For several years I've been using the carbon fiber Laborie endpin. A couple months ago I got the new design of this endpin which is made of an African hardwood (padauk). Laborie told me he had been surprised at how much better the hardwood endpin sounded than the carbon fiber. I was pretty skeptical but there really is a noticable difference. The sound is warmer and more resonant with the wooden endpin. Its prettier too.