re- graduations explained ?

[Arnold Schnitzer]

Lest one assume that every repair/restoration job includes regraduation, I just want to point out that it is far from the first thing considered when trying to improve tone. Most well-made basses are in pretty good shape from day one as far as plate thicknesses. With those, the initial attempts to improve the sound will include string change, soundpost adjustment, fingerboard and bridge set-up, tailpiece change, etc. If all that fails to bring good results, and dis-assembly is on the menu, the bass bar may be altered or changed, linings reduced, and/or lumps removed. Complete top and/or back regraduation is more or less the last resort, unless the instrument is so obviously overly-wooded as to make it a clear necessity. An example would be a Claudot flatback I worked on several years ago. The top table, very strong spruce, measured 12mm thick in the center and 9mm around the edges. There's no way a heavy bass with a top that thick can make a reasonably good sound.