This is as good of an inside view of the original top that I could get. We had to jig it up immediately after removing the back. The instrument arrived in our shop held together with rubber bands! You can see the multiple cracks, and the extremely light original bracing. You can also see all of the water and mildew stains. I believe this instrument was in a flood at one time. Note the very small original bridge plate sitting against the main brace.

The fresh white pieces of wood that you see, are just part of our jigging work. The dark black block sitting just behind the bridge plate is a spacer block for the jig brace. The wood underneath of it is another old repair. It is a huge piece of yellow pine glued onto the top in an attempt to hold it together. Has this thing been "through the mill" or what?