Double Bass loose bassbar easy access II

[Fran Diaz]

I'm taking advantage of James Condino's thread with the same title to get more people to read my thread.

The bassbar on my bass is loose. The luthier tried to glue it by opening the side of the upper bout, but since there was not enough space for having the bassbar clamped, the fix was as temporary as a couple of hours of playing.

He tells me know that the next step should be to remove the top. My question is: are there any other way to fix this?

many thanks in advance.

 

[Jake deVilliers]

Nope. You need to remove the top in order to successfully repair the bass bar.

Good luck.

 

[Fran Diaz]

Thanks a lot.

Any other maintenance jobs that could should be done while it's open so I don't have to open it again anytime soon?

 

[RSBBass]

I agree that the top should come off. I am a bit concerned that your guy tried to do it any other way.

 

[KUNGfuSHERIFF]

Sounds like there's way too much spring in the bar. Is the top plywood or carved?

Without seeing the bass it's impossible to tell if there's anything else that should be done while the top is off. This is major surgery, so definitely spend the money now to avoid opening the bass again any time soon.

 

[Fran Diaz]

I agree that the top should come off. I am a bit concerned that your guy tried to do it any other way.

To be fair with him, he told me that we could try it, but that it probably wouldn't work and in any case, it'd be a temporary fix. He also told me that opening the bass was the proper way to do it.

 

[Matthew Tucker]

Any other maintenance jobs that could should be done while it's open so I don't have to open it again anytime soon?

glue up any cracks, replace old cleats that might be working loose, put linen "crackstopper" strips across rib lower bouts, check braces are all nice and tight, edge repairs on the plate ...

 

[Fran Diaz]

Thanks Mathew. I can't wait to have my bass in top condition again.

 

[Feral Feline]

My carved's bass bar was/is loose, then the whole kit n kaboodle fell on it's noodle and now the belly is cracked all the way along the bass bar.

A friend who builds guitars said if he were to attempt the repair he'd approach it by taking off the BACK of the bass.

Yay or nay? Reason(s) being?

 

[SAlcott]

"A friend who builds guitars" is not the person you want to be getting double bass repair advice from.

 

[MIKMAN]

"A friend who builds guitars" is not the person you want to be getting double bass repair advice from.

+1!!!!!!

 

[Jake deVilliers]

My carved's bass bar was/is loose, then the whole kit n kaboodle fell on it's noodle and now the belly is cracked all the way along the bass bar.

A friend who builds guitars said if he were to attempt the repair he'd approach it by taking off the BACK of the bass.

Yay or nay? Reason(s) being?

Nay.

If the crack is right beside the bass bar, the bar will need to come off to have inlaid patches installed across the crack. It would be unnecessarily difficult to do that kind of work in the cavern formed by the ribs.

Even if you have lots of deep clamps, you won't have enough to glue a bass bar with the top on!

 

[kcandme]

My carved's bass bar was/is loose, then the whole kit n kaboodle fell on it's noodle and now the belly is cracked all the way along the bass bar.





This would not happen with an Alcoa...