Double Bass RobPin

#184
Update!
Some players with a 1/2" New Harmony installed have trouble tightening it enough to keep either a RobPin or a wheel from rotating inadvertently. A customer wrote to tell me he had solved the problem by replacing the plastic handled wing screw with a socket cap screw and he carries a T hex wrench in his bag. I thought I could simplify things by making a screw with a long T-handle. Benedict Puglisi has the first one (his photos). He says it seems to work fine. We don't have those endpins in Europe so I can't test one myself, but as soon as I get a thumbs up from a second shop where one is on the way I will offer them to all.

T-screw.jpgt-screw1.jpg
 
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#186
I recently ordered a Robpin from Rob; man is this thing awesome! 5 seconds playing with it on there and I am now a bent end pin/laborie convert! It’s what my posture,m and stance have been missing! I though the benefit would only be for taking weight off the left arm/hand-which it does wonderfully- but also my right hand plucking angle is more to the board like my teachers.. bigger sound, less energy.
Still have plenty of tweaking to do to find the perfect high and angle, which is possible on the Robpin. I heard this is what Rufus Reid used to figure out how he wanted his end pin drilled. I now plan to get my bass drilled for a bent.. angled.. laborie end pin once I have tinkered with the Robpin for another 6 months. I never thought I’d go laborie bc several of my idols don’t do it, but literally 5 seconds playing it I knew it was for me! 🙏 Rob

Ps that last photo made me realize I wasn’t using the support bar, worked good still but probably put extra pressure on my bass. I thought maybe a black and white photo of it assembled would be a nice addition
 
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#187
Fat bob said:
I recently ordered a Robpin from Rob; man is this thing awesome! 5 seconds playing with it on there and I am now a bent end pin/laborie convert! It’s what my posture,m and stance have been missing! I though the benefit would only be for taking weight off the left arm/hand-which it does wonderfully- but also my right hand plucking angle is more to the board like my teachers.. bigger sound, less energy.
Still have plenty of tweaking to do to find the perfect high and angle, which is possible on the Robpin. I heard this is what Rufus Reid used to figure out how he wanted his end pin drilled. I now plan to get my bass drilled for a bent.. angled.. laborie end pin once I have tinkered with the Robpin for another 6 months. I never thought I’d go laborie bc several of my idols don’t do it, but literally 5 seconds playing it I knew it was for me! 🙏 Rob

Ps that last photo made me realize I wasn’t using the support bar, worked good still but probably put extra pressure on my bass. I thought maybe a black and white photo of it assembled would be a nice addition
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Yes. I should add some photos to my new instruction sheet. Will do.
Rufus likely used an Eggpin to determine drilling angle. The RobPin was first introduced in 2017 at the ISB conference, and Rufus has had a Laborie since long before that. The Eggpin was a similar device but hasn't been manufactured for decades. I used elements of that design, but added the bottom block support, made it more adjustable, and much lighter.
 
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#188
I have both the RobPin and the Eggpin. What I like about the Robpin is that secondary support of the bottom of the bass. The problem with both is that they can twist around in the endpin slot so that unless the screw is clamped down very tightly (and even then sometimes) the bass can twist away from the pin at certain angles. That said I just got a new (old) bass which is a large 3/4 and I adjusted the Robpin for it so that it is very low...as low as I could make it so that I could either stand or sit with the bass underneath me. Works great. I wish it didnt twist or that there was some way to lock it into the orientation I need. The other thing I did was to put some serious (RED) loctite on the two caps (the endpin and the one that goes on the bottom of the bass) because countless times I have almost lost them as they pop off easily. All this to say though that I would WAY rather use the Robpin as my regular endpin then drill a hole in the bottom block of my bass and be stuck with only that orientation.
 
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#191
flatback said:
I have both the RobPin and the Eggpin. What I like about the Robpin is that secondary support of the bottom of the bass. The problem with both is that they can twist around in the endpin slot so that unless the screw is clamped down very tightly (and even then sometimes) the bass can twist away from the pin at certain angles. That said I just got a new (old) bass which is a large 3/4 and I adjusted the Robpin for it so that it is very low...as low as I could make it so that I could either stand or sit with the bass underneath me. Works great. I wish it didnt twist or that there was some way to lock it into the orientation I need. The other thing I did was to put some serious (RED) loctite on the two caps (the endpin and the one that goes on the bottom of the bass) because countless times I have almost lost them as they pop off easily. All this to say though that I would WAY rather use the Robpin as my regular endpin then drill a hole in the bottom block of my bass and be stuck with only that orientation.
Click to expand...
See post #180. Rob sent me one several months ago, and I haven't had a rotation problem since - a night and day difference, and a complete fix! I thought I'd already reviewed it in this thread, but maybe not.

For the block support cap, I've got a scrap piece of rubber band crammed in there, which has been secure, but I'm only gigging locally. I also use the robpin on other basses, so i want to keep it flexible. I believe the original kit included some super glue for a permanent fix, which I'd do if I were touring.
 
#192
yeah I am sure I prolly discussed it here before...with this new bass that sits really close to the floor, I have renewed interest in the Robpin. I was really into it on my smaller bodied bass and pretty much had it so that it worked well (Contrabassetto) but the bass was so light and small already that I just ended up using the straight pin.
I am always the bassist whose bass on a straight pin seems to be fart shifting across the floor, so I really appreciate the Robpin and the way it keeps the bass under me without pushing against the endpin or needing a tethered anchor.
 
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