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Double Bass Wheel
- Thread starter bdparmet
- Start date
I have a Gaines wheel. They aren't cheap compared to some of the other options out there, but I like the fact that it has an inner tube instead of many of the other options that are solid rubber/plastic. You have to get the correct shaft diameter to match your endpin as they come in a variety of different sizes. Measure carefully, as they come in both metric and that other system a particular country is holding onto for no good reason.
A lot of the big shops carry them and will gladly ship to you, and if you have the original endpin in your Engelhardt M1, they likely know what shaft diameter you need.
DIY requires you find a wheel (wheelchair/mobility places are a good place to start, although you can likely find something online) and that you weld a frame/shaft for it. I don't have access to the tools I would need for that, but if you do, that's also an option.
A lot of the big shops carry them and will gladly ship to you, and if you have the original endpin in your Engelhardt M1, they likely know what shaft diameter you need.
DIY requires you find a wheel (wheelchair/mobility places are a good place to start, although you can likely find something online) and that you weld a frame/shaft for it. I don't have access to the tools I would need for that, but if you do, that's also an option.
How does it work? Do you roll it like you would with a normal wheel, and then lean it forward/stand it upright to engage the brake/stop?
- Dec 13, 1999
- 11,736
- 8,941
- 70
- Disclosures
- Chuck Sher publishes my book, WALKING BASSICS:The Fundamentals of Jazz Bass Playing.
I've worn out a couple of Gaines tires, Ray Parker hipped to using a scooter tire as a replacement. You can find them at most bicycle shops (at least in larger metropolitan areas).
I much prefer the [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] to a wheel. For me, it provides much more control and is easier on the back. It's been a life-saver.
Yes, exactly. Pretty simple but effective. I only use the wheel when I know I have a long haul.
Fixed (non-swivel) caster from Harbor Freight. They stock manydiameters and compositions (hard plastic, soft rubber, etc).
3/8 x 4 inch bolt with a couple nuts and washers from Home Depot.
Total investment less than $10. 10 minutes of work.
I didn't build one. I saw the commercially available versions with their questionable prices, and I simply figured out what it would take to build one. You just drill a hole through the mounting place on the caster, stick the bolt through, add the washer(s) and nut. The bolt slides into the end pin hole.
A hard caster is going to put a lot of stress on the end block-that's why the expensive wheels have either suspension or pneumatic tires. It'll work fine if you never encounter any bumps or sidewalk joints.
Here is what I use ...
It resembles pretty well what in spain we call 'invento' or 'chapuza'; something that is not the correct way of doing things but does the same job okay as long as it doesn't break (that is: hopefully a long time).
Material costs are under 5€ and I had a friend doing the soldering and the worm for the endpins' screw.
It is a little rough on streets vibration but can surely be easily upgraded with a softer kind of wheel.
What is nice about it is that the endpin can stay where it is all the time ... Gotta just replace the 'invento' with a wisely chosen endpin tip.
It resembles pretty well what in spain we call 'invento' or 'chapuza'; something that is not the correct way of doing things but does the same job okay as long as it doesn't break (that is: hopefully a long time).
Material costs are under 5€ and I had a friend doing the soldering and the worm for the endpins' screw.
It is a little rough on streets vibration but can surely be easily upgraded with a softer kind of wheel.
What is nice about it is that the endpin can stay where it is all the time ... Gotta just replace the 'invento' with a wisely chosen endpin tip.
Which is why I wrote "They stock many diameters and compositions (hard plastic, soft rubber, etc)". Presumably, anyone making a DYI bass wheel would choose an appropriate wheel for their needs. Also, I really couldn't see using a wheel if I had to move my bass down sidewalks or over rough terrain. I use a folding handtruck for that.
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This basic design was stolen (by me) from LA Bassist Tim Barr - This is my deluxe version, complete with ball-bearings, PVC pipe, and XXX Large model airplane wheels/tires (non-pneumatic, but not hard rubber, either).
The bass buggy is a great option, because a lot of endpin wheels twist. Also, endpin wheels put all the force of bumps and jolts on the bass itself, while a buggy is buffered by the case.
- Aug 1, 2005
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- 1,421
- Disclosures
- Private Inventor - Bass Capos
When I first moved to NYC I couldn't afford a Gaines wheel, but soon noticed that there were a lot of abandoned baby strollers on the street. I started gathering them and tinkering. Many had a double wheel assembly with a built in shock absorber, and could be easily fitted with a piece of aluminum rod from the hardware store. Worked perfectly, and was much lighter than most conventional bass wheels. I sold several to my fellow students at Mannes. Sorry I have no picture
Edit: Doing a DIY wheel is a challenge. The aircraft tire assembly is going to cost money no matter where you source it, and making a bracket that doesn't weigh ten pounds and look like hell isn't a job anyone can do. Don's wheel looks pretty effective, though.
Edit: Doing a DIY wheel is a challenge. The aircraft tire assembly is going to cost money no matter where you source it, and making a bracket that doesn't weigh ten pounds and look like hell isn't a job anyone can do. Don's wheel looks pretty effective, though.
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"For a fat chick, you don't sweat much..."
The only improvement might be to make it absorb shock - but here in LA, we drive everywhere (@ 20mph, on a good day), so we're usually not rolling long distances like the NYC dudes.
Thanks.
- Dec 13, 1999
- 11,736
- 8,941
- 70
- Disclosures
- Chuck Sher publishes my book, WALKING BASSICS:The Fundamentals of Jazz Bass Playing.
That reminds me, I was playing in Brooklyn at a joint on Atlantic Avenue, opposite the club on Atlantic was a gas station and, since my wheel was a little flat, I used the air pump at the station to refill it. The cat sitting in the little booth seemed absolutely befuddled by what was happening, jaw dropped, watching me the whole time....
I know that look, only the Jersey version. And it's the same look i get as when i drag my case into a luggage shop to get broken handles fixed
