Hello

[Matthew Tucker]

craig you can get fine-tooth blades for coping saw that work really well for carving out the ffs. Until I found these, coping saw was hopeless, and fretsaw was just too fine.

Right now I'm glueing back the top of Sirente after regraduation. I'll soon tell you if the chandler "spine" is a good idea tonally or not, since I removed it ...

[Craig Regan]

Thanks for the tip Matthew, we are looking forward to the regrad results...

Photo #1
The f~holes are cut.

Photo #2
Removing excess wood, to achieve the optimum tone and response from the top plate.

[Matthew Tucker]

Craig you may have to wait a good 24 hours for any result from me. The top is on but I need to cut a new soundpost and get it all singing again.

[Craig Regan]

The top now graduates from 10 mm in the center to 5 mm at the edges. It is very flexible in some areas and yet, extremely ridged in other areas. Bass bar is next.

100% hand carved plates, blisters and splinters as testimonial.

[Craig Regan]

The top is spruce (white wood) while the ribs are cherry (reddish brown color). This could be a problem down the road. I would like to keep the cherry natural (center photo) and match the spruce to the reddish brown of the ribs. I have been doing samples with the cut offs from the top.

I have a fear the finishing will come out looking like a 7th grade shop project. More experiments to come.

[Arnold Schnitzer]

I advise you resist the urge to color the raw Spruce. You would be better off sealing it and then adding color coats to match it to the Cherry. You can put a very light water stain on the spruce first if you like, but any concentrated stain will have a tendency to get extremely blotchy, because of the mixture of face and end grain in the carved table. Are you planning to use oil or spirit varnish?

[Craig Regan]

The cherry looks great with nothing on it, wile the spruce needs some toning, to help it blend with the rest of the instrument. I am definitely leaving the cherry natural, so its only the spruce that will need "doctoring up".

Spruce is a softwood, cherry is a hardwood. They take a finnish completely differently. Some lighter maple dyes work well with the spruce; gives a good base to build up upon; sealing is a good idea. Most of these samples were "just playing around" wile I carved the top. When things get closer, I'll start some more serious samples.

Leaning towards an oil finnish, but still experimenting.

[Matthew Tucker]

Originally Posted by Craig Regan

The top now graduates from 10 mm in the center to 5 mm at the edges. It is very flexible in some areas and yet, extremely ridged in other areas. B

did you weigh it?

[Matthew Tucker]

Originally Posted by Matthew Tucker

Craig you may have to wait a good 24 hours for any result from me. The top is on but I need to cut a new soundpost and get it all singing again.

OK is singing again.

yes is louder, yes is more responsive to bow (even strung with Spiros) . E string shaketh the floor. But, still very bright, and i think this is partly cos my bridge is too thin at the top.

I am happy I spent the time on regraduating the top. Worked for me.

I have ordered some Evahs for a special treat. We'll see how she go.

[Craig Regan]

Originally Posted by Matthew Tucker

OK is singing again.

yes is louder, yes is more responsive to bow (even strung with Spiros) . E string shaketh the floor. But, still very bright, and i think this is partly cos my bridge is too thin at the top.

I am happy I spent the time on regraduating the top. Worked for me.

Glad to hear your bass back together and working well after re-graduating.

There is a electronics repair shop in our town that is willing to lend me an old audio oscillator, I may take them up on the offer.

[Craig Regan]

Today is sunny and warm, and for the first time, it feels like Spring.

Here is a photo of the bass, and for the fist time, its starting to look like a bass.

[Arnold Schnitzer]

Nice looking bass, Craig! Now let's get some finish on 'er. This is the ultimate varnishing weather. (Today is mid 60's F., a gentle breeze, low humidity and dappled sunshine.)