Cedar for bass linings?

[daddy-o496]

Do you foresee any problems with using cedar for double bass linings? Thanx, daddy-o496.

[fdeck]

Well, it will keep the moths away, if you keep your tux in your bass bag.

[Big B.]

Depends on the Cedar. Western red cedar would probably work great for linings. It is very easy to glue and work. On the other hand, Aromatic cedar (what most people think of as cedar) is noticeably harder and stiffer and certainly wont bend as easily. Aromatic Cedar is also pretty oily (hence the strong odor) and can be problematic when gluing. Since the purpose of the linings is to add more surface space for gluing I would avoid Aromatic Cedar and stick with Western Red Cedar.

[GerardSamija]

I like yellow, or Alaskan cedar for linings. The grain is much finer than that of most red cedar and bends with heat quite nicely. Glues well too, after a bit of an alcohol scrub. I'd suggest that red 'shingle' cedar is a bit too delicate. In cases where I've had to take violins apart and red cedar linings were used, the has been a lot of splitting of the linings during disassembly.

[james condino]

My favorite, when I can get it, is Port Orford cedar, and I generally go for a bit wider lazy grain, rather than the tight older wood. I've also used western red cedar and spruce successfully, as well as basswood, poplar, and mahogany in restorations where that was the choice of the original builder.

Given how large the body of a double bass is and how small the percentage of material used in the linings, I'm not convinced it makes that much of a difference....

j.