Cut-Off Bar Crowning/Angling

[Farrell]

One may choose to modify the perimeter of a soundboard rim system (rim, belly rail, etc.) by adding or modifying a cut-off bar. However, unlike other soundboard terminations, the soundboard usually extends beyond the cut-off bar to the forward bass corner of the case for appearance sake (I suppose we could put a little flower arrangement in there or something!). It is generally recognized that an important feature of a soundboard termination is to have your nice 1-1/2 or 2 degree angle on the rim system. So I assume you want such an angle on the cut-off bar. But if you make a linear.flat cut-off bar with a small angle on its top, then the soundboard will have to bend into a reverse crown at the cut-off bar. Seems to me the cut-off bar needs to be angled and crowned to match the shape and orientation of the soundboard contact area.

Is this good thinking, or am I losing sleep over nothing?

Terry Farrell