Endpin talk...

[Eric Swanson]

Those look really nice...thanks for sharing that link. Looks like the only thing to avoid would be hitting the endpin tip or standing the bass on something really hard (like a music stand base or concrete, if playing outdoors). Carbide is so brittle. Seems like it would last a long, long time if just used on wood floors...

[Calvin Marks]

Hey guys.

ONYX Musical Products just came out with an all rosewood or ebony end-pin system, meaning the rod and plug are all rosewood or ebony. I saw one of these recently on a bass in a shop in Toronto, they look, sound and work GREAT.

http://shop5.mailordercentral.com/le.../products/318/

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Calvin Marks

Hey guys.

ONYX Musical Products just came out with an all rosewood or ebony end-pin system, meaning the rod and plug are all rosewood or ebony. I saw one of these recently on a bass in a shop in Toronto, they look, sound and work GREAT.

http://shop5.mailordercentral.com/le.../products/318/

I had an Ebony Endpin and Socket on my Italian Bass in 1973. I sold it 20 years later with the same unit in it. I don't remember the name of the unit, just the Material. It went into restoration needing both the unit and a Tailpiece. The restorer Peter Eibert put the unit in along with a Hill style (or Hill) Rosewood TP. It too stayed with the bass all 20 years as well. One sound post, one bridge, 19th century tuners, etc. The only thing I changed in 20 years with that bass were the strings a few times.. lol

This brought back some memories. Sorry to slide off topic..

[Pino Cazzaniga]

I saw some Rubner and some Pollmann instruments with two holes in the block, one for the end button and one for the endpin. I don't like it so much, but it make easier to look at the soundpost fit when the basses are strung.
About bent endpins I have no experience, as none of my clients use them.
I made some "all wood" stuff . The button has a conical hole in which a shaft ( also conical at the upper part ) is fit. At the tip of the shaft a screw is sharpened for wooden floors. The hole need to be waxed to take the shaft off. For different heights it need different shafts, plus one, very short, to transport. It seem to work with sound, mostly with readyness, even with rubber, but it may be a little romantic feeling, it's hard to say...

[Calvin Marks]

Originally Posted by Pino Cazzaniga

I saw some Rubner and some Pollmann instruments with two holes in the block, one for the end button and one for the endpin. I don't like it so much, but it make easier to look at the soundpost fit when the basses are strung.
About bent endpins I have no experience, as none of my clients use them.
I made some "all wood" stuff . The button has a conical hole in which a shaft ( also conical at the upper part ) is fit. At the tip of the shaft a screw is sharpened for wooden floors. The hole need to be waxed to take the shaft off. For different heights it need different shafts, plus one, very short, to transport. It seem to work with sound, mostly with readyness, even with rubber, but it may be a little romantic feeling, it's hard to say...

I assume that by having the tailpiece tied to the end-button instead of the end-pin it would reduce the tension of the tailpiece on the body. Perhaps this would work for an old, fragile instrument that's very thinly built...In my experience Pollman's are built like a TANK, so I don't know why two holes are necessary.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Calvin Marks

I assume that by having the tailpiece tied to the end-button instead of the end-pin it would reduce the tension of the tailpiece on the body. Perhaps this would work for an old, fragile instrument that's very thinly built...In my experience Pollman's are built like a TANK, so I don't know why two holes are necessary.

Ask Pollmann why. I have seen this on many of their Basses and think it's a nice idea. I have seen it on some older Viennese Basses as well.

[Mike Mandelas]

I have tried all alternatives in my three basses. In wooden floors the KC endpin (carbon rod with wooden pin) works better in all of them. The CF rod i bought from Upton makes also an improvement in wooden floors but in concrete (tiles, marble etc) the effect is not so strong. "Better" means louder, warmer and IMHO more fundamentals.

However, following some of master Arnold's observations, i managed to optimise the sound of two "dark" basses with metal rods in ebony endpins housings (cut in the needed length). In those basses the wooden pins didn't make any difference. Now i'm working in a German hybrid which has a"choked"
sound. The CF by Upton seems to be the best solution so far but i have to record the change each time in order to arrive in proper conclusions.

[Matthew Tucker]

Originally Posted by Calvin Marks

Hey guys.

ONYX Musical Products just came out with an all rosewood or ebony end-pin system, meaning the rod and plug are all rosewood or ebony. I saw one of these recently on a bass in a shop in Toronto, they look, sound and work GREAT.

http://shop5.mailordercentral.com/le.../products/318/

The onyx pin is built solidly but in my experience with the older style onxy the rubber tip tends to unscrew and rattle when playing. rubber a bit too soft. Also, the adjuster is a knurled knob and hard to relly tighten if you need it. tends to unscrew too. I don't know about the new onyx shown.