New bass bar y/n?

[La Folia]

On 1/3/2021 at 5:27 PM, PhilipKT said:

would that work? If the top isn’t completely on, the sound won’t be representative?

I don't see why not.  I've seen makers on this forum mention tacking the top on loosely so they could do adjustments or whatever.  I think the idea is to use weak glue.  I can easily think that it's good enough for temporary use.

[Christopher Jacoby]

don't swap the bar unless there is a clear lack in the sound and you can communicate how the new bar will adress that lack. 

[PhilipKT]

Update:

I chatted with the luthier today, and he said that he had discovered that the graduation underneath the Bridge area was a little thick, at 6.5, and he said that that thickness Explained the slightly short bass bar. He laughed and said that if it were him, he would’ve just made it the normal thickness and then had a normal base bar. He could not think of a reason for the thicker graduation, except that might be just how they liked it to make their stuff.

Edited January 12 by PhilipKT

[deans]

32 minutes ago, PhilipKT said:

He could not think of a reason for the thicker graduation, except that might be just how they liked it to make their stuff.

I've often heard that instruments bound for America from Germany were built to withstand the trip. I'm not sure how true this is but many luthiers made a big part of their living re-graduating and re-barring trade instruments, usually with good results.

[PhilipKT]

23 minutes ago, deans said:

I've often heard that instruments bound for America from Germany were built to withstand the trip. I'm not sure how true this is but many luthiers made a big part of their living re-graduating and re-barring trade instruments, usually with good results.

That’s very interesting, thank you. I’ll report on the sound when it is ready

[David Burgess]

1 hour ago, deans said:

I've often heard that instruments bound for America from Germany were built to withstand the trip. I'm not sure how true this is but many luthiers made a big part of their living re-graduating and re-barring trade instruments, usually with good results.

I've often heard that too, but I think that story was more a justification for re-graduating these instruments, trying to imply that it was part of the master plan, which would sound much better than saying that these instruments were made in such a way that they needed to be improved.

[deans]

Not implying any sort of "master plan".  The original makers made them to suite their purpose, the people who doctor them do it for their own.

[PhilipKT]

Here is an update:

I decided to not replace the bass bar, And it just picked up the fully restored instrument. It sounds really outstanding.

The C string sounds excellent, and I guess the bass bar was well chosen for the wood, Though my luthier friend still thinks it would’ve sounded better with a different bar.

I am happy.

Edited January 28 by PhilipKT

[baroquecello]

congratulations!

[Rue]

Good news!