angled endpins

[kurt muroki]

Hey Patrick! How are you doing? It's great that you are on this forum! have a question... I have never tried the eggpin, an angled enpin, or the newer drilling a new angled enpin hole etc. I was wondering if you have tried them all, and if so, do you notice a sound change good or bad between all options?

[jdapodaca]

I've been wondering this exact thing lately.

[PNeher]

Originally Posted by kurt muroki

Hey Patrick! How are you doing? It's great that you are on this forum! have a question... I have never tried the eggpin, an angled enpin, or the newer drilling a new angled enpin hole etc. I was wondering if you have tried them all, and if so, do you notice a sound change good or bad between all options?

Hi Kurt! Nice to hear from you. For those of you who do not know: Kurt Muroki is one of the country's finest bass players and a rising star. Keep an eye out for wherever he performs and go see him!
To answer this end pin question (in a not-so-authorative manner): I have tried numerous endpins and have made hundreds now. The EggPin I owned and used , for awhile, as well as a bent metal rod. I have also made a great contraption I call the "bass shoe" which supports the bass from the bottom rib. All have different characteristics in how they effect the sound of my bass and the practicality and comfort of the stance/hold. Again, I believe a bend pin or angled pin should be used primarily for standing, though I know there are some that use it sitting. My Opinion: The EggPin mutes my bass and for some basses this is beneficial, for mine it was detrimental. The bend rod (put into a Goetz plug.holder) works well though also tends to transmit some vibrations to the floor. The most "open" and free-sounding vibrating qualities came from using the straight, carbon-fibre rod in an angled hole. Christian Laborie in the ISB mag a ways back, has a little article on its development. The Laborie End Pin (really developed over time in consultation with Rabbath, Walker, myself and others) seems to be the best of all worlds, in that it allows the bass to be free sounding and provides bounceless stance at the correct angle for ease of weight transfer from both hands (see my interview article in Double Bassist Magazine with F. Rabbath).
So, there ya go ... any questions? If not.. you are not doing your homework, THere are a lot of opinions out there, but the best thing to do is try it yourself. It took me almost two years to get truly comfortable with the angled pin, but I was sitting for 25 years, so two seemed quick. Now I can play on ANY bass with ease, straight endpin or not, because I know the "feel" required. The angled pin allowed me to acquire that feel.
Best to you all for the Holidays!
PN

[kurt muroki]

oh geeeeeeeez... now i'm embarassed! hehe... anyway thanks for such a concise and complete explination. Makes complete sense to get used to the correct feel for standing. I think I'll start experimenting.
happy holidays and thanks!

[DaveAceofBass]

Originally Posted by PNeher

Hi Kurt! Nice to hear from you. For those of you who do not know: Kurt Muroki is one of the country's finest bass players and a rising star. Keep an eye out for wherever he performs and go see him!
To answer this end pin question (in a not-so-authorative manner): I have tried numerous endpins and have made hundreds now. The EggPin I owned and used , for awhile, as well as a bent metal rod. I have also made a great contraption I call the "bass shoe" which supports the bass from the bottom rib. All have different characteristics in how they effect the sound of my bass and the practicality and comfort of the stance/hold. Again, I believe a bend pin or angled pin should be used primarily for standing, though I know there are some that use it sitting. My Opinion: The EggPin mutes my bass and for some basses this is beneficial, for mine it was detrimental. The bend rod (put into a Goetz plug.holder) works well though also tends to transmit some vibrations to the floor. The most "open" and free-sounding vibrating qualities came from using the straight, carbon-fibre rod in an angled hole. Christian Laborie in the ISB mag a ways back, has a little article on its development. The Laborie End Pin (really developed over time in consultation with Rabbath, Walker, myself and others) seems to be the best of all worlds, in that it allows the bass to be free sounding and provides bounceless stance at the correct angle for ease of weight transfer from both hands (see my interview article in Double Bassist Magazine with F. Rabbath).
So, there ya go ... any questions? If not.. you are not doing your homework, THere are a lot of opinions out there, but the best thing to do is try it yourself. It took me almost two years to get truly comfortable with the angled pin, but I was sitting for 25 years, so two seemed quick. Now I can play on ANY bass with ease, straight endpin or not, because I know the "feel" required. The angled pin allowed me to acquire that feel.
Best to you all for the Holidays!
PN

I have just bought a Kolstein Guarneri bass (with sloping shoulders similar to a Laborie) with the Laborie endpin. I've had to hack some off of the endpin to get it the correct height. My question is, should the bass be hitting me higher up than it was before? I used to have the upper bout contacting my body where my leg bends, just to the left of my groin. Now it hits me higher up around my belly. In videos of Rabbath playing, it seems to be about that height, and the nut is level with my eyebrow. If you don't angle it as much, the bass is then higher. I'm trying to match the angle as in the Art of the Bow DVD. However, I play alot of jazz so I have to find a happy medium. Any suggestions or pointers?