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Acoustic Basses - How does shape affect tone?

Well following the unbelievable success of the double bass I built last Friday we've actually sat down and drawn up proper plans for a proper beast of a double bass that'll look, sound, and play much better. We finished the neck today, and instead of just a plank of plywood we've actually got some Spruce and carved it to a proper bass guitar neck shape - almost perfect, except perhaps a little flat but no worries.

Anywho! The one thing I don't get is how does the shape of an acoustic bass affect the tone? We want to keep it metal because of the nice tone, but if I wanted a louder sound would increasing the radius of the circular body increase this? Or perhaps the depth? Does it matter if the shape is a cylinder? Why are acoustic basses shaped differently? (with "curves"?) Wouldn't it be easier for them to just be circles? And where exactly should our soundhole(s) be??

Thanks in advance...
Tech:bassist: