Now if we can agree that we prefer separation of tones and define that as clarity then Fossilized Ivory is the accepted material of choice for many steel string Flatpickers and fingerpickers alike. The guitar was especially lively and the player used fingerpicks. Taming of the lively guitar. Jeez don't we all wish we had that problem. Fossilized Walrus Ivory increased the volume, clarity and sustain so much that the player who had developed a style to achieve his sound was not able to back off on his playing so the guitar itself had to be subdued.
PINS are the bridge pins.
There is your sound board with the bridge and beautiful fossil saddle and inside your guitar is the quarter sawn maple bridge plate correctly glued under the X brace. All is right in guitar heaven. The pins need to contact four things all at once to achieve their highest coupling effect. So now we have the string held in by the ball end and the pin kind of insures that string isn't going to pop out but the coupling of the pin, string, bridge, top, bridge plate is only sloppily done at best. Check me out.