French Bass full restoration

[Matthew Tucker]

The back has been a pain to flatten, so i'm going to try a new approach. First I had to see whether I needed to add some wood to the centre back seam.

First, I tacked the repaired top onto the ribs



This allowed me to position the bass on the back to see how my overhangs are looking.



With the top tacked on I can move the corners and ribs around to see if everything will fit. It's been apart so long, not everything lines up nicely. But with a bit of persuasion, I am convinced everything will eventually go back as needed.

I decided to add a thin centre strip. Pictured below is my setup for gluing to one side only. The long hardwood beam holds the back flat to the perspex backing.



I use wedges to clamp the hardwood strip to the side.



The strip will be trimmed down to the width of the back plate, then I'll have another challenge to glue the other side.

[Matthew Tucker]

Here are the tuners I will be using. I will antique the handles to make them look more "french"

[Steve Alcott]

Thanks for the update-I've been wondering how it was going.

[Matthew Tucker]

Steve - for once you didn't have to ask!

[Anselm Hauke]

Originally Posted by Matthew Tucker

Here are the tuners I will be using. I will antique the handles to make them look more "french"

i heard that this will work: boil some eggs, mash them and put the metal parts you want to age completly in the mashed eggs and put this in a plastic bag.

i don´t know how long they have to stay there, so i would try it with something else from the same material first.

[Brian Gencarelli]

Originally Posted by Matthew Tucker

Here are the tuners I will be using. I will antique the handles to make them look more "french"

The tuners are pretty, where did you source them?

I like your set up for the center strip. I am about to do the same thing with another bass... let me know how it turns out. I am not thrilled with the first one I did.

Best,
Brian

[Matthew Tucker]

They are a custom order from Michael Abarientos in the Phillipines. A variation on an existing model with larger handles to look more "french". All brass, though.

[Adrian Juras]

Your work looks great! Did you end up completing the restoration?

[Matthew Tucker]

Still happening. Slow project. Just got the back joined again. Will post more pics soon.

[Stephen Edwards]

Any updates?