In einer eMail vom 27.10.2006 14:40:51 Westeurop=E4ische Sommerzeit schreibt [EMAIL PROTECTED]:
> There is another type of construction which is a variant of the 'staved > back' bowl. Here the staves are concave in section so, from the outside, they > appear to sink between the contrasting joining strips which are usually > present. It is a very oprnate style and not too often seen. This is what I > would > usually refer to as vaulted back'. > Hi, Kevin, I've seen photos of this kind of back. I know it looks distinctive, but isn't it - structurally speaking - a bowl-back lute construction, but with fluted rather than flat staves? Farther down, you write: >such as Waldzither, so maybe 'German back' would be a suitable term ? <snip> It is almost a form of flat back made with more than two pieces.< Again, structurally speaking, I wouldn't say that. A flat back needs cross-bracing to keep it stiff, but the "Portuguese/German" back is stiffened by the tension in the bent staves, like the lute (or the barrel, for that matter). The difference between my Waldzither and my guitar is analog to the difference between an arched bridge and a girder bridge. And a bridge arch is technically a form of ... vault! Hence my usage... Cheers, John -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
