Dear All, I couldn't let this one pass without issuing a general health warning. The kits, and completed lutes (the "Pakistani" lutes which have been discussed many times on this list before) are all based on a design apparently created by people who clearly know little about historical lute designs. The claim, often made, that the design is "after Heiber" (they always spell the name wrong) is simply incorrect. I don't want to bore you all with the details, but I recommend comparing the body shape, rose position, bridge, string spacings, etc. with a good modern copy of the Hieber lute (a 7c lute with a 13-rib back, in Brussels) to see the differences. The Pakistani lute I saw weighed about 1.2kg, just about twice the weight of a historical lute of that size.
To anyone contemplating making their own lute, I would say that making the bowl is not that difficult, certainly not as difficult as getting the correct alignment of the neck and fingerboard - which is much more important to the success of the instrument than a bowl with a few dodgy rib joins. The Lute Society (www.lutesoc.co.uk) publishes good working drawings of lutes, and the materials for a lute could cost as little as �100. You could also sign up for David Van Edwards' course - see www.vanedwards.co.uk. If you have the persistence to build a lute, you can do it just as easily from scratch as you can from a kit, and the result will be incomparably better. Good luck to all first-time lute builders, Martin ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ron Fletcher" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "'Renaissance Lute Discussion'" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Cc: "[EMAIL PROTECTED]" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, October 21, 2004 7:49 AM Subject: RE: Buying an 8c > Hi Hansi and friends, > > I have not seen any of the EMS range of lutes. But I am aware that they > are now offering a 7-8c lute-kit with the bowl ready made! > > This has to be a big saving for anyone contemplating building their > first lute. Making the bowl is quite a difficult process, compared to > rest of the construction. If I remember right, the rose has also been > pierced in the soundboard! > > I received their catalogue last week, but cannot locate it just now to > indicate the price. It is a little more than the basic kit and, less > than a completed instrument. > > Those interested may find out more on http://www.e-m-s.org > > Ron (UK) > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: 19 October 2004 21:32 > To: Renaissance Lute Discussion > Subject: re: Buying an 8c > > Hello, > > I have also been looking for a 7 or 8 course lute suitable for a > beginner. I considered that cheap Pakistani lute but after having read > much bad things about it here I decided to search for a better one. The > Early Music Shop in the UK has a couple of not so expensive lutes in > their katalogue. They have a new interesting "EMS Lute" with 7 or 8 > courses which is just a bit more expensive than this Pakistani lute. In > a picture in their homepage www.e-m-s.com the EMS Lute at least looks > like a real lute, much more than the Pakistani lute does. > > The Early Music Shop also has lutes by Allen & Kormylo and Peter > Roberts. Both of them seem to be roughly speaking in the same prices > than the student models of Daniel Larson or Giuseppe Tumiati. I finally > decided to order a Roberts 7 course lute and I should now get it in a > few days. I am a complete beginner and I haven't been able to try any of > those instruments so I just have to hope that I have made the right > decision. > > Are there people here who have either tried or purchased lutes from the > Early Music Shop? It would be very nice to hear any comments about the > lutes they are selling. > > Anssi Hannula > > --- > You are currently subscribed to ren-lute-discuss as: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To unsubscribe send a blank email to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > To get on or off this list see list information at > http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
