Replacement/Upgraded 1/2 inch Endpin Shaft for Kay and Engelhardt OEM Endpin

Let's be real - the original Kay (and Engelhardt) bass endpin is weird.

Over many years, from the late 1930s through to Engelhardt's closing in 2019, the vast majority of Kay and Engelhardt basses came with a - to put it bluntly - unremarkable, and sometimes problematic, endpin. Made of plain, unfinished steel, it has a tendency to rust. It's shorter than most endpins, so particularly tall players (or adult players of the smaller M-3 variants) would "run out of height." They end in a simple, un-threaded point which needs to be covered by a rubber cap (which can wear out quickly). They are a very unusual 1/2" size, so replacement options are very limited.

But people misplace their endpins sometimes, and need a replacement. For years, we sold the OEM endpins that were made by Engelhardt; they even briefly made a longer, 18" version as an option. But Engelhardt shut down their operations in 2019, and that source has dried up. Since then (and until now), when asked about replacement endpins, I've usually suggested that you contact a local machine shop to have a piece of 1/2" steel rod cut down to use as a replacement endpin - which is still a viable, if low-tech, option.

Replacing the entire assembly is kind of a big job for the DIY'er.

Since the replacements are scarce, and the original setup is kind of dodgy, anyway, many folks have decided to replace the entire assembly; plug, thumbscrew assembly, post and all - which does end up being an upgrade, as you'll get improved hardware with more readily available parts (like heavy-duty screw-on rubber tips). And we offer several conventional replacement endpins for sale here on the site. However, replacing a complete endpin assembly is a job that requires special, expensive tools - and, preferably, experience - to do well. And while the (again, unusual) receiver assembly in the Kay is inserted into a straight-drilled hole, pretty much ALL replacement endpins will use a carefully fitted tapered hole - so the job is a bit daunting for the DIY'er. And just the tapered reamer tool alone costs several hundred bucks!

Gollihur Music to the rescue!

I don't know why it took me so long, but I've worked out a deal with our supplier to custom-manufacture a proper, 1/2" endpin to be used with the original Kay hardware! Made with the same details as our more common 10mm endpin assembly, it's plated to resist rust, has a brass "stop collar" at the bottom so it doesn't accidentally slide into the bass, and it features a common 10mm threaded end point that comes with a heavy-duty screw-on rubber foot - which is easily replaceable in the future, since it's the most common size. And all you have to do is slide out the old post and slide in the new one. 

The shaft is made of a nicely polished SOLID steel, with incremental "divots" spaced little over an inch apart, so that the original thumbscrew in your bass can securely hold the position without slipping. The shaft is about eighteen inches long, and has a removable screw-on "capture" nut at the inside endpoint that can keep the endpin from being removed if you wish (though it would be a pain to get on there, so I'd just toss it - so you're able to remove the endpin for use with a wheel, for instance - also, if it vibrates loose, it will likely buzzzzzzzzz...)