Quote:
Originally Posted by Matthew Tucker
By stepped linings do you mean made with two laminations, one narrower than the other?
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Without taking it apart I can't examine it perfectly but it appears to have a small strip of Lining and then even a smaller one up against it and they both appear to be Maple but might be Poplar like the Back and Ribs. I have only seen this one other time and it was on a J.F.Lott Bass but only in the C-Bout areas.
I am assuming that the rest of the Lining was replaced since Lott made the Bass about 180 years ago or so and has been repaired many times over.
My Loveri had something similar but the inner Lining strip was double wide and the outer overlay strip was normal. The outer strip was removed during its recent restoration and the inner strip trimmed back about 1/2 way as this was choking the Rib vibrations.
In the case of the Lombardy and the Lott the hardwood Lining width is reduced but has at least as much strength as a wider 'Fir' type species often used. The stepped Linings give more gluing surface for the Top and Back while the shallower depth of the wider (but still narrow) inner strip allows the Ribs to vibrate more freely while still having strength being some type of hardwood.
This is just my take on the 'why' they both did it.