Question about braces

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Thomas Erickson

Interesting stuff, thanks all for posting.



Not building a bass yet; just got to wondering if the break was generally considered a weak point that should be reinforced from the get-go, or if placing a brace there is more a matter of routine and/or to solidify older basses that are weak or damaged.

Each Back will need what it needs. It is up to the Luthier to determine that. Balancing strength and tone combined is not so easy. It must be in its best condition and best repair. As Matthew mentions, there are so many factors that create the sound. Equally, there are so many things that can kill it as well.

In any the piece of wood used for the Back (or Top as well) you have density, thickness and arch. If the Back is dense and well arched, it cannot be overly thick. If soft weak wood, it cannot be too thin. If so, it needs arch and some bracing. You need to balance those three items. How well the woods were dried before the bass was made and how much tension if any is in the carcass matters as well. If you force wood, it will fail and you loose sound along the way.