I got one of these for Christmas and I remembered someone mentioning them a while back, so I thought it made sense for me to clear up a couple of things. The endpin is filed on one side so it won't slip around, but it's not notched. A huge piece of rubber with a hole drilled in it comes included for use as a tip.
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Double Bass George Vance Bent Endpins
- Thread starter Josh McNutt
- Start date
Yes there has been some discussion on this and the Eggpin and the Laborie carbon fiber pin recently. I exchanged e-mail with George a number of times trying to get more info on his pins.
Please post and tell us your experience with the pin. I'm interested but reticent. If I went this way I think the bent pin (and not the other more permanent options) would have to be the way so that I could easily change it back in some situations. I could imagine at jam sessions someone trying to use my bass and having difficulty with the bent pin or even dropping my bass.
Please post and tell us your experience with the pin. I'm interested but reticent. If I went this way I think the bent pin (and not the other more permanent options) would have to be the way so that I could easily change it back in some situations. I could imagine at jam sessions someone trying to use my bass and having difficulty with the bent pin or even dropping my bass.
Is there anything specific you would like to know? It seems solid (it is a 10mm piece of steel), and it has really helped me. It's not any harder to remove than a normal endpin; in fact, I use my straight one when I'm not playing because I have yet to ask my teacher if leaving it there would be hard on my endblock. Mine's a Z pin because I'm short (~5'8"). The pin is a little too tall for me, but I've decided I actually like it higher. You might try telling him a little bit under the height at which you normally keep it.
I told him my height (5'6") and he didn't think it was a problem but naturally I would use the Z model. However if you're saying you're 5'8" and it sounds like it is still too tall for you then that's not good for me.
When I use my Gotz pin I have it set at the second notch.
My concern was that at least one person here (Pacman) had said that the torque on the endpin screw would end up shearing it. I asked George about that and he said it was because people were overtightening the screw.
I'm interested to know what troubles you were having before and how you think it's helped.
Why do you think leaving it in would be a problem for your endblock?
When I use my Gotz pin I have it set at the second notch.
My concern was that at least one person here (Pacman) had said that the torque on the endpin screw would end up shearing it. I asked George about that and he said it was because people were overtightening the screw.
I'm interested to know what troubles you were having before and how you think it's helped.
Why do you think leaving it in would be a problem for your endblock?
I used to keep mine at the first notch, so you should be fine. I didn't know the screw could be overtightened unless we're talking about stripping the threads, but I don't think that's our concern.
Before I got this endpin, my hands hurt a lot because when you lean the bass back it puts so much pressure the hands. That, in turn made pivots, shifts, etc. harder. Now the bass balances when it's leaning and everything is much easier.
I thought that since it moves the center of gravity back, when the bass is leaned forward the force on the block wuld be compounded. I could be wrong. Luthiers?
Before I got this endpin, my hands hurt a lot because when you lean the bass back it puts so much pressure the hands. That, in turn made pivots, shifts, etc. harder. Now the bass balances when it's leaning and everything is much easier.
I thought that since it moves the center of gravity back, when the bass is leaned forward the force on the block wuld be compounded. I could be wrong. Luthiers?
Oh I see. You're standing your bass when you're not using it? Mine is usually lying down. I'm not sure what the effect would be.
My left hand doesn't hurt at all from holding the bass. I think I have it very well balanced and I'm able to balance it against my body without any hands at all. It all feels very comfortable.
So when you're using it with this new pin, do you have the bass bent back such that the neck is always on your left shoulder like when you play thumb position? That's the way Rabbath appears to play.
My left hand doesn't hurt at all from holding the bass. I think I have it very well balanced and I'm able to balance it against my body without any hands at all. It all feels very comfortable.
So when you're using it with this new pin, do you have the bass bent back such that the neck is always on your left shoulder like when you play thumb position? That's the way Rabbath appears to play.
I'm working on the Rabbath stance, but I'm not doing it to that degree yet. It is bent back, but not that much.
I went to Home depot and bought the closest steal rod I could find to the diameter of my end pin. I bent the rod in a vice and cut off the unwanted parts. I flattened the upper part for the socket screw. You can thread the tip of it with a die and screw something else on the end that holds a rubber stopper..also home depot ... and Viola!, you just made your self a bent end pin without paying $1000000000000 for it and or drilling into your bass and all that craziness. Due to the simplicity of this end pin my bass does not bounce up and down as do some other bent pin systems.
Before shelling out a chunk of $$ try doing things your self...it just might work.
Before shelling out a chunk of $$ try doing things your self...it just might work.
George's is homemade (more or less), and is priced accordingly. Basically, the choice is spend an hour and $10 on the pin, or spend five minutes and $20 to have him do it for you.
