences of pinned bridge vs the Lowden style.

Posted this to the Guitar Tech thread, but maybe it should be here.....

[JB]

Hi there Namrok,

Your newly acquired L310 #466 Avalon was finished in July 2004 and will have a Sitka soundboard, it will have originally had D'Addario 12-53 gauge EXP16 strings fitted.

Regarding the bridge ... to pin or not to pin ... that, is the question! (sorry, couldn't resist it)
We believe it is better to use a pin bridge, that's why we do it better from a constructural perspective as the strings are then anchored below the bridge in a more central position causing less deformation of the soundboard over time.
Pinless bridges have the strings anchored at the very back of the bridge so all the string pressure is pulling from the back and over time you can see the bridge tilt up/forward in many guitars causing a very pronounced 'bulge' to develop in the soundboard behind it.

There is also a very strong argument for increased sustain and tone with a pin bridge.

[namrok]

JB,
Many thanks! I had a question of the Gtech thread regarding bridge pins, and curious why the pins had a hole in them just below the top. I experimented with some bone pins I had around and landed on changing out the high E and B strings.

All the best, Dave

[JB]

Many years ago we used the pin you mention with the hole, it's a locking pin and requires the guitar to be strung in a different way but it's difficult for customers to find replacements so we decided to only run with them for a short time and revert back to tapered pins.

[namrok]

Interesting. Any advantage to these pins? do you run the string through the hole before inserting pin into the bridge?

Thanks, Dave