This bass's back has shrunk over the years and now the ribs are too long, bulging over the back edge on the lower bout. To correct this I shorten the ribs.  First I rout out wood at the endpin block seam.  I then re-set the ribs one bout at a time.  I remove the rib from the block and open the back to rib seam from the endpin block to the lower corner block.  I re-glue the rib back to the endpin block at the center point.  At the same time the back to rib seam is glued, re-distributed so it fits.

The other half is glued next, the same as the first.  

Until the back shrinks so much it doesn't fit at all I can open the lower bout's back seams & re-distribute the ribs- without removing the top- but eventually the ribs should be shortened.  Since the top was off, this was the perfect opportunity.

Now I repair the  punch in the lower bout rib, where it is cracked across the grain as well as with.