Double Bass End Pin Won't Hold A Wheel.

[Rod Sroufe]

Hi folks. Talk Bass newbie here!! I have an end pin issue with my Romanian (labeled Roma) carved top bass. I bought this bass on-line just over 6 years ago from the then Ideal Music online site that was liquidating these basses at the time. It has been a fine bass for the price and is serving me well. It has the original end pin with a notched 10mm shaft. I have no issues tightening the endpin in any of the notches in the shaft and it works fine with no rattles. However, I cannot turn the screw tight enough to get it to clamp on the flat side of the 10mm shaft on either of my end pin wheels to hold the wheel at the desired direction. I am seriously considering a new endpin, but thought I would solicit other ideas first. Thoughts?? Many thanks!!

 

[MikeCanada]

Take both out and have a look in the hole. When you tighten the screw does the end of the screw poke through into the hole, or does the hole itself get smaller? Sometimes instead of having the screw directly on the metal of the shaft there is a cork/rubber/something in there to prevent everything from rattling, and it is more squeezing the pin than screwing into it. In that case if you have notches the whole way around it will still grab those, but not a flat side on a wheel shaft.

Also try pulling the wheel shaft out a little further. On some of the shafts, the flat side doesn't go all the way to the bottom, and there's a chance that your mechanism is getting caught on the round part. If neither of those things work and you are sure you have both a 10mm pin and shaft, I'm out of ideas.

 

[old spice]

I ground a flat spot in the shaft of my wheel with a grinder and it helps.
I marked the suitable spot with a marker first.

 

[Rod Sroufe]

Thanks all. Both wheel shafts have flat surfaces on one side of the shaft. There seems to be some kind of metal collar inside the plug that will twist with the screw when the shaft is taken out. This collar has a larger hole on one side as a shaft can only be inserted when the larger hole is facing the towards the bottom of the plug. I believe the mechanism is squeezing around the shaft vs. screwing into it.

 

[Eric Hochberg]

Go with a Kolstein Stroller or KC Strings Buggy. Better than an endpin wheel, IMO.

 

[drurb]

Go with a Kolstein Stroller or KC Strings Buggy. Better than an endpin wheel, IMO.

Indeed! I love my Bass Buggy. It has saved my back, is easier to maneuver than a bass wheel, and is likely safer for the bass as well.