Starting a DB Project

[Adrian Levi]

Originally Posted by Matthew Tucker

Well, before anyone gets excited about the Austrian research, they better read it first and then make up their own mind. Gotta link or is it hearsay?

Hearsay , and no link ..... IMHO as you suggest , no two tops are the same and I cant imagine how a diamond cleat can really be better or worse that a rectangular one . There are so many huge forces in play when a bass is in tension that I'm guessing a soundpost and bassbar are the crucial elements in top strength and small pieces of glued spruce seem really the 'band aids' ( I am by no means saying that they are not a necessity) of repair whereas patches are 'true structural implants' that play an integral part in real top strength . I am still in the early stages of learning to repair instruments so I really cant draw on the experience that you have but I'm sure that you have done some excellent repairs using cleats other than diamond shape in the past.