To regraduate or not...

[Mike Mandelas]

[quote:I think most luthiers would agree (do you?) that there are probably other things you should try first, like strings/soundpost/tailpiece/tailgut/bridge etc, that aren't so drastic as regraduation. Have you been down that path yet? quote]

Thank all of you for your input. Given my limited experience in regraduating basses i started my experiment with a thorough set up, meaning a new bridge, a soundpost change, a new Marvin wire tailpiece and some stringing options (Spirocores and Corelli 370 Forte). The situation improved up to some extent but i have the impression that the sound is a bit "choked" and rather thin. In violins, where my experience is greater, i solved it many times by regraduating the top plate, thinning it in the appropriate places.

The bass has a thickness of 6.5 mm in the edges (where IMHO it shoud be 4.5mm- 5 mm). Around the f holes it is 7 mm and gradually it increases to 8-9.5 mm. H.S. Wake's plans give in each case a graduation 1-2 mm thinner. I'll post some photos and see.