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  #1  
Old 10-30-2019, 12:34 PM
Andcon74 Andcon74 is offline
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Default Playing guitar without endpin

Hello to all,
I have a fairly recent OM28 guitar, inherited from my father, which has a hole left open, in the bottom of the case to mount the endpin (it's a white, plastic pin, which I think was included with the guitar) of the shoulder strap.
I hope it's not a stupid question, but not being an expert, and not wanting to do damage, I would like to ask you: what are the pros and cons of playing the guitar leaving this hole open (both in terms of sound, and in terms of mechanics and effect on wood)?

Given that I do not use the shoulder strap because I play sitting, do you think can I can safely use it without an endpin to close the hole, or is it better to mount the endpin?

Many thanks to all those who want to help me.

Andrea
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Old 10-30-2019, 12:34 PM
DukeX DukeX is offline
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Yes, it's ok. I haven't installed the endpin on my 000-15sm and never will.
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  #3  
Old 10-30-2019, 12:36 PM
J Patrick J Patrick is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Andcon74 View Post
Hello to all,
I have a fairly recent OM28 guitar, inherited from my father, which has a hole left open, in the bottom of the case to mount the endpin (it's a white, plastic pin, which I think was included with the guitar) of the shoulder strap.
I hope it's not a stupid question, but not being an expert, and not wanting to do damage, I would like to ask you: what are the pros and cons of playing the guitar leaving this hole open (both in terms of sound, and in terms of mechanics and effect on wood)?

Given that I do not use the shoulder strap because I play sitting, do you think can I can safely use it without an endpin to close the hole, or is it better to mount the endpin?

Many thanks to all those who want to help me.

Andrea

...no worries about leaving the endpin out...it will not affect the tone or structural integrity of your guitar...play it in good health!!
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Old 10-30-2019, 12:38 PM
redir redir is offline
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Nah don't worry about it. You can leave it out if you want to and it won't make a bit of difference. Many end pins are fitted in on a taper so that the force of friction holds them in. Some are glued in none the less. But you could also see if it fits in nicely and holds in my friction, that way you could always remove it some day too.

Otherwise don't worry about it.
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  #5  
Old 10-30-2019, 12:43 PM
Brent Hahn Brent Hahn is offline
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The big hole in the front is the one to be concerned with. Stuff can fall in there.
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Old 10-30-2019, 12:50 PM
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JayBee1404 JayBee1404 is offline
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You’re good to go. My recently-acquired Brook Lamorna doesn’t even have an endpin, nor an endpin-hole...!!

D4B9DAE3-7A62-4F27-8E7C-413C42E4116A.jpg
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Old 10-30-2019, 12:57 PM
Silly Moustache Silly Moustache is offline
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You are fine - nothing to worry about.

There is no truth in the rumour that if you hang it up all the music will trickle out.
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Old 10-30-2019, 01:31 PM
Bob from Brooklyn Bob from Brooklyn is online now
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Welcome to the forum. No worries about the end pin. They come from the factory that way.
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Old 10-30-2019, 01:45 PM
Slim Zooms Slim Zooms is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brent Hahn View Post
The big hole in the front is the one to be concerned with. Stuff can fall in there.
this is great! Brilliant

Pick on

Slim

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Old 10-30-2019, 01:46 PM
Slim Zooms Slim Zooms is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Silly Moustache View Post
You are fine - nothing to worry about.

There is no truth in the rumour that if you hang it up all the music will trickle out.
Great you guys are on fire tonight

Slim
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  #11  
Old 10-30-2019, 01:47 PM
DesertTwang DesertTwang is offline
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The only disadvantage is that you can't play standing up. That's it.
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  #12  
Old 10-30-2019, 02:00 PM
Andcon74 Andcon74 is offline
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Thanks to all, I think then I will leave the guitar without endpin, since I always play between sofa and chair.
JayBee, beautiful guitar without endpin hole: if I weren't almost sure of doing damage I'd change the OM (I saw a luthier who did something similar, on frets.com I think), but in the end it's okay for now.

Thanks again to everyone!
Andrea
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  #13  
Old 10-30-2019, 04:22 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DukeX View Post
Yes, it's ok. I haven't installed the endpin on my 000-15sm and never will.
Me either. If anything, it slightly reduces the odds of damage if you drop it on the end where the endpin would have been. Probably not much difference, but surely no downside...
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Old 10-30-2019, 05:14 PM
Brent Hahn Brent Hahn is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by raysachs View Post
Me either. If anything, it slightly reduces the odds of damage if you drop it on the end where the endpin would have been. Probably not much difference, but surely no downside...
Come to think of it, I paid half of what I could have for one of my guitars because it had been dropped on its end pin and got slightly stove in.
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  #15  
Old 10-30-2019, 06:05 PM
Wade Hampton Wade Hampton is offline
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Andrea, just to add to what’s already been posted, the tailblock area of the guitar is purely structural, not vibrational, so using or not using the endpin will have no discernible effect on the sound. Last year I took delivery on a guitar that I’d ordered from the Martin Custom Shop, and I had specified “no endpin” when I ordered it.

I ordered the guitar that way because I knew that I was going to install strap locking hardware, and didn’t want to have to fill in the tapered hole for an endpin. But plenty of guitars come from the factory without any strap buttons or endpins at all - Larrivee guitars used to come that way.

So if you’re not going to play the guitar standing up, there’s no need to either use or worry about the endpin: not now, not ever.

Hope this helps.


Wade Hampton Miller
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