Shape...
Well Unless you are playing more notes in the 2nd octave doing Violin Solos and not Playing in an Orchestra I don't see the need to chop the upper bout so much and possible sacrifice the Bass sound of the instrument.
I saw a fancy solo type Bass (I won't mention the maker but someone from Canada) being played in a small room at a VSA show. I was in the middle of the room and could barely hear him playing. Pretty Bass, great workmanship.. but no sound.
I have several Basses with the Bouts +/- 20" and not as much slope with the exception of maybe my Loveri and Cornerless. Those are big Basses though with plenty of sound. I can reach the bridge on most of my Basses if I need to but most of what I play is under the first octave. So, why bother unless you own several other Orchestra Basses and this one is just a Solo Bass for that once in a while time.
I saw Bill Blossom (NY Phil) play the Bach Solo Violin Concerto on Jeff Bollbach's #2. A twin Pallotta model to the Lion Head but with a flat back. He had no trouble playing end to end on that Bass and had plenty of sound even down to the C-Ext. He also uses that Bass in the Orchestra so a dual purpose Bass is more worth it in the math sense.
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