The New John Pearse® Bone Bridge Pins are slotted and the ends of the pins are chamfered--which means that the end of the pin is cut on an angle. When you insert the pin into the string slot, the chamfered end moves the pin past the ball of the string so that the ball seats along the side of the pin much more easily than without the chamfered end. When you are replacing a string in a hurry, it makes your life easier! It also means that your string will seat perfectly each time, not turning your guitar into a pin-launching cannon!