Double Bass DIY carbon endpin (< 20$)

[Papageno]

I made myself a DIY carbon enpin.

For this, I ordered on the internet:
- a carbon fiber rod (diameter = 10mm, length = 20cm) (I use a short endpin, so 20cm is perfect for me, but one finds easily rods of 33cm or 50cm length). Cost = 10$
- a collar, in order to block the endpin without damaging it. Cost = 5$.
- a rubber endpin cap. I got 2 of them for 3$, so if lose one, or if it gets damaged, if have a spare one.

All this is put together within less than a minute. I did not even need to glue the rubber cap; if fits and holds perfectly. I just need to gently lock the endpin with screw on the plug, in order to prevent it falling down; there is no risk of damaging it. The weight of the bass is carried by the collar, which has to be firmly locked with an hex key, so that it does not slip down.

The carbon enpin weights 50g (vs 350g for the steel endpin).

Concerning the sound: I did not notice a really significant change, may be slightly more sustain. I assume, this is due to the fact, that because my end pin is very short, there is much less influence on sound than on basses that are played with full extended endpins.

Here are a few pics.

 

[bherman]

Great idea!

 

[Mark_T]

This is great. I use a Laborie pin, but I keep an _extremely_ short pin in my endpin plug all the time so that I have something to rest the bass on while I put it in its case. Do you carry something like that to use when you're not using your carbon pin?

 

[Papageno]

This is great. I use a Laborie pin, but I keep an _extremely_ short pin in my endpin plug all the time so that I have something to rest the bass on while I put it in its case. Do you carry something like that to use when you're not using your carbon pin?

Actually, I usually never remove or retract my endpin. It is short enough so that I can leave it permanently, even during transport in my car.

But if one uses a longer endpin, then the easy solution is that have an extra, very short, endpin to put on while transporting the bass. (the extra weight is not an issue, and with a DIY endpin like this one, the cost is not a problem)

 

[Andy Mopley]

So, in the end all that was achieved was a 300g weight reduction? Is this what prompted the change? Just curious, I know people have experimented with wood, drum sticks etc. But kudos to you for coming up with the idea - where the materials bought locally or do you have a link also?

 

[Papageno]

So, in the end all that was achieved was a 300g weight reduction? Is this what prompted the change? Just curious, I know people have experimented with wood, drum sticks etc. But kudos to you for coming up with the idea - where the materials bought locally or do you have a link also?

As you point out, not every experiment yields spectacular results.

The motivation for this was that people have reported a significant improvement in sound quality and volume. At least as judged from from behind the bass, that was not the case for me. I posted it because many people seemed to be interested in using a carbon pin. As I mentioned before, it seems plausible for that sound improvement be more significant on basses that are played with a longer end pin. In any case I am glad I did not spend a lit on this one.