Just Back From ISB '07

[Arnold Schnitzer]

Originally Posted by davidseidel

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.

[Flint Buchanan]

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

[Eric Hochberg]

Originally Posted by Arnold Schnitzer

I don't know if there is a measurable benefit.

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.

[Greg Clinkingbeard]

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.

[Bob Branstetter]

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.