Double Bass Eggpin review

[Pacman]

First of all, if this would be better suited in setup and repair, please move it.

Ok, my egg pin arrived this morning. My first impression is how massive it is! Rather substantial chunk of metal here. Its design is fairly simple: a support bar that clamps to the endpin housing and allows the anglable pin to slide, front to back; the angled pin barrel, and the pin itself.

The nicest thing I can see with this is that the endpin can be placed behind the body, because the support arm extends 3-4 inches out from the body. That alone moves the percieved center of gravity, taking a lot of weight off the thumb. The degree of angle availble is not as much as I would have hoped, but becuase you can move the actual pin so far, it really works.

The eggpin certainly did what I hoped it would - gives me the ability to angle my bass for comfort, and doesn't make me worry about damaging my bass. Something that I did with my 'ghetto' bent pin.

A bit expensive, but I believe worth it. If I can answer any other questions, let me know....

 

[tsolo]

Is there a site where I can look at to get a better idea?

 

[Pacman]

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[toman]

I don't know much about this whole bent endpin thing really; do you think there would be any benefit for someone like me who plays a large instrument fairly low, and vertical? (Gary Karr type technique) It doesn't seem like it would, because it seems to focus on tilting the bass back, but I don't know...

 

[tsolo]

was your purchase primarily for arco or piz?

 

[Pacman]

Both, really - I don't want to change the bass' postion based on which technique I'm playing. For my money, the pin affects the left arm more anyway...

 

[Don Higdon]

Jon, the bass in the picture seems high off the floor. My basses are large, and I only use the first notch on a Goetz pin. Is that a factor? Is there a silte where I can get a closer look?

 

[Pacman]

Originally posted by Don Higdon
Jon, the bass in the picture seems high off the floor. My basses are large, and I only use the first notch on a Goetz pin. Is that a factor? Is there a silte where I can get a closer look?

I know that you can get a shorter barrel for the endpin, Don. I'm not sure of any other pictures - my digi camera's kind of crappy, but I'll take any that you'd like to see.... FWIW, I ordered the long barreled model.

 

[geoffzilla]

Pacman,
The one thing I would be wary of with that egg pin would be stripping the screw to your endpin assembly. I studied with a professor who strongly advocated them for all of the students. More than one school bass had to have the endpin assembly replaced. I don't think they're designed to sustain the stress that the pin exerts on it.
Just my opinion.
I'm actually looking into using a bent pin, because I figured it would be LESS damaging to the assembly.

 

[Pacman]

Originally posted by geoffzilla
Pacman,
The one thing I would be wary of with that egg pin would be stripping the screw to your endpin assembly.

Which is why I went with the Eggpin - it clamps around the endpin plug. The screw is actually removed from the bass, and a small set-screw goes in. I didn't want to use a pin in the original pin's hole simply because it puts too much torque on the screw. The eggpin does not.

 

[geoffzilla]

ahhh.....
So your using it the way it was designed to be used!!!
None of the school basses had the right endpin assembly for that. We all used the adaptors that insert like a standard endpin, and provide a mounting place for the eggpin. After 2 years without, I finally bought my own string bass, and the endpin doesn't jive with the eggpin's standard mounting. bummer.
Why is the bent endpin bad for the assembly? I would think that it would function just like a standard endpin. I must be missing something.

 

[Pacman]

The eggpin comes in two models - the one that fits the goetz endpin, and one that's universal. I went with the universal one.

As far as why the bent pin is bad for the assembly, one word: torque. A lot of weight in a very small place, twisting (or trying to).

 

[Johnny L]

I was showing a kid some basic technique a couple of weeks ago, just playing stuff in first and half position. He doesn't care to stand while playing, and since I appreciate his lack of patience with learning basics that can be circumvented I took a seat and got to business.

I'm always standing while I play and use a straight endpin right now, so the bass leans forward when I need that extra something. But it was so easy to just let my left arm hang off the fingerboard while I was sitting. To show the kid what the thumb was supposed to be used for, I took it completely off the neck and just let my arm weight give me the power to stop the strings while playing half and first position scales. Then I brought the thumb in to give me an "intonation anchor". Very nice.

Reminded me of your Eggpin, Pacman, and how much you may be enjoying the additional support and comfort right now.

 

[Pacman]

Johnny, I'm loving it! Just for giggles the other day, I put my straight pin in, and it felt like the bass was made of cement! I wouldn't trade it at all - thumb position is so much easier, well...the whole bass is so much easier to play, hear and get around on.

My teacher thinks it's weird, tho

 

[Adrian Cho]

Jon, where did you get it from?

 

[Adrian Cho]

OK, I can see now that Robertsons sells these things. I have a few questions:

So the primary benefit of this device is just to take weight off the left thumb? And that manifests itself in just being able to use the left hand more freely?

The Goetz model fits INTO the endpin housing but the universal fits AROUND it?

 

[Johnny L]

Pat Pac: My teacher thinks it's weird, tho

Just tell him you're staying a step back until the cement dries.

 

[Pacman]

Originally posted by adrian_cho
So the primary benefit of this device is just to take weight off the left thumb? And that manifests itself in just being able to use the left hand more freely?

In my opinion, yes. It also allows you to step more behind the instrument, like a cello, and use your body more symetricly. It does take some getting used to, especially if you've learned another way, but rather than holding the bass up, it almost seems to 'float' in front of you. Your left hand is totally free.

The Goetz model fits INTO the endpin housing but the universal fits AROUND it? [/B]

I got mine from Robertson's. I don't know about the goetz model, but Arron Robertson would probably clear up any questions you have...

 

[Danny Adair]

Thanks for keeping us updated on this, Pac - I'm very interested in this topic, too. Were you able to snap some pics of your example and how you look while playing?

 

[Pacman]

No, but I'll ask my wife to sometime soon.