Just Back From ISB '07
 

I spent most of the week at the ISB convention in Oklahoma City. It was great! I was supposed to compete in the maker's competition but my bass sold a few weeks earlier and the new owner preferred the bass stay with him. David Gage put my Ergonomic III on display and it got lots of positive feedback. Having no selling booth, I was free to roam as I pleased. I saw some amazing instruments and heard some of the best classical and jazz playing ever. Unfortunately my luggage (and golf clubs) showed up two days after me, but in the end it all worked out. One of the highlights of the week was Nick Lloyd being presented (and surprised) at the awards ceremony with a special award for facilitating the Katrina bass project. Another was my pal Chris Roberts receiving a Silver medal for tone, which I predicted after hearing the competition basses. Andrew Kohn blew me away with a class and performance on extended serial music for bass. Volkan Orhan put on a masterful, soulful recital, as did Jeff Bradetich. Ben Williams, Robert Hurst and Rufus Reid laid down some swinging jazz. Joel Quarrington brought the house down with perhaps the best classical solo playing I have ever heard (tuned in fifths!). Etc., etc.

Nice. Well deserved.

I'd like to have heard that speech.

Uh...Uh...Uh...I don't know what to say......

Nick was not allowed to speak. These people are not stupid :D . Madeline Crouch, ISB Coordinator, put it in perspective: "...we were able to put 13 bass players back to work". 'Nuff said. We proud, Nnick.

Arnold,

Was Jeff using his wooden end pin at his recital. When I was at UNT, a little over a month ago, he was using a type of plug-in wooden end pin and I was wondering if you had any opinions as to the benefits of using wood over steel. When I had a lesson with Paul Ellison at Rice last fall, he was using an oak laborie-style end pin (it looked like a fat pool cue) and he said that it was a kind of extension of the physical instrument to the ground -- more so than the more common carbon fiber rod. Here's a picture of Mr. Ellison and his end pin at a masterclass in Austin:

http://www.bassodyssey.org/images/paul_in_class_1.jpg

Is that a Quenoil bass Paul is playing?

Yes, Mr. Bradetich told me he has always used a wood endpin. Chris Roberts, who won a well-deserved silver medal for tone, also had one in his bass. He had it fitted with a bicycle seat quick-release as an adjuster.

I got back form ISB this afternoon and had a wonderful time. They were so many great performances, it was almost overwhelming, but I have to say, Garcia-Fons really took the cake in that regard. There were a lot of wonderful basses, and I played on as many as I could, including Arnold's ergonomic. While a lot of the basses sounded good, I think my favorite was the larger of the two Ham basses. It played so easily and had a very pleasing tone to me. I feel like I've been in a completley seperate world this past week and it's been great.

wooden endpin
 

So arnold do you observe any benefit to a wooden endpin? Seems aesthetic to me and lightweight aside from anything else.

Anyone know of where they can be bought?
Or is it something to make customised?

I don't know if there is a measurable benefit. But I certainly plan to give it a try. I don't think there are any available on the market, strictly a custom deal. When I get a few minutes (wife breaks into uproarious laughter), I'm going to turn a few plugs and endpins of different wood species and see what's what.

doesn't anyone have any pics from the showroom, or was that not allowed?

Re: Wood Endpin
 

I have used a wooden endpin made from a drumstick on one of my basses with the result being a darker sound with a less punchy and defined pizz attack than with the aluminum endpin I usually use. I prefer the aluminum for the jazz work I most often do. Maybe some would prefer the darker sound with the wood pin for classical/arco playing.

Robertson's and George Vance offer wooden Laborie/Rabbath style endpins.

I substituted a 5/8" birch dowel and crutch tip for my aluminum pin once. The tone was much as you experienced. It was certainly warmer but not necessarily better.

All wood endpins
 

It seems to me that a rubber crutch tip would negate any floor coupling advantage that an all wood endpin would give.

I remember when most new basses came equipped with wood sockets and pegs instead of adjustable metal rods commonly used today. I think I've still got one of the old all wood endpins I replaced in my junk drawer. The peg has a tang on the top end which was turned on a lathe to fit in a tapered hole in the socket and has a ledge so that the top of the peg butted against the bottom of the socket. The pegs usually were about 1 1/2" in diameter where the peg rests on the socket and it tapers down to less than an inch at the bottom (floor). The tang which fit in the socket are maybe 1/2 at the large end.

rabbath flight case
 

By the way Arnold did you happen to check out the Flight cases?

I saw the Rabbath case. It seemed crude.

Just back!
 

Blah blah blah blah...

Ok, so the party is over now and your back to work, right? 24/7 on my Hart Bass? 12/6 maybe? Close..:confused::(