Double Bass Wood End Pins ?

[Joel Wanek]

I'm curious if anyone uses a wood end pin.
I've made my own out of dowel rods but
have yet to find anyone who makes & sells
them. I use it primarily in when I'm playing
acoustically. I have a small cajon drum placed on
its side that I stand the bass on which acts as a natural
amplification. I figured that if I use a wood end
pin the tone would transfer better down to the drum
(apparently the metal end pins somehow warp the
original tone). My main problem has been finding
dowel rods that are strong enough. If I extend the
end pin very far, it doesn't seem strong enough to
withstand the weight of the instrument.

I'd be curious to hear other people's experiences or
knowledge about any of this.

Thanks!

 

[Huy Nguyen]

IIRC, Chuck Traeger used a drumstick for his wooden endpin. Fits into a end-pin setup sold by Metropolitan music.

 

[bassteban]

Ron Carter uses one made of snakewood(I emailed him about it; he said it was custom-made, but didn't volunteer the maker, & I didn't pry). I asked about this here some time ago & was mildly derided & ridiculed. Do the search dance.

 

[Joel Wanek]

It seems to me that wood end pins were the standard for a long, long time and since using one, I've noticed an improved sustain and warmth in my bass.

 

[bassteban]

Ron C. sounds good, but I'm sure there's more to it than his end pin. He has a great percussionist. What species of wood is your end pin?

Edit: Just reread your original post, & re: your concern for strength, Ron Carter's end pin is a good 3/4" or more in diameter, tapering at the top.

 

[bassame]

I'm curious if anyone uses a wood end pin.
I've made my own out of dowel rods but
have yet to find anyone who makes & sells
them. I use it primarily in when I'm playing
acoustically. I have a small cajon drum placed on
its side that I stand the bass on which acts as a natural
amplification. I figured that if I use a wood end
pin the tone would transfer better down to the drum
(apparently the metal end pins somehow warp the
original tone). My main problem has been finding
dowel rods that are strong enough. If I extend the
end pin very far, it doesn't seem strong enough to
withstand the weight of the instrument.

I'd be curious to hear other people's experiences or
knowledge about any of this.

Thanks!

This sounds like an interesting set up. Can we see the whole thing, that is, the bass standing on the drum? A picture please?

 

[STRONGBOW]

IIRC, Chuck Traeger used a drumstick for his wooden endpin. Fits into a end-pin setup sold by Metropolitan music.

I used a drumstick in my Kay Bass for almost 30 years after the crappy original Kay mechanism stripped on me. My old man was a drummer and a bass player: he handed me one of his old drumsticks and we sawed it off at the correct length and stuck it up into the original mechanism and tipped it off with a chair tip. I had real good sound results and never had to replace the stick once in all that time. When I was getting ready to sell the bass about 5 years ago I had the entire mechanism replaced with a steel rod/thumb screw type of mechanism. Drumstick work GOOD! Chuck also says in his book that WOOD is the BEST solution for OPTIMUM SOUND

 

[arcobigj]

I, too, have felt that my bass was unstable when the endpin was fully extended. I took a banister pillar ( found at Home Depot ) cut it to length and drilled a hole in the center and slid the pillar over the existing endpin. This gave me the stability and length that felt right to me, plus it is removable. Hope this helps.

abj

 

[arcobigj]

I, too, have felt that my bass was unstable when the endpin was fully extended. I took a banister pillar ( found at Home Depot ) cut it to length and drilled a hole in the center and slid the pillar over the existing endpin. This gave me the stability and length that felt right to me, plus it is removable. Hope this helps.

abj

 

[David Wiener]

You have a private message. Thanks, Dave

QUOTE=Joel Wanek]I'm curious if anyone uses a wood end pin.
I've made my own out of dowel rods but
have yet to find anyone who makes & sells
them. I use it primarily in when I'm playing
acoustically. I have a small cajon drum placed on
its side that I stand the bass on which acts as a natural
amplification. I figured that if I use a wood end
pin the tone would transfer better down to the drum
(apparently the metal end pins somehow warp the
original tone). My main problem has been finding
dowel rods that are strong enough. If I extend the
end pin very far, it doesn't seem strong enough to
withstand the weight of the instrument.

I'd be curious to hear other people's experiences or
knowledge about any of this.

Thanks![/QUOTE]

 

[idahohay]

There is a type of replacement endpin sold by major suppliers like International Violin and Howard Core(mentioned prevously) that uses a 16mm hollow stainless rod. Most 5/8" or #2B drum sticks fit these plugs and work well and are all over the place in both hickory and maple. As supplied, the hollow rods are made so they are not removable probably because the tightening screw applies pressure to the rod via a small brass disc that can fall out once the rod is removed. But if the owner is aware of the possibility of the disc falling out, replacing the rod with a drumstick works very well. Most players will go to the same depression in the stick every time but if the stick does get chewed up simply stick another in and put a crutch tip on the end.

 

[MisterFred]

I have a Traeger made drumstick endpin on my M1 Kay. It used to slip on me so I put on a hose clamp, smallest that would fit, which solved the problem. Adds half a minute to my setup time, I use 5/16 wrench but a quarter($.25) fits the slot as well. I intend to put one on my recently acquired Wan Bernadel eventually.

 

[Whit Townsend]

My old 51 C1 had a wooden endpin. Turned hardwood of some sort, painted black. It was a little too short for me. The previous owner was a 5'4" or so lady. I'm 5'8".
So I had a buddy turn me one out of hard maple identical exept about 2" longer. It works fine, has been on the bass for 10 years now. I like it much better than the spindly metal adjustable pointy things common on most other basses I've played. If I could order such a thing on my next bass, I'd prefer it. I stll may have another one made when I get my next bass.

 

[KSB - Ken Smith]

I haven't used a wood endpin in decades and even then just used whatever I used. A few minutes ago I slid out the 3/8" metal rod on my Prescott and put in a 3/8" dowel, tightened it up and carefully stood the 30lb Bass up. It sounded smooth with the wood but when I put the steel rod back in with the half round adjustable rubber end, it was much louder and with more tone color in comparison. I guess with some Basses, the steel transmitts the sound quicker than wood does.

 

[Whit Townsend]

I should clarify that the end pin in my old Kay C1 was not adjustable in any way. It was turned on a lath like a table leg, tapered on each end with a decorative bulge in the middle.
It wedges into the open hole at the bottom of the bass, no metal parts involved, except for the hanger wire going around it to hold the tailpiece. Don't know the wood in the original but it was hard. The copy I had turned was just like it except a little longer on the end touching the floor, as was turned out of a piece of very hard maple. I like it cause I never have to mess with it, and its the perfect height for me. A taller guy has to stoop to play it.

 

[Eric Hochberg]

I've been experimenting with wood endpins on my basses and found that on my Juzek, the wood pin delivers more bottom end and fundamental, but on a newly acquired older German instrument, the wood pin muffles the pizz attack and overall volume. My conclusion - there's no hard and fast rule regarding endpin materials, you have to discover what works best with each bass.