Another bass ID thread...

[Matt Gray]

Hmm, okay. Was it just not in the style back then to make roundbacks back then, or was it an issue of production time, etc.?

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Matt Gray

Hmm, okay. Was it just not in the style back then to make roundbacks back then, or was it an issue of production time, etc.?

I don't really know what was on their minds but yes, flatbacks are much easier to make. I think that the French Vuillaume style roundback influenced the Germans a bit because that's about the period we start seeing these French-style German copies, mostly with roundbacks. Usually there was some sort of taper in the upper rib bouts narrowing towards the neck but some of them taper only slightly, remaining more Cello-like.