Double Bass Endpin rattle when playing Ab

[Darth_Linux]

When playing Ab in half position on the G string, I get a rattle from my endpin, especially when pizz'ing. It's the metal rod vibrating, not the wooden collar where it inserts into the body.

Is there a quick fix for this? I thought about removing it, wrapping a single layer of painter's tape around the part nearest the collar and putting it back, just to make it slightly thicker.

Thanks for your thoughts!

 

[GretschWretch]

You may have to raise the bass just a tad (or more) to get more of the endpin outside of the bass. The less pin inside the bass, the less likelihood of it rattling on any note.

 

[Bar Star]

Is there a quick fix for this? I thought about removing it, wrapping a single layer of painter's tape around the part nearest the collar and putting it back, just to make it slightly thicker.

Thanks for your thoughts!

When I brought my first bass to my luthier for the same reason, he hacksawed off some of the excess metal endpin that was sitting in the bass. This stopped the rattle, made the bass lighter and slightly louder.

Notes:
-I am 5’9” so there was lots of excess endpin in the bass.
-I don’t know the formula/variables for determining the minimum amount of endpin to leave in the bass. Hopefully actual luthiers and/or more knowledgeable people can chime in.
-Some endpins have a tab on the top so they can’t fall out. This complicates the process and if you still want to shorten it then you/your luthier might have to cut the pointed tip off, fish the pin out through the f holes and start over with a replacement endpin.

 

[AGCurry]

When I brought my first bass to my luthier for the same reason, he hacksawed off some of the excess metal endpin that was sitting in the bass. This stopped the rattle, made the bass lighter and slightly louder.

Yep.

 

[KUNGfuSHERIFF]

What Bar Star said.

 

[Greg Clinkingbeard]

Cutting it off should help, as might wrapping it with electrical tape so it dampens where it meets the top. The ebony part should have cork around the top to dampen any vibration.

 

[Michael Eisenman]

…
-Some endpins have a tab on the top so they can’t fall out. This complicates the process and if you still want to shorten it then you/your luthier might have to cut the pointed tip off, fish the pin out through the f holes and start over with a replacement endpin.

Or pull it out as far as it will go, cut it to the required length (if enough is exposed), push everything back in, and finally fish out the part with the tab.

 

[neilG]

-I don’t know the formula/variables for determining the minimum amount of endpin to leave in the bass.

When you have your bass at the highest you need it to be, any end pin protruding past the bass block isn't doing anything. It's possible that some basses can sound better with the extra bit of weight of some pin sticking out, but I've chopped mine a couple of times and can't hear any difference.

 

[Darth_Linux]

Thanks all. It sounds like a shorter endpin is the ultimate solution to my problem.

 

[Darth_Linux]

Thanks all. It sounds like a shorter endpin is the ultimate solution to my problem.

 

[Mark_T]

Although I'm certain everyone's advice is correct (it's what I'd have said, too), you can probably test the hypothesis before making any cuts by setting the endpin to different lengths and seeing if the Ab is still the problem. It might not work, but if it does, it seems like you've almost certainly eliminated other factors.

 

[Dladd94]

This worked for me!

 

[DoubleMIDI]

This worked for me!View attachment 5285016 View attachment 5285018

Not every bass is a Stagg EDB. What works for a DB might work for an EUB too but not necessarily in the other direction.

 

[walterw]

my new to me '50s kay did that (as a noob to the upright i thought i had something really bad like a loose bass bar )

i put half a post-it note around the pin, slid up inside to where the screw holds it down, problem solved