Old French Bass full Restoration

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DarwinStrings
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Re: Old French Bass full Restoration

Post by DarwinStrings » Mon Nov 01, 2010 1:55 pm

Fun, I agree and it is also very interesting to see how that "big stick" (to quote Kim) seems to affect the nodes.

I also take it Matthew, from your reply that tea is used because it may affect Gypsy women in a way that brings them into your workshop which in turn has a positive effect on your work and that you also think Quasimodo had some hidden talent as a Luthier.

Jim
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matthew
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Re: Old French Bass full Restoration

Post by matthew » Mon Nov 01, 2010 1:57 pm

Soon, I think i may be taking out the big stick, especially If I'm going to thin the plate a little, but no decisions yet.

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Re: Old French Bass full Restoration

Post by Nick » Mon Nov 01, 2010 1:59 pm

matthew wrote:For me, luthiery isn't a science; it is a series of educated hunches, and the better your hunches the better you are as a luthier.
Ah Matthew, you are a man after my own heart! :wink:
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DarwinStrings
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Re: Old French Bass full Restoration

Post by DarwinStrings » Mon Nov 01, 2010 2:00 pm

It would be nice to see another tea leaf reading while the stick is off and then when when it is replaced if you have the time.

Jim
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matthew
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Re: Old French Bass full Restoration

Post by matthew » Mon Nov 01, 2010 2:01 pm

Toejam wrote:It would be nice to see another tea leaf reading while the stick is off and then when when it is replaced if you have the time.
That's the whole point!

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Kim
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Re: Old French Bass full Restoration

Post by Kim » Mon Nov 01, 2010 2:03 pm

Oh yeah 8)

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kiwigeo
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Re: Old French Bass full Restoration

Post by kiwigeo » Mon Nov 01, 2010 2:05 pm

[image missing: 19_Gypsy_reading_tea_leaves_1.jpg]
[image missing: 19_symbolchart1_1.jpg]
Martin

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matthew
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Re: Old French Bass full Restoration

Post by matthew » Mon Nov 01, 2010 2:08 pm

On the weekend I bit the bullet and decided, after a chat with the owner, to remove the bass bar. I had some assistance from my nephew Luke who has helped me on some of my other builds.

Image

Image

After removal the top weighs 1665g.`

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Re: Old French Bass full Restoration

Post by matthew » Mon Nov 01, 2010 2:14 pm

While this was going on I started on making some purfling for the corner repairs.

Image

I discovered that the original purfling is made of a pinkish wood, not white. I'm guessing this is some kind of fruit wood like pear or cherry, but not sure what. It's quite hard. I wonder if ID-ing this might help narrow down the bass's origin?

I had to hunt through my pile to find something that might match.

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The strips are planed down with my large smoother

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then taken down to the final thickness with my new HNT Gordon smoother with the blade setup as a scraper.

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I have made a special jig for bending the purfling to roughly the right shape. sort of a mini fox-bender. I use a heat-gun for heat.

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I've tried both PVA and hide glue; in the end, for this pre-bent stuff, the hide glue worked better.

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After the glue is dry I cut the bent laminate into strips

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neat, huh?

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P Bill
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Re: Old French Bass full Restoration

Post by P Bill » Mon Nov 01, 2010 2:15 pm

Yeah boss it looks good. I see have the original labor saving device... an apprentice .
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Re: Old French Bass full Restoration

Post by matthew » Mon Nov 01, 2010 2:16 pm

yip.

Must be said though, my purfling bender is a mere pimple compared to the laminator press you use for your upper-bouts ...

BTW the HNT Gordon is a really yummy plane but I'm still working on getting the blade sharpened right. previous owner put too much of a back bevel on the HSS edge and I'm still grinding and honing away trying to get rid of it. Holy cow its a lot of work. Nearly there, then I'll really be able to cut myself badly.

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Re: Old French Bass full Restoration

Post by Peter T » Mon Nov 01, 2010 2:18 pm

matthew wrote:After the glue is dry I cut the bent laminate into strips
Matthew, I was wondering how you go about cutting the laminate into strips after it is bent. Is it a matter of just curling the strips through the bandsaw and hoping they don't break? Delicate stuff.

P.S- You really are the bass guru, it's about time you gave up that day job of yours and did this full time.

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matthew
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Re: Old French Bass full Restoration

Post by matthew » Mon Nov 01, 2010 2:19 pm

Dozuki. The strips are, unsurprisingly, quite stiff. Running through the bandsaw is OK but you need a very sharp blade and mine is currently blunt as.

(Folks, turns out Peter T is the top chippie on a project I'm running in Melbourne! We discovered we were both anzlfers at a project meeting last week ... :)

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Nick
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Re: Old French Bass full Restoration

Post by Nick » Mon Nov 01, 2010 2:21 pm

matthew wrote:(Folks, turns out Peter T is the top chippie on a project I'm running in Melbourne! We discovered we were both anzlfers at a project meeting last week ... :)
We're everywhere Matthew :wink:
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matthew
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Re: Old French Bass full Restoration

Post by matthew » Mon Nov 01, 2010 2:32 pm

not much to report this weekend, except this:


youtu.be/
Link

Image

Image

Image

Image

The top is now 1663 after removal of the bass bar.

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Allen
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Re: Old French Bass full Restoration

Post by Allen » Mon Nov 01, 2010 2:34 pm

I'm seeing Yosemite Sam in all of those "Ink Blots" Matthew.
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Kim
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Re: Old French Bass full Restoration

Post by Kim » Mon Nov 01, 2010 2:35 pm

Those beautiful symmetrical patterns lead me to think that it is very likely the carve of the plates are perfectly balanced and are the work of a highly skilled luthier who was passionate about his work and really liked Yosemite Sam. Good one Allen, I see it also. Cool

Cheers

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Re: Old French Bass full Restoration

Post by Insomnomaniac » Mon Nov 01, 2010 2:36 pm

Happy bass is happy... :D
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matthew
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Re: Old French Bass full Restoration

Post by matthew » Mon Nov 01, 2010 2:39 pm

Insomnomaniac wrote:... but at least it'll stop me restoring & registering my motorbike!
Too right. Sold mine and bought my first double bass eight years ago.

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Re: Old French Bass full Restoration

Post by Pete Howlett » Mon Nov 01, 2010 2:40 pm

My question is do you want the plate to be perfectly balanced? If so, what then influences the position of the bass bar which will surely alter the 'symmetry' ?

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matthew
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Re: Old French Bass full Restoration

Post by matthew » Mon Nov 01, 2010 2:42 pm

very good question, Pete.

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Re: Old French Bass full Restoration

Post by sebastiaan56 » Mon Nov 01, 2010 2:43 pm

Allen wrote:I'm seeing Yosemite Sam in all of those "Ink Blots" Matthew.
ng swim suit outlines, particularly the third one....
make mine fifths........

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matthew
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Re: Old French Bass full Restoration

Post by matthew » Mon Nov 01, 2010 2:47 pm

yeah I see a summer frock in that one ...but if I'm REALLY clever I can achieve wonders with a hybrid of mode 1 and mode 2 ...

Image

COR!!!!

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Nick
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Re: Old French Bass full Restoration

Post by Nick » Mon Nov 01, 2010 2:51 pm

matthew wrote:yeah I see a summer frock in that one ...but if I'm REALLY clever I can achieve wonders with a hybrid of mode 1 and mode 2 ...

Rolf Harris eat your heart out! Laughing Aren't we supposed to see breasts or something? Shocked Oh no sorry that's inkblots :oops: :oops: :oops: :lol:
I was impressed with the video Matthew, the plate really moves once it gets oscillating but of course that would all change once it's nailed onto the sides. ;)
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Re: Old French Bass full Restoration

Post by matthew » Mon Nov 01, 2010 2:52 pm

i just see big thighs

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