The endpin is the component of a cello or double bass that makes contact with the floor to support the instrument's weight.It is made of metal, carbon fiber, or, occasionally, wood, and is typically extensible from the bottom of the instrument, secured there with a thumbscrew or other tightening mechanism.[1] The endpin is widely credited to making the cello more appealing to play for women, who were before compelled to hold the instrument on the floor due to the complicated dress and fashion of the time.Left-hand pressure on a cello fingerboard, acting against the fulcrum of the player's chest and/or knees, may cause the endpin to slip forward on the floor.One very common type consists of a pliable disc surrounding a circular cup to hold the endpin's tip, such as the "Sure-Stop".
A painting showing a woman of the 18th century playing the viola da gamba without an endpin.