"Cornerless Italian & Spanish Basses"

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Ken McKay

Ken, sorry to be a pest but does the doubling spruce run the same way as the sides or across?

I am thinking about doing this type of bracing across the sides in 4 places on each side. What do you think?http://www.contrabbassi.it/contrabba...struments.htm# go down to part under construction and look at the cross braces on the sides.

Yes, I see that on Sergio's page but that is not a Guitar shape model. My Loveri Bass with new Ribs from Scalzilli (replaced in 1937 when he cut the Bass) has a center strip in the center Bout from Top to Back. I don't know if that's good or not. My cornerless Bass has the typical inner linings and the Spruce doubling grain runs from top to back in direction 90 degrees (opposite) to the grain of the Ribs.

Here are some photos from Jeff Bollbach's web showing Wood/Linen striping which would be better I think than complete doubling as far as controlling 'voids' in the joints.

If my Ribs need to be re-done internally, this is what I would feel better about seeing in a restoration.