too much wood ?

[Matthew Tucker]

Those blocks look fine. Personally, I wouldn't mess with them. Linings are normally butted up against the blocks or even let into them. That's how they are supposed to be. I'd use willow or maple linings.

[Adrian Levi]

Originally Posted by Matthew Tucker

Those blocks look fine. Personally, I wouldn't mess with them. Linings are normally butted up against the blocks or even let into them. That's how they are supposed to be. I'd use willow or maple linings.

Hi Matthew , I'm interested why you wouldn't use spruce.Is it because of the differential shrinkage potential between the maple and spruce?

Also a lot of makers and repairers mention how important it is to try and not inhibit vibration transfer of the ribs by adding too much repair material or making the ribs thick etc etc ... so I'm questioning the fact that on this particular bass the ribs were wedged between the blocks creating pressure against the ribs , surely its better practice to just 'bump' the edging up against the blocks neatly .... or perhaps there really isn't a right or wrong answer after all

[Thomas Erickson]

I don't like the idea of linings butting up to the blocks; to me, it just seems like asking for the ends to come loose as things shrink and they get pushed up tight to the blocks. I'd rather see them let well into the block so that they're securely tied down to the rib. Seems more structurally sound to have the linings secure to the blocks, too.

[Matthew Tucker]

I'd prefer willow or maple because they are more durable woods and/or bend better. Usually on a well made bass they are just fit neatly and exactly, not wedged in. I think if the linings are bent and glued properly there's no real need to inlet them into the blocks. A good glue joint will outlast you, anyway! Strad did it on his violins and everyone copied him. Not every maker does it. There's a maker in Sydney who runs the linings smoothly across the blocks and joined with a long scarf joint. Looked a good idea to me but extra work. So you can inlet them if you like; there's plenty of wood on the blocks at the C bouts to allow this.

Either way, I don't think its going to make much difference to the sound. The linings are to provide a wider edge-grain gluing surface than the edge of the maple rib; as long as this is achieved i don't actually think it really matters what they're made of or whether they're inlet.

[Thomas Erickson]

Originally Posted by Matthew Tucker

Strad did it on his violins and everyone copied him.

Strad also did not make basses - with that much wood there's a lot more to move around, and we all know that basses get beat up a lot more than violins...

[Arnold Schnitzer]

Letting the linings into the blocks on a bass is unnecessary. It is done as a way of showing off the maker's skill. As Matthew stated, a well-glued joint will usually outlast the maker. Linings are temporary. After several plate removals (for repairs or alterations) the linings deteriorate, especially on a bass. Eventually they need to be replaced. For example, when I restored Ken's former Gilkes bass, all 12 linings were replaced. Rarely does one find a very old bass with the linings intact. I personally use only two wood types for bass linings; spruce or willow.

[Adrian Levi]

Originally Posted by Arnold Schnitzer

Letting the linings into the blocks on a bass is unnecessary. It is done as a way of showing off the maker's skill. As Matthew stated, a well-glued joint will usually outlast the maker. Linings are temporary. After several plate removals (for repairs or alterations) the linings deteriorate, especially on a bass. Eventually they need to be replaced. For example, when I restored Ken's former Gilkes bass, all 12 linings were replaced. Rarely does one find a very old bass with the linings intact. I personally use only two wood types for bass linings; spruce or willow.

Arnold,what size do you cut your linings?

I'm redoing all the linings due to their size and wear.I removed the top today to find that the neck and end block are not totally flush with ribbing , this has caused cracks in the top . The pics should show where the cracks are in relation the the blocks ...
This in part must have had a hand in the bass not quite sounding as I envisioned it should (at least I hope so).I know that it's not always the best idea to take back and top off simultaneously but nothing was in place really besides the blocks and ribs.
In my research I have found out the bass has been opened at least twice in the last 15 years, as well as being refinished for some reason or other.Im starting to think by looking inside the bass that it suffered water damage at some time , the end block as Ken said earlier on certainly points to the possibility.

[Arnold Schnitzer]

Adrian, I hope you don't have the top and back removed at the same time. I make linings in the style of the existing instrument. For a new bass, usually 3.5mm thick and 20-30mm wide.