Laborie for a 4/4 size bass?

[anonymous12251111]

Hi! I just purchased a new instrument which is very large. It has 28" lower bouts and very deep ribs, I believe around 9.5 inches on the bottom! I was just wondering if the Laborie Endpin would be able to support this size instrument? It's surprisingly much lighter than most 3/4 size basses but I'm having a bit of trouble getting around it. Also, it's a flat-back, does a Laborie Bass/Rabbath stance work for playing on a flat-back bass? I'm lately noticing how much sitting really dampens the sound of a flat-back, so I've been playing standing but I can't stand playing in a closed stance and still trying to support the weight of the instrument evenly...I'm also only 5'6...I'm hoping the Laborie would work well for me. I hear good things about it but I am slightly apprehensive to get someone to drill a hole. I would first try a bent-pin but my endpin socket is VERY large, 14mm and it uses a carbon fibre rod so I don't believe it can be bent easily


Thanks!

[JoeyNaeger]

I play on a large instrument the a high rib depth (up to 10" I think). I have never had any trouble using the laborie endpin. It is a round back, but I have seen several people use them on flatbacks. One in particular does so to avoid the dampening that you describe. I hope this helps.

[anonymous12251111]

Originally Posted by JoeyNaeger

I play on a large instrument the a high rib depth (up to 10" I think). I have never had any trouble using the laborie endpin. It is a round back, but I have seen several people use them on flatbacks. One in particular does so to avoid the dampening that you describe. I hope this helps.

Thanks!

[PNeher]

hey Calvin,
Glad you asked! Yes, ANY bass and player, IMO, will benefit from the use of a Laborie end-pin. Robertson's Violin Shop and many others now install them routinely. There is also this new pin from KC Strings that is essentially the same thing, only attached differently. The idea is to get the center of gravity moved forward so the bass balances at a nice playing angle. Be aware that the larger shouldered basses tend to "spin" more because of the more narrow contact with the body (unless you have a substantial belly). So... any new way of doing things takes some getting used to. For traditional standing players the angled endpin takes a bit longer to learn than for sitting players that move to standing. The angle of the bass is more like sitting. Good luck!
Patrick

[anonymous12251111]

Originally Posted by PNeher

hey Calvin,
Glad you asked! Yes, ANY bass and player, IMO, will benefit from the use of a Laborie end-pin. Robertson's Violin Shop and many others now install them routinely. There is also this new pin from KC Strings that is essentially the same thing, only attached differently. The idea is to get the center of gravity moved forward so the bass balances at a nice playing angle. Be aware that the larger shouldered basses tend to "spin" more because of the more narrow contact with the body (unless you have a substantial belly). So... any new way of doing things takes some getting used to. For traditional standing players the angled endpin takes a bit longer to learn than for sitting players that move to standing. The angle of the bass is more like sitting. Good luck!
Patrick

Will a luthier know where to make the "incision" to place the pin in? Also, is there a general rule of thumb about how long the pin should be in relation to how long the pin is on a normal pin. Sorry that was convoluted.