Which bass shape is more road worthy?

[brandonwong]

First we have the topic of Gamba vs Violin vs Busetto corners basses in terms of tone and volume projection, etc...

What shaped basses would be more sturdy when it comes to travel and constant road use?
Flatback vs Round back should be in this topic as well.

[drurb]

Originally Posted by brandonwong

First we have the topic of Gamba vs Violin vs Busetto corners basses in terms of tone and volume projection, etc...

What shaped basses would be more sturdy when it comes to travel and constant road use?
Flatback vs Round back should be in this topic as well.

First, I'd like to say that I really don't consider road-worthiness as a major factor in choosing the corner style or the construction type. That said, violin corners are more likely to get chipped off and damaged than are gamba corners. Flatbacks have bracing and many here will tell you that they are higher maintenance. Still, there are many old flatbacks that have survived the road and decades of use quite well. When one is choosing between flatback and roundback, however, one is usually considering hybrid or fully-carved basses. At those levels of quality, the particular sound is, to most, far more important than degree of required maintenance. Repair/maintenance is a given on a good bass. It's best avoided by treating the instrument with care. There are plenty of players who haul around pricey basses that are prone to damage and who rarely suffer damage. If/when road-worthiness is a major concern, then it's probably best to go with a sturdy plywood bass that's built like a tank.

[TroyK]

Vintage Aluminium Upright For Sale

[brandonwong]

I guess i need to rephrase my question. I'm not looking to find an indestructable bass, but something that could balance itself well between good tone and reliability.
Of cos we all have to be careful when handling any bass, be it a ply or a carved, or hybrid. My own spruce top, lam sides/back german bass has lasted me 10 years and still going strong. (its probably over 50 years of age and have not seen a single repair)

Just wondering if there would be any construction benefits between the few shapes as they are arched differently and maybe have different pressure and tension points. I've also thought that flatbacks are less prone to damage than round backs. So maybe i'm wrong here.

[ROCKWOOD]

Originally Posted by brandonwong

..... I've also thought that flatbacks are less prone to damage than round backs. So maybe i'm wrong here.

Speaking strictly from an engineering perspective, any trauma a roundback might experience would be a compression
force. As for a flatback: even the braces would experience
expansion. Compression is simply more resilient.

[uprightben]

I'd have to say a roundback gamba or busetto shape will better survive the rigors of the road. I love the look of violin corners, and have them on my bass, but they shure do take a beating. I love flat back basses, too, but the cross-grained braceing can be a real crack factory, on or off the road.