Double Bass Stuck end pin issue

[Chuck King]

After several months of renting, I recently acquired my own upright bass---an old Kay M1-B. It's had a hard life and has some issues that I may look into going forward, but, to my newbie ears and fingers, it plays and sounds pretty nice, and I got it for a very good price.

The one acute issue that I need to deal with right away is that the end pin is (a) pushed all the way in, and (b) stuck. There's nothing sticking out to grab onto with pliers or whatever, and I can't get any leverage to push it out from the inside, working through the f holes. My initial thought was to just get a dowel and a mallet and drive it the rest of the way in, then fish it out through an f hole.

But I figured I would ask here for suggestions and advice. Thanks in advance!

 

[Rebop]

Slack the strings, pull the tailpiece wire off the plug and pull the whole assembly out maybe? Might be easier to work on if it's on a bench rather than the bass.

 

[KUNGfuSHERIFF]

You could do either, or insert something thin and sturdy through the ff-hole and hammer the top end of the pin down until you can grab it with pliers and work it the rest of the way out. Hopefully it's not corroded or frozen.

 

[Chuck King]

Slack the strings, pull the tailpiece wire off the plug and pull the whole assembly out maybe? Might be easier to work on if it's on a bench rather than the bass.

Can it just be pulled out? That sounds like the best way to go at it as long as I'm not risking breaking something by yanking on it.

 

[DoubleMIDI]

The whole endpin assembly could be pulled out, but it might not be easy because it easily sticks to the lower block. And since you need to loosen all the strings, your soundpost might fall during the removal of the endpin assembly.

Best put the bass on it's back on a bed or carpet so the soundpost stays upright when loosening the strings and removing the endpin assembly. But if he soundpost falls, don't tune up the strings and visit your luthier.

Good luck!

 

[james condino]

If you can't get the whole assembly loose, facetime me and I'll show you the special vintage Kay endpin hammer....

J.
Kaybassrepair.com

 

[Chuck King]

I was able to drive the pin into the bass and pull it out through the f hole. Thanks everybody!

 

[Emoody]

I would first try it with "anti-grip penetrating oil", because it's probably only some old dirt which glues the endpin in (it takes some hours for the oil to penetrate).

 

[robobass]

special vintage Kay endpin hammer

James. Now that you've posted this you've gotta give us a photo!

 

[Schoolhouse]

Kaybassrepair.com

Trade secret?

 

[Jake deVilliers]

Kinda!

 

[KUNGfuSHERIFF]

Ah, my good friend the BFH. Because sometimes the judicious application of brute force is the only answer.

 

[Jake deVilliers]

Ah, my good friend the BFH. Because sometimes the judicious application of brute force is the only answer.

Yes, sir! Sometimes I think I'd like to play in a band called, 'Blunt Force Trauma'.