Stromberg Voisinet Venitian " Princess " - Back Is Potato Chipped And Cracked

[Redacted]

A basket case guitar to task my resolve.

Beginning with the back:

The back is missing 2 of 4 braces with the lower bout brace still in place under the kerfing. Said brace is completely separated from the back. There is a crack extending from the end to the waist. The back has a pronounced wave and is separated from the end block to the upper point.

A mold is under construction to retain the body profile and aid in coaxing the upper side back into place. BEFORE I remove the back.

I welcome suggestions, advice and recommendations on methods to correct the potato chip wave the back exhibits.

This guitar is personal project guitar that has only intrinsic value to me. The top is solid Spruce and the sides are Birch.

( This guitar is possibly a Kay product. )

[Roger Häggström]

With the back removed and the bracing off, I would put a wet cloth on the inside of the bottom and make a well clamped sandwich with the bottom between two plywood sheets. I would let this sit for an hour or so, then remove the wet cloth and reclamp the sandwich and let it all dry for a couple of days. The wood will get somewhat stuck in the new flat form. Put some plastic wrap between the inside of the bottom and the plywood, hide glue from the bracing may glue them together.

The bottom will be nice and flat long enough to glue the bracing back, left unclamped or unbraced the bottom may bend back a bit.