Bass viol in poor condition, played by Elijah Cutter at Baptist Church, who also sang in the church choir Probably made by Abraham Prescott (1789-1858), Deerfield, New Hampshire, about 1820 - 1831 Two-piece back of maple. Ribs and neck of maple. Four-piece belly of pine (?) with elongated F-holes with offset nicks in opposite direction of normal. Two extant tailpieces of ebony, one (somewhat damaged) probably original. Originally made with wood tuning pegs, but refitted with brass, worm-gear tuning machines with shield-shaped heads. (Strangely, the wood pegs have been retained and left in place even after the application of the tuning machines.) Interior construction: Footed neck. Back and belly grooved to receive ribs. Roughly-rounded and tapered soundpost of pine (?) with string tied around it.
