The soundboard is the part of the instrument that amplifies the sound produced by the vibrations of the bow on the strings, a very important part for the sound quality of an instrument. The soundboard is made of spruce, a very common species, but spruce wood suitable to be transformed into resonant wood can only be found in certain areas. The wood I used for the construction of this cello comes from Val di Fiemme, a forest made famous by Antonio Stradivari, where it is said that he chose the best plants for the construction of his precious instruments. The wood, after a careful selection, is first split by hand, made in quarters and left to season for a few years prior to use.
Once the wood is ready, I start by gluing the board, moving on to the next phase by working with the help of a gouge and a planer and then finishing the piece with a strickle.