Dear All, Just a few thoughts on yew:
We know from the letters to which Denys referred that the lutemakers used wood cut for bow staves. I don't know what kind of size piece is required for a longbow but I wonder whether this explains the preference for multirib lutes (because the wood was not wide enough for wide ribs - OK there are some lutes with ribs around 40mm wide like the Venere C36). Perhaps it also explains the origin of the use of heart/sap ribs to get a striped effect. Some people are convinced that yew was in demand from the old makers because of its acoustic properties, but good though it is, I wonder about the decorative aspect. Many of the surviving lutes have survived because they were made of costly materials (ebony, ivory, yew?) and/or were highly decorated. The multirib striped yew back may have been a costly rarity (and certainly a thing of great beauty) even in the 16th century. If I remember correctly, one of the lutemakers complained that he could only get enough yew for three or four lutes per year - from what did he and his (factory) workshop make the other 996 lutes? Presumably less rare and costly materials such as various kinds of maple. Incidentally, the yew trees in English churchyards are beautiful, spectacular, old and full of occult and folkloric associations, but would have been useless for longbows (or lutes). The fantastic close-grained, straight, knot-free wood required for these purposes grew in forests (and in a cold climate), whole stands of yew trees. It makes me weep just to think of it... Best wishes, Martin
