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.