Instrument front
Soundboard
The original instrument was made by Hans Burkholtzer in Füssen in 1596 and is now in the Vienna Kunsthisorisches Museum, item number SAM 44. It was probably made as a seven or eight course instrument and there is a label inside which indicates that conversion to eleven courses was executed in 1705 by Thomas Edlinger of Prague. At some date after 1719 the bass rider was added by an unknown craftsman to make a thirteen course instrument.
The cross-section of this instrument is slightly less than half round, giving the instrument a quick, direct tone and the wide front offers a full, dark quality that is perfect for baroque music.
The original instrument has 21 ivory ribs with ebony spacers. The neck is spruce or pine with ebony fingerboard and back veneer, and a pierced, decorative ivory plate adorns the back of the peg head.
In keeping with the spirit of the versatility this instrument represents, it is being offered with a variety of renaissance and baroque configurations.
Click on the icon below to hear a lute with maple back and synthetic strings strings, (windows media file).
Each instrument comes with a custom fitting Kingham case
and a choice of woods, all with ebony spacers*:
Rosewood*, (pictured)
Pear, (pictured)
Bird's eye maple, (not pictured)
Figured maple, (not pictured)
Yew, (not pictured)
Eight course renaissance model: $4,250
Ten course renaissance model: $4,750
Eleven course baroque model: $5,250
Thirteen course baroque model: $5,450
For details about the terms of sale, please look at the Terms of Sale page on the website.
*Rosewood back uses pear spacers for contrast
Lute specifications, Baroque model:
- String length 70.5cm (27 3/4")
- Overall length 88.9cm (35")
- Body length 47cm (18.5")
- Neck length 32.7cm (12 7/8" )
- Body width 32.5cm (12 3/4")
- Body depth 15.25cm (6")
Lute specifications, Renaissance model:
- String length 70cm (27 5/8")
This string length can be pitched at either "E", 329.63Hz or "F", 349.23Hz
- Overall length 88.9cm (35")
- Body length 48.5cm (19")
- Neck length 28cm (11" )
- Body width 32.5cm (12 3/4")
- Body depth 15.25cm (6")
Detail of bridge and ivory heart with ebony outline
Ebony veneered neck and head
Bass and chanterelle riders
Hand cut copy of the original rose
Baroque Lute Features:
- Back and sides: 21 ribs, wood of choice with ebony spacers
- Italian spruce front
- Hand cut rose modeled on the original
- Decorative carving around rose
- Spruce with ebony veneer
- Head maple rails with ebony trim
- Ebony fingerboard, with points
- Pegs: rosewood or boxwood
- End button: rosewood or boxwood
- Bone nut
- Maple or pear bass rider with ebony lining
- Maple or pear chanterelle with ebony lining
- Nylon top strings and octaves with wound nylon basses
- Pear bridge with ebony top plate
- Ebony outlined mother of pearl or ivory heart at bottom of front
- Ebony front edge half binding
- Form fitting Kingham case
Pear back with ebony spacers
Rosewood back with pear spacers
Optional ivory decorated back plate on head
Ivory trimmed bass rider
Neck / body joint
