Re: Please help! Newbie looking for bowlback to learn on!
Originally Posted by
DavidKOS
Usually, yes.
However I have a L & H type bowlback that has some soundboard distortion and yet the action is fine and the tone is great, so it's not always a dealbreaker, but that would be a case-by-case basis.
Embergher and CF Martin both added reinforcing plates to the underside of the top between the soundhole and the neck block.
This suggests to me that they knew there could be some distortion problems in this area or observed it in other mandolins, even back then.
A simple addition that I'm surprised more builders didn't adopt.
I've even seen small braces to either side of the soundhole on Embergher mandolins. I assumed these were structural as well, rather than tone modifiers.
I've added both these reinforcements to my posse of bowls as a precautionary measure after having that area buckle in a bit on a very sweet Favilla bowl.
Hide glue for the braces, of course. No noticeable modification to the sound at all.
Mick
Ever tried, ever failed? No matter. Try again, fail again. Fail better.--Samuel Beckett
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