Hi everyone - I thought I'd share my recent experience with a custom-made wooden end pin. The design is by Rick Williams (of the bass-buggie, http://www.dblbassbuggie.com/), and I purchased mine through KC strings, though he does sell them individually.
To help you know where I'm coming from, I'm playing on a 170 year old Tyrolean instrument, and I'm speaking to classical, bowed playing exclusively.
I ordered this end pin with a 10mm carbon fiber post, and a 175mm end pin length. Pictured below:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
I then cut mine down to 4.75 inches (the length of the 2nd stop on my steel endpin) with a hand saw, and sanded down the flat end. It comes a crutch tip, so fine detail sanding is not required.
The sound difference is significant. I read on another forum that the difference is more when playing on hardwood floor, rather than carpet. This is true.
The bass takes on new characteristics: Warmth, depth, darkness and a woody tone. The steel endpin gives it a more solid, pointed tone, but it's also brighter sounding, less depth and more metallic.
I do not know whether this is due more to the shorter post inside the bass (it does not protrude past the endpin block and into the resonating chamber) or the lighter weight materials absorbing less sound, and carrying more into the floor, but I'm sure it's some combination of the two.
The wood endpin definitely opens up the bass. It has more resonance, and you can hear more sympathetic vibration throughout. The dark sound quality contrast between wood and steel is prominent in all registers, but most stark in the upper register, through thumb position to the end of the fingerboard.
Rick Williams is on talkbass and might be good enough to chime in with details or experiences of his own.
Needless to say, I'm very happy. If you're playing pizz, this might make you lose some focus to your sound, but add some oomph.
Pictures of mine are forthcoming.
To help you know where I'm coming from, I'm playing on a 170 year old Tyrolean instrument, and I'm speaking to classical, bowed playing exclusively.
I ordered this end pin with a 10mm carbon fiber post, and a 175mm end pin length. Pictured below:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
I then cut mine down to 4.75 inches (the length of the 2nd stop on my steel endpin) with a hand saw, and sanded down the flat end. It comes a crutch tip, so fine detail sanding is not required.
The sound difference is significant. I read on another forum that the difference is more when playing on hardwood floor, rather than carpet. This is true.
The bass takes on new characteristics: Warmth, depth, darkness and a woody tone. The steel endpin gives it a more solid, pointed tone, but it's also brighter sounding, less depth and more metallic.
I do not know whether this is due more to the shorter post inside the bass (it does not protrude past the endpin block and into the resonating chamber) or the lighter weight materials absorbing less sound, and carrying more into the floor, but I'm sure it's some combination of the two.
The wood endpin definitely opens up the bass. It has more resonance, and you can hear more sympathetic vibration throughout. The dark sound quality contrast between wood and steel is prominent in all registers, but most stark in the upper register, through thumb position to the end of the fingerboard.
Rick Williams is on talkbass and might be good enough to chime in with details or experiences of his own.
Needless to say, I'm very happy. If you're playing pizz, this might make you lose some focus to your sound, but add some oomph.
Pictures of mine are forthcoming.
