Quote:
Originally Posted by Ken Smith
Because two of the Basses we added this brace to were in my possession before the brace was in and I know the sound before and after. Also, where else is the sound being transferred in your mind from this addition, the scroll?
Try it yourself with a few old Italian Basses with Oppio backs and get back to me. Make sure you know what the bass does before hand as well so you can make a good post brace audible assessment. Playing the basses in a symphony Orchestra before and after is the best test. Ask the concert master across the stage what he hears differently.
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Ken, I'm not contesting that a brace for a roundback is a good idea and can improve the sound of a bass. And I'm not contesting that you or a concert master (or a cloth-eared donkey for that matter) can hear a difference between a bass before restoration and the same bass after restoration.
I was just wondering about your specific comment that it helps to
"spread the sound across the back."
My own instinct would be that the back brace
stiffens the back, thus reducing the damping effect of flexible wood. Like a stiffer neck, this would result in more movement of the top for a given input energy, you could say that results in a louder or more penetrating sound.
But I don't understand the concept of sound spreading across the back and how that would translate audibly.
I find the rest of your comments a little condescending so I'll ignore them.
