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-   -   French Bass full restoration (http://www.smithbassforums.com//showthread.php?t=1525)

Matthew Tucker 05-05-2010 11:24 PM

French Bass full restoration
 
Here’s an interesting project for me. Customer brought in this nice old flatback bass, found in an attic.



http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2745/...bd063a69b4.jpg http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2739/...379d6dbaab.jpg


The button carving below, and the outline to me appears typical of French basses from the mid-late 1800's. The ugly bolt is NOT typical! This one has no immediately apparent makers mark or label. I'm thinking something like a Lamy Mirecourt bass. Any maker suggestions?


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2747/...dbfe4a4ab9.jpg

The Scroll has snapped off just below the nut and this will mean a scroll graft repair for sure.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4054/...b182d9d251.jpg

Nice big scroll, looks original, four pegs and a very crusty set of gut strings. This was never a three-stringer. Also the volute has been broken off above the top tuner at some point and repaired but not in a very satisfactory way.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2710/...0a900953d5.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4022/...4b6f0a517e.jpg

The Scroll gives an idea of the original red-brown varnish which on the rest of the instrument has deteriorated into a pobbly mess. I suspect it was a spirit varnish because of the brittleness of what is remaining, but the heat of the attic has shrunken and denatured whatever was there originally. There are a few spots on the top where the colour shows through. The wood is lovely. I think the ground is intact and I may be able to keep this by carefully scraping the crud off the surface then cleaning, when it’s time to refinish. That’s a long way off yet.


http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4039/...d826607325.jpg

There are about ten cracks in the top ranging from these long ones to the usual short cracks near the FF tabs. And a nasty sound post crack that will come together OK but require an inlaid patch.

The top arching is not sunken in any way; it looks perfectly fine, perhaps due to a thickish top. I'll get the graduations off it when I have it apart.


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2693/...ff2eb421f4.jpg http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2734/...dd73eb491c.jpg

Corners are worn but repairable. This is the worst one.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4005/...499ffb3d23.jpg



Matthew Tucker 05-05-2010 11:25 PM

Inside the top block looks like a bit of a mess, and I think I can see a dowel AND a coachbolt and a split.

Bass bar is intact and attached.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4012/...f133601e0c.jpg

The single wide centre brace is typical of French basses but has split in several places and will likely need to be replaced. Not looking forward to that one. The back seam has shrunken and there is one crack as shown but other than that the back is in good condition.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2704/...8b5ef0098b.jpg

First evidence of home repairs – a weird flat fingerboard held on with a bolt. And some pine blocks underneath, nailed in :-(

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4037/...d198085880.jpg

Neck heel badly damaged, evidence of both professional and home repairs. You can see evidence of a dowel plug on the right near the button.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4007/...0980811be8.jpg

The ribs have numerous cracks, some repaired, but all the wood is there … and it is lovely wood, as per the back.


http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4021/...23c0e6bf46.jpg

Next step is for me to open up the instrument to have a look inside!

Anselm Hauke 05-06-2010 09:46 AM

hi matthew,

great looking bass.
please keep us informed.

Arnold Schnitzer 05-06-2010 01:05 PM

Matthew,

Nice find. The shape, wood and workmanship make me think Paul Claudot or a contemporary of his. Would you post the stop length? You are going to need to remove both the top and back to fix everything. Please take this bit of advice learned the hard way; fix the top first, and just before you re-install it, loosen up the back seams at the blocks. Then remove the back only after the top has been re-glued. I see you are in for a neck graft, button graft, neck block replacement, major crack repairs, varnish and more. It helps me, when faced with an overwhelming restoration like yours, to map out the process and break it down into logical steps. Keeps me from scratching my head too much and damaging the few remaining productive follicles. Good luck.

Matthew Tucker 05-06-2010 05:39 PM

thanks Arnold. I have been as systematic as I can, and throughly breaking down the task into every small step and sequence is the only real way I know of estimating and explaining the cost of such a job for the client.

Yes my plan is to fix the front first. Then the ribs and block, then glue top back to ribs and attack the back. I'm not sure how best to remove the centre brace yet, it looks quite solidly glued in there, but it is split in several places.

On thing I have noticed is is is very neatly made inside; the blocks are the smoothest i have ever seen, it's almost as if the maker glued a veneer across the face of the entire block - but it doesn't seem to be the case. The linings in the C bout back edge are very hefty, too, about 12mm! and very neatly done. The break appears to start at the upper corners or just after the centre brace ends.

String length as far as I can make out is 104.5cm.

LOB 1160
UB 525
LB 675
ribs LB 197
ribs CB 200
ribs at neck 153

Arnold Schnitzer 05-06-2010 07:09 PM

Matthew, what is the length from the neck joint to the f-hole nicks? As far as removing the cross brace, the only safe way is to carve it out, bit by bit. :(

Ken Smith 05-06-2010 10:23 PM

104.5cm sl?
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Matthew Tucker (Post 18843)
thanks Arnold. I have been as systematic as I can, and thoroughly breaking down the task into every small step and sequence is the only real way I know of estimating and explaining the cost of such a job for the client.

Yes my plan is to fix the front first. Then the ribs and block, then glue top back to ribs and attack the back. I'm not sure how best to remove the center brace yet, it looks quite solidly glued in there, but it is split in several places.

On thing I have noticed is is is very neatly made inside; the blocks are the smoothest i have ever seen, it's almost as if the maker glued a veneer across the face of the entire block - but it doesn't seem to be the case. The linings in the C bout back edge are very hefty, too, about 12mm! and very neatly done. The break appears to start at the upper corners or just after the centre brace ends.

String length as far as I can make out is 104.5cm.

LOB 1160
UB 525
LB 675
ribs LB 197
ribs CB 200
ribs at neck 153

Matt, most of these French Cello models I have seen and/or owned averaged from 42+-43" string lengths or about 107 to 109 CMs.

I have heard of smaller ones and seen only one in person but not this type model. Most were what we call 7/8ths models but yours seems to be a 3/4 from your measurements. Not so common in these parts.

From the Scroll and linings it looks a Mirecourt type bass. J.T. Lamy made many of these in all shapes and sizes, 3 and 4 string. If all 4 gears match then it was born as such. In the old 1891 Lamy catalog the 4 string was 6.50 more than a 3-string. Wholesale they started at $43.20. With fine wood and flatback it was $67.20. Claudot was probably more expensive. The good ole days.. Not that I remember them that far back..:eek:

The linings on these are about 4x the mass needed. Might be easier to just replace the linings rather then chisel them down in thickness and then half the height.

Take your time with this like you already mentioned and as Arnold replied. This is an expensive repair in these parts. Probably upwards of $20k from what I see.

Oh, and wavy type Top grain like that I have often seen on Jacquet basses. Keep us informed and post as many pics as you like along the way. My Mougenot is on the bench right now with Jeff Bollbach. Some top reshaping in a mold, bass bar, the back re-done including the center joint, some rib work, neck graft, .. the works and I just played it in concert last season!!:(

Still, a Bass needs what a Bass needs..

Matthew Tucker 05-07-2010 12:51 AM

Removing the top went OK until I hit these nails in the lower and upper bouts.


http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4024/...b35c1d3d76.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4051/...8afe9805e5.jpg



The bolt holding the neck together came out with a little persuasion.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4040/...b5ac952a4c.jpg

As I thought, the bolt had several companions!

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4057/...9287f2d6bb.jpg

Top off, time to take a closer look:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4068/...948f8ca435.jpg

Ugly piece of work.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3314/...85fd61f7db.jpg

Bottom block area shows previous repairs as you’d expect from a bass of this age.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3356/...aeb75a6613.jpg

Top block similar

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4058/...aaa1a03b86.jpg

here’s one of the nastier cracks and edge damage caused by nails and putty! I was interested by what looked like a signature across the linen strip, but once cleaned it appears just a zigzag mark with a pencil. So we know for sure the bass was repaired by Zorro.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4019/...51076d8906.jpg

Common cracks here. You can see the glue beads of an old white-glue repair on the RHS

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4043/...b8014c489b.jpg

Matthew Tucker 05-07-2010 12:51 AM

Here’s the first look inside. Filthy dirty so I vacuumed out the crud and had a close look all over, but I can’t find any makers marks, or stamps. Perhaps when I do a proper cleanup something may appear, but I doubt it.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3336/...f851a0644f.jpg

Inside the top block – can see splits, and yes, a failed dowel repair PLUS a coach-bolt PLUS a whole load of black resinous stuff, probably resorcinol or something like that.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4019/...56f506f790.jpg

Some successful repairs. Look at how thick the C bout linings are on the right hand side! They are really well made, and the centre brace sits very snugly up against them.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4018/...7b70355548.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4025/...3eb872f76f.jpg

And some failed ones that I’ll have to redo. But look at how smooth and well-made the blocks are!

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4060/...c33a0d641e.jpg

These were put in from through the FF holes I think.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4004/...ae07f100df.jpg


The mortise still has the back of the heel firmly attached. I’m not going to worry too much about this as I have to replace the whole block anyway.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4002/...680e6da2be.jpg

Altogether, this heel had one wooden dowel from back of heel diagonally down into the block, which obviously failed, and which was followed by a coachbolt through the same hole and down into the block at another angle. I reckon THIS is what split the block. Then another dowel through from front to back, (probably through the button) which obviously failed, so this was followed by a threaded rod right through from button through to the rustic fingerboard!

Ken Smith 05-07-2010 01:59 AM

Amazing looking wood on that bass. The Flame is outstanding.

Arnold Schnitzer 05-07-2010 08:48 AM

On most of those, the C-bout back linings are bandsawn poplar or beech. They are extremely wide, the theory being that this would help prevent seam openings. It does work, but we all know that's a bad idea for a couple reasons. You will want to replace those with normal linings. And you might consider a different back bracing scheme. The old "stair step" is reviled for making these basses sound thin and respond slowly. No sleep for you in the year ahead!

Matthew Tucker 05-07-2010 09:11 AM

Yes well my instinct was to change that single brace to a more "italian" style of cross bracing. I was also wondering whether by doing so the "integrity" of the "french" bass would be compromised. But this is not a museum piece, has no makers label, and is being restored to play.

That's interesting what you say about the bandsawn linings - I was wondering how on earth you could BEND a 12mm strip around that sort of radius! I'm inclined to leave the other linings as they are, though ... I can't see much to be gained by lightening them.

Arnold the stop length is 570mm. What does that tell you?

Ken Smith 05-07-2010 11:08 AM

well..
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Matthew Tucker (Post 18857)
Yes well my instinct was to change that single brace to a more "italian" style of cross bracing. I was also wondering whether by doing so the "integrity" of the "french" bass would be compromised. But this is not a museum piece, has no makers label, and is being restored to play.

That's interesting what you say about the bandsawn linings - I was wondering how on earth you could BEND a 12mm strip around that sort of radius! I'm inclined to leave the other linings as they are, though ... I can't see much to be gained by lightening them.

Arnold the stop length is 570mm. What does that tell you?

The Stop length plus the neck length plus an inch tells the approximate string length which would come to about 41.5". The Neck from heel to nut would be about 18" for a D-neck heel.

The Linings should all be replaced. The larger linings inside stiffen the ribs and hinder vibration.

Label or no Label put a normal center Brace and a lower and upper brace as well. I think 3 braces are fine regardless of pedigree. My Mougenot has the same single brace and it's coming out and most likely just what I told you for braces. If you like, my bass will be done before this one and I can tell you what was done, if you like.

Ok? ok..

Ken McKay 05-07-2010 03:56 PM

Matthew, since you are on the other side of the planet you should have taken the back off first, oh well too late now. :eek::D

Fine looking bass there! Good luck with her.

To carve the back brace out it shouldn't be to difficult. You might be able to get some controlled splitting and remove the big chunks first, then once down to a bit thinner, you can plane it or keep using a sharp thin headed gouge, finger planes and then wet the last slivers with a damp cloth to remove the splinters and clean the glue off.

Craig Regan 05-08-2010 09:12 AM

Looks like a nice project Matthew. Give it your best!

Brian Gencarelli 05-09-2010 10:38 AM

Looks like fun! Love the photo essay! Keep it coming- if you have the time, please!

BG

Pino Cazzaniga 05-09-2010 06:53 PM

Thank you for sharing, Matthew, nice instrument and a lot of work to face!
Did you measured the stop length from the end of the heel or from the upper edge of the front?

Matthew Tucker 05-09-2010 07:18 PM

Edge of the heel

Matthew Tucker 05-09-2010 08:33 PM

Here’s a summary of the ironwork I’ve removed from this patient to date:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3402/...34092dbb0b.jpg

I had a look to see if the tuners had any identifying marks, but nothing exciting to report. Some of the brass plates are worn at the bearings, but the brass cogs, spindles and the worm gears are perfectly fine. We’ll have to decide whether its worth getting the bearings rebuilt, rebushed or just get new tuners. I’m not a metalworker.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4046/...8eb5dd6aa2.jpg

Here’s another bit of fun for later :-(

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1312/...9e462b0026.jpg

I started gluing some of the newer and cleaner cracks first, and cleaning up glueing edges.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3300/...f6ffe4344a.jpg

My “in situ” lamp is very useful.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3358/...e1bea40297.jpg

Here’s a horrible mess to clear up. Nails didn’t help at all.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1275/...b7cf54a0ca.jpg

Here’s a closeup of one of the crack edges. The wider part is where the crack sits just below the FFs and the thinner part - about 6-7mm - is the lower bout.
I have had to break the longer cracks right open in order to properly clean the gluing surfaces, which are contaminated with varnish and dust and goo. And what looks like read lead paint in places!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3086/...a41ab370a8.jpg

This is a dry run of the first big crack clamping setup. It gets tricky near the FFs where the wood has twisted under bridge pressure. It’s going to be interesting getting this to clamp up tightly.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4025/...698091734e.jpg

Matthew Tucker 05-16-2010 08:53 AM

The top is glueing together quite well. This is the first long crack after the turrets are removed and before cleanup and cleating. Looks a mess, but actually the repair is good.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4044/...9ab6b1ed8f.jpg

This is the view from the other side, there were two parallel cracks but they've come together quite neatly! The wood is beginning to show through too, after some cleaning with warm water.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4001/...6304a5153d.jpg

Here's the second long crack gluing. You can see the soundpost crack too; I mark the path of each crack with a chinagraph marker so I know exactly where I have to cleat later. Sometimes the glue line is virtually invisible.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3316/...e6cc8daa53.jpg

This is one of the previous repairs, done quite well, but I don't like square cleats so I'll probably remove them and replace with diamond ones.
The bass-bar on this bass is exactly parallel with the centre seam.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1187/...6a483d2975.jpg

This is a view of the soundpost crack before glueing. nasty.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1361/...4bccdd210f.jpg

There seems to be some kind of orange primer used at some point; perhaps its a ground?

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1037/...7a53b2cd26.jpg

Craig Regan 05-16-2010 09:23 AM

Very nice repair work, Matthew! Gluing up cracks on bass tops can be really frustrating, but it looks like you have it under control. Beautiful color on the top too!

Are you going to send a sample of the orange ground to the lab for ****ysis? :)

John Delventhal 08-09-2010 05:00 PM

Anything new with this?

Matthew Tucker 08-09-2010 07:50 PM

I have progressed somewhat with the top restoration, but have been overseas for six weeks and so everything ground to a halt. Will resume work on the bass soon and post more pics.

Matthew Tucker 08-28-2010 07:26 PM

You can see how worn the corners were here:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4059/...40579fe192.jpg

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12734217@N05/4518488153/http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4005/...499ffb3d23.jpg

After gluing most of the belly cracks (I found a few more) I had a go at repairing the corners with my usual repair wood but i wasn't happy with the result, as the grain really didn't match. The grain on this bass top is wide at the flanks, and wavy. So I tried using the reed-by-reed technique i posted a link to a week ago.

I cut away a part of the damaged wood along the grain line, then glued in a single piece of wide grain spruce. Then trimmed it back, and then added another.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4136/...f383bcfc0c.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4101/...e36baf1fe0.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4099/...69526d9452.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4139/...ce0748c3f6.jpg

I'm working from the back here but i check the front to make sure the grain lines are reasonably straight. They will be covered in a dark varnish, but with purfling repaired they will look much better.

I addition, these corners - and a lot of the edges - will get a half-edging repair. so what you see above will be covered with perhaps 2-3mm of tighter grained spruce, which will be better for gluing to the blocks!

Matthew Tucker 09-03-2010 10:10 AM

As it happens ... in case anyone likes to watch.

This is a previous repair to the block area of the lower bout

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4140/...0d49e9688b.jpg

However, cracks have developed along one side and i don't like the previous repair or the nail holes so I'm removing the old repair and replacing with new wood.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4146/...61934b894c.jpg

I've removed all but the last 2mm of the top wood and tapered the edges inwards so that the patch fits tightly and the repair edge doesn't align with any grain. I've lost a bit of the very brittle purfling near the saddle but this was falling away anyway.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4149/...9fe2b6ebd1.jpg

That's the patch glued in. Still has to be planed flat.

There was a similar problem up the top end. 2" nails through the top had made a nasty mess and a fair bit of wood had come away when removing the top from the block. And a previous repair. You can see my first exploratory gouge to see whether I could do an inlay patch, but nup. Had to go further to make sure the repair was sound.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4138/...839a378d27.jpg

I had to remove only enough spruce till I got to reasonably sound wood. I filled the nail holes with sawdust and hide glue from the back; i'll do a better repair from the front, later.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4112/...f13085c9e3.jpg


here's the patch glued in, waiting to be trimmed back.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4108/...c8b7c45911.jpg

Matthew Tucker 09-03-2010 10:19 AM

This is what nails do to the edge! I've planed back the crumbly chipped edge back to clean wood.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4154/...98de9e0b5f.jpg

closer, you can see what this spruce is like. Wavy, wide-grained, with a few brittle knotty bits at the flanks like this

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4144/...d19bbe86d5.jpg

or this bit of repeated trauma which has pulverised the spruce under the varnish. I have to plane back as far as i dare then do the rest with glue and new spruce edging.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4108/...b42be995bc.jpg

This new spruce is much nicer to deal with and will properly strengthen the original edges. It will glue better, too.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4149/...ab53ef7bcb.jpg

Ken Smith 09-03-2010 10:34 AM

ok..
 
Looking good Matt. On those Block area inlays, did you considered a feathered-in patch like a breast patch type (and inner half edging) so as not to create another fault line in the process? There is considerable pressure on the Top at the block areas. Anything that can be done to avoid future trouble would be good. Just like saddle cracks. A tight patch in there like you've shown might act differently than a feathered-in type repair.

Matthew Tucker 09-03-2010 10:41 AM

You're right, and I did consider it, but in the end I decided that angling the ends inwards as i have done will also spread the stress across a number of grains, much less likely to cause a fault crack as on the Right Hand Side of the picture below. Also the grain of the patch is very slightly offset so it doesn't run parallel with the top grain. Feathering the edges is quite a bit more work.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4140/...0d49e9688b.jpg

in fact you can see in the original repair, the left hand edge is still quite sound; it is angled. The right-hand edge however is parallel to the grain of the top and right alongside the saddle cutout - recipe for a weak point and a classic saddle crack, which is in fact what happened.

Matthew Tucker 09-05-2010 08:52 AM

Father's Day here. Bacon and eggs for breakfast ... and a day in the workshop!

---

Here's another reason I feel the half edging is necessary on this plate:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4126/...fd4185b42b.jpg

The wood is brittle and knotty in spots all around the edges; this is a weak point, has cracked before, and even to plane it down I need to wet it down and use a very sharp blade.

Here it is after thinning the edge carefully, and a piece of repair spruce that looks like a bear wiped its backside on it. Other than the staining, it's fine repair wood!

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4108/...bf22195d96.jpg

You never have too many clamps.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4091/...0cf73a059c.jpg

After the glue has dried the edges are carefully trimmed and blended into the original top shape, and then thinned to the original 8mm. Sounds easy, eh!

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4114/...83842fed12.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4094/...a0c9a1c13f.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4090/...81fb3403b7.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4099/...c0d927156b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4146/...82429d6850.jpg

Next job is the soundpost patch.

Eric Hochberg 09-05-2010 10:45 AM

Question, Matthew. On the 2nd to last pic above, is your new half edging going over a previous half edging job (it looks like the grain doesn't line up under yours)?

Matthew Tucker 09-05-2010 05:17 PM

No there's no previous half-edging. In blending the new wood with the old, I have planed a thin layer of crud off the old wood so that the inside arch is a smooth transition to the new edge. In fact this bass had a very thick ledge around the edges and in places I have removed the surplus, because it's really not necessary. What you can see from left to right is ... dark old spruce, clean old spruce, shiny new white spruce.

The top has been repaired before, but most of the cleats have just popped off - I suspect because they were glued over the "patina" which isn't as good a glueing surface as a clean wood surface. I was going to leave the very dark old surface wherever I could, and just clean under the cleats, but now that I can see the lovely old spruce underneath I'm considering scraping the whole top back to clean; this would reveal all previous cracks and be much easier to repair now and in the future. But it would involve removing a very thin layer, say 0.3mm, all over.

I'm not intending to regraduate the top; there's nothing wrong with the thicknesses, and its sufficiently thick that removal of a very thin layer won't structurally weaken the top. The amount of wood I would remove would be much less than the additional wood I'll be adding in cleats. What do you think?

Matthew Tucker 09-06-2010 06:57 AM

Now where was I?

Oh yes ... remember this great big soundpost crack?

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1361/...8b3e86ab5a.jpg

I glued it up well, but if this isn't reinforced properly the glued-up crack will just bust again when the pressure's on. So, working from the back, I make an oval patch from spruce and trace around it, then start hogging out a bit of a hole.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4106/...1e4c1f5d4a.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4090/...62a06e5e45.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4131/...1825c88595.jpg

Mustn't get carried away ...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4125/...baf6f5f311.jpg

I like this next pic, because it shows up the depth of the lovely darkening of the wood due to age! The nice brown coloration is full 2-3mm into the wood. Someone who has done this on many more basses that I have (like Arnold, or Ken) could probably date the thing looking at the colour alone.

You can see the original crack entering at the left and a slightly darker area where it is glued. I'm careful about the final shape of the curved bed.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4106/...f7fa8da22c.jpg

Next step is to spot glue some guides for the patch to make sure it always goes back exactly in the same spot. There a many ways to do this, and this is the way i'm doing it, this time! The grain of the patch is slightly offset from the grain in the top.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4146/...f55c18d187.jpg

Now that the glue is drying, I have to do some work work.

Craig Regan 09-06-2010 10:55 AM

Question Matthew, Is it possible to see a picture of the edge repair from the front, or edge of the plate? Thanks, Craig

Matthew Tucker 09-07-2010 07:32 PM

I think this is what you want to see Craig.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4113/...b6aa72ecd1.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4110/...897aaab474.jpg

I have not worked on shaping the edges yet. And i'm going to have to sweat over the purfling in the corners :-/

Matthew Tucker 09-07-2010 07:37 PM

The soundpost inlay patch is shaping up well. I'll finish it off and glue it in tonight after the gig.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4109/...3c6a0697a0.jpg

Thomas Erickson 09-07-2010 09:37 PM

This is a great thread; I'm following along like a soap opera. Sorry, daytime drama. :D

Thanks for posting; the photos are great - I wish I had the patience to stop in the middle of doing anything and taking so many photos!

Matthew Tucker 09-08-2010 01:17 AM

Thanks for all the bass love guys. Unfortunately for me I'll have to give the bass back to the client when it's complete! But fortunately for me, I have a french lodger for the next year or so.

Matthew Tucker 09-09-2010 08:26 PM

Here's the patch just before gluing in:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4110/...09635c29b9.jpg

And here's the patch glued in and trimmed:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4130/...08b1ef69a7.jpg

You can see how nicely it fits at the edges. I'm pretty happy how it turned out :-)

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4131/...1d499fcc1c.jpg

I decided that I *would* shave the thin dark layer off the surface of the wood, at least as far as the bass bar, and I'm glad that i did. These patches look as if they are reinforcing the main centre glue line.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4152/...4a28c775a8.jpg

But when the dark layer is removed, it's very clear that there's another previous crack there that I couldn't see before (see next pic). It's a bit of a pity to remove the dirt/patina, but going back to clean wood is going to allow me to make better repairs, and as the purpose is to result in a functional bass, I think the decision is sensible.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4105/...b5779624c0.jpg

This is a nice view of repaired top to date.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/...751425543e.jpg

We've made it from here:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4154/...82b18e2763.jpg

to here:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4112/...46e1cb4282.jpg

And I really MUST do something about getting a consistent colour-balance in my photos!

Matthew Tucker 09-09-2010 10:04 PM

No-one ventured an opinion on my question on scraping the dark crud back to clean wood in post #32, so I made a judgement that it would be better to shave a very thin layer off and make sure I make good glue repairs, than leaving it there for the looks only. The wood is still darkened with oxidation, and there is no doubt about the age of the instrument.

Ken Smith 09-09-2010 11:03 PM

well..
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Matthew Tucker (Post 20228)
No-one ventured an opinion on my question on scraping the dark crud back to clean wood in post #32, so I made a judgement that it would be better to shave a very thin layer off and make sure I make good glue repairs, than leaving it there for the looks only. The wood is still darkened with oxidation, and there is no doubt about the age of the instrument.

I think that when my basses have been restored, they were cleaned as needed but I don't know if they were scraped. Inside, the color varies. Where it was repaired, it is lighter. Where it wasn't repaired, it remained darker but without the built up dirt over the wood. On one old bass the bassbar was slightly re-shaped. The color shows where it was worked. One of the cross bars removed also shows it was trimmed down a bit half way thru its life by the two shades of color, both old. If re-graduated internally, the bass will always look lighter but that is unavoidable with the wood coming off.

On the aging, you can see how deep the oxidation goes when working on it. Some basses are so old that the wood is dark all the way through. I don't know how to date a bass by its wood color. I guess the oxidation depends on where and how the bass was kept or used.

Keep up the good work.


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