John Pearse Faux Tortoiseshell Bridge Pins: Faux Tortoise Shell Bridge Pins with Abalone Dots. Packaged as a set of seven [for seven string guitars or six strings with a spare] these pins are absolutely the closest thing to the appearance of the REAL thing--the trade in which is now illegal, thank heaven! They are created from Casein, a phosphorprotein of MILK [!!] precipitated by heating it together with a mild acid to form this beautiful and extremely hard-wearing plastic! Perfect for dressing up that little old Martin or a vintage European Romance guitar, they are wonderful on new instruments too! The John Pearse® Faux Tortoise Shell Pins vary in light and dark just as real tortoise shell would, with a golden warmth highlighted by the shimmer of Abalone Dot Inlays. Their density adds an interesting coloration to the sound of the instrument, similar to that obtained by using other, much more expensive, bridge pin alternatives. $18.99.