Wee B. Bridges

I have no idea why you wouldn’t post a link... https://tarisio.com/auctions/auction/lot/?csid=2198863872&cpid=3536044032&filter_key=

You can get similar from https://www.cremonatools.com/f-hole-drills.html Hard to go wrong.

Guard dog hard at work

Yikes—I would never recommend holding the board, seems not only dangerous but it takes two hands to have full control over the gouge. There has to be a better way It doesn't take anything fancy. I don't thing I have a pic of the board flipped over and worked but it is the same jig, I use a cloth padding for a better nestled fit, and clamped down to the bench. Working the top of the board is easy because it fits nicely between the applied stays, no clamping necessary, but could easily be held in a vise if necessary. I flatten the glueing surface on a #8 jointer plane flipped over in a vise and push the FB. Once the glueing surface is finished, than clamping the board in the jig with a Jorgensen Wood Clamp nearer the nut end. The clamp captures board to jig on through the bench top. In this way it is not going to move and you can gouge out the under side scoop working in any direction, hands free. Much like this second photo showing the clamping—hopefully you get the idea

I would not sweat it in the least. It will pull down during the glue up. Strike it up as a lesson learned, this is pretty fundamental to the building process; level the glueing surface on the next one. Good luck !

I would say look at string heights above the finger board— at both the nut end and the bridge end. And the scoop in the finger board—all of these are contribute. Too much scoop, too much height is not what you want.

Yep, the cobbler who did the repair work is going to be mighty sad. Now he has to go back to his shoes

Gregg Alf spoke to this in the Strad article Nov. 2006 issue.

You have to know when to cut your loses. Why fight it. Life is short Get a better neck block to start with.

No. A long and contentious practice of reworking instruments in Cremona, yes it is well known. In an effort to maintain the good name of Cremona in the market place, the Consortium was established to bind members of the consortium to the greatest moral integrity in the exercise of their craft. But only to be a member of the Consortium, and receive the official stamp of approval do you jump these hoops (some as mentioned above.) http://www.cremonaviolins.com/en/the-consortium/ (more on the rules/use of the collective trademark after the jump.) There are many more makers in Cremona other than those in the Consortium.

Practice.

I would have to agree with Torbjörn Zethelius above, I don't see it as an issue. Might not be what you intended but if it ain't broke don't fix it I wouldn't worry about it and move forward

Many good points and analogies made so far... I remember this publications back in 2008 and having this conversation with Charles Beare—he was surprise as well by the findings. It is probably heartening for amateur makers and a little dis-heartening to school trained makers. What one can speculate is quality in workmanship on the outside, most likely reflects quality of workmanship on the inside. There is certainly more to making a violin than what is seen, that will withstand the test of time, independent of sound. What is the saying—the "art" is revealed through the knowledge of the "craft" which is generated by the "skill" of the craftsman. The bigger picture of what we are trying to do is elevate the craft to an art. In this regard it is about line, proportion and form. Aesthetics complement sound (however the reverse not so much.) Along the way we are always in pursuit of quality sound and playability—this will sell an instrument. Yes beauty is in the eye of the beholder; even in a blind world the one-eyed are considered as gods.

Pressed tops as in mass production, vs bent tops? The late Bill Fulton at one time put out a VHS tape (VCR) of his bent top process. Maybe some one has digitized the old video. from the web: https://www.violins.ca/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2044&sid=2abc58b055c5488f1e015fe41540b629 https://www.talkbass.com/threads/fulton-violin-plate-bending.281323/