Maker & Restorer of Violins, Violas, Cellos & Double Basses.

 There are some instruments that have damage that looks somewhat worse than it is; this double bass by Jerome Thibouville-Lamy is one such case. As can be seen from first photo  the edges were extremely worn and damaged, this was one of the least damaged.

 

One of its worse damaged edge is shown in photo No. 2. The instrument  had extensive damage to most of the front edges and one bottom rib, see photo number 3, however the rest of the instrument was in reasonable condition.

 

      As there were such extensively damage to edges and a bottom  rib, the front had to be removed to perform the necessary repair. With the front removed work started with cleaning out and gluing up cracks and centre joint, followed by half edging to all 4 wings on the inside of the front. This was followed by fitting a considerable amount of new edges, sound post patch, bass bar and studs to cracks and centre joints. With the internal repairs to the front and  ribs  completed the front was re glued to the ribs. The internal repairs to the front can be seen in photo number 4 below.

 

 As can be seen from photo number 5 and in the photo above on completion of the restoration this instrument had an extremely clean and tidy appearance, hard to believe that it had been anything other than well looked after in its life and required my services as a repairer/ luthier and restorer.

 

The client's comments on completion:-

 

'A beautifully presented instrument'

'Superbly fitted -up'