right|thumb|The extended endpin of a cello, a black rubber cap and accompanying screw lie next to it alt=Jean-Marc Nattier (1685–1766), Anne-Henriette de France, Dite Madame Henriette (1727–1752) (1754)|thumb|A painting showing a woman of the 18th century playing the viola da gamba without an endpin.
right|thumb|The extended endpin of a cello, a black rubber cap and accompanying screw lie next to it alt=Jean-Marc Nattier (1685–1766), Anne-Henriette de France, Dite Madame Henriette (1727–1752) (1754)|thumb|A painting showing a woman of the 18th century playing the viola da gamba without an endpin.
An endpin, more commonly spelled end pin and also called tailpin, 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. Most bass clarinets and contrabassoons also have a similar fixture. Endpins became a standard part of the cello in the mid-19th century. Before then, celli were held tightly with the legs. Some performers of pieces of baroque music continue to not use an endpin during period performances. 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.
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