Double Bass duh... 3-string restoration photos

[LouisF]

I knew that issue would come up. I'm having lunch with him next week and will report back in. I think he had some issues with the neck itself being warped (maybe not the right word), so I'll fill everyone in after we meet. Thanks

Louis

AFTER MEETING WITH NICK: That seems to have been "my bad"on the neck blocks - they were just "holders" while he worked on the top bouts (lining cracks, getting them more or less even etc). He plans to do a traditional block (curved/counter to the now even - more or less - curve of the shoulders) and then set the (straightened) neck (which seems to be made out of oak of all things) into it in the usual manner.

Sorry for the confusion. Shoot the messenger.

Also we figured (roughly) that the bass dates probably from @ 1830 (originally a three stringer) and that the wood for the sides and top would have been from @ the turn of the century (probably not much older; maybe a decade younger). Still, it's looking to be a 180 year new bass when we're done. Nick rejected one piece of wood for the back and will probably pick up a piece at the NAMM show in January.

We even, optimistically, started to talk about varnishes!

Louis

 

[Caoimhín]

Good stuff Louis. It's a long time coming. Keep the pictures flowing, its always interesting to see old basses being restored.

(And I won't shoot you I promise)

 

[LouisF]

Thanks. Even Nick was shocked at how much longer it's taken - but then he has made three or four high-end violins in the interim, so I guess he can be forgiven!

Louis

 

[LouisF]

The project got put on hold while I went off to be a college president for a year. Now we're "back" at it... No pun intended (well, maybe a little)

Louis

 

[Steve Swan]

Louis,

I'll have to come and see this bass reconstruction on one of my SoCal visits. It looks like a very lightweight little hotrod of a bass. Keep the photos coming!

 

[geoffbassist]

I love these projects. Keep those pictures coming

 

[LouisF]

Thanks for the encouragement, fellows. And God bless Nick for his patience. He says that when we're (he's!) done we'll have a brand new 180 year old bass!

Louis

 

[LouisF]

Progress... I think

Louis

 

[LouisF]

The back progresses. I'm told we could make a small coffee table with the shavings!

louis

 

[LouisF]

more...

 

[LouisF]

and....

Maybe roughly together for a (unvarnished) sound test end of August... But it's very exciting.

Louis

 

[Herbie 80's]

This is a crazy long project.. congrats for sticking it through!

 

[LouisF]

I can't complain. Nick's done it between making violins for serious money. I have a couple of very good basses, and this was totally a part-time project... which probably would have cost me two or three times more if we had done it "on the clock".

Louis

 

[Will Kelly]

Very nice thread. Love it. Best to you for being patient and sharing with us!

 

[LouisF]

Getting closer....

Louis

 

[LouisF]

Handcarved back.

Louis

 

[Matthew Tucker]

aah thats better! nice varnish job!

 

[rgarcia26]

I cant tell what that back is made from?

Boy this is being a long journey, great that you stick with it, its coming down nice, lets see how it does with strings on it!!!

 

[LouisF]

Poplar... it took forever to find the right piece.

Matthew - I too sighed with relief!
Louis

 

[rgarcia26]

Poplar... it took forever to find the right piece.

Matthew - I too sighed with relief!
Louis

Cool it looked like polar to me but I wasn't 100% sure