Viola da gamba making | Part 8 - back and soundpost plate

This is the second big part of the viola da gamba making process. This time I'm focusing on the body of the instrument starting from the back and soundpost plate. The back is made form to boards of flamed maple which are glued together and thinned down to the desired thickness. The soundpost plate made from spruce provides support for the soundpost and strengthens the back. Finally the back is temporarily glued on to so called 'false back' which is the base for the construction of the body.

[@YegresAL]

My God! That's most elegant, brilliant and simple solution for top/back glueing...

[@henrylenck7242]

Thanks

[@iqudos]

Great work Henry, where did you get your timber from?

[@henrylenck7242]

Mostly from Le bois de lutherie

[@sergiomanzetti1021]

What is the soundpost plate made by? Spruce?

[@henrylenck7242]

Yes, it's spruce.

[@sergiomanzetti1021]

@@henrylenck7242 interesting, one may wonder if the sound is transferred via the ribs to the spruce, or via air vibrations. What do you think?

[@henrylenck7242]

I guess it's this way:
strings -> bridge -> top plate -> air inside body
The top plate acts like a membrane in a drum.

[@sergiomanzetti1021]

@@henrylenck7242 Indeed! I make violins, but have never made a Viola da gamba. What intrigues me is the role of the backplate with the sound-plate rather than a sound-post. This is what I wonder about, how is the sound transferred from the top to the back's sound plate? Air would be too weak? However, the role of the ribs in transferring the sound to the sides of the sound-plate would play a role if and only if the sound-plate on the back is attached tightly to the ribs, and has a thickness equal or lesser to the thickness of the top. What is your experience with the connection between the ribs and the back-soundplate?
Thanks

[@ksychess]

São muito bons os seus vídeos! Como posso conseguir as medidas para a fábricação?

[@henrylenck7242]

Obrigada