About Me

What I do	Why I do it	Who I am
I supply the best possible endpins to cello and double bass players.   I help musicians focus on making music rather than their instruments.	Like all musicians, I have experienced the problems poor quality equipment can cause. Determined not to settle for mediocre, I created a solution.   See the full story below.	After completing the Academy of Music program at Mount Royal Conservatory in Calgary, Alberta, I attended the prestigious Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music.   In 2003, I joined the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra for two seasons as a section bassist.   I am also a journeyman machinist (metal specialist).

 

THE STORY

When I was a 16-year old bass student, my endpin broke. The replacement did not work well. It slipped, the tip dulled easily, it rattled, and worst of all, it wobbled while I was playing. 

I complained and everyone told me: 'that’s how they all are so you have to deal with it!' However, I just couldn’t accept that there wasn't a better solution.

My goal was to make an endpin that lasts the life of the instrument, that is easier to use, and that makes the instrument sound better. In other words, my goal was to make an endpin that works! 

I initially tried to reproduce a traditional endpin using better materials and a with few minor changes. It still didn’t work well.

I then discovered a solution in an unlikely place - during a mountain bike ride. I noticed that the seat post clamp on my bike worked both easily and securely, so I decided to incorporate a seat post clamp into my design. 

The new design worked beautifully. Most surprising, however, was that it also changed the sound! The sound became more focused and carried better.  

Starting from this basic design, I continued to make improvements. These include a sharper tip that doesn’t dull and won't gouge to deeply into the floor, a durable rubber tip protector that is fast and easy to use and a rod that is stiffer and lighter. 

I'm still using the same prototype that I came up with back in 1998 and it still works great!