As a beginner on the opposite end of the skill and experience scale from Martin Shepherd, my experience might be useful. I would agree completely with him that if you can build a lute from a kit you can probably build one from scratch and be happier with it. I've built two based on the Lute Society plans for a 7-course lute and they have the dodgy rib joins that Martin mentions. But the second one in particular has been examined by several people more knowledgeable than me who have all said that it is a perfectly decent student instrument (which is what I had hoped for when I started it). Remember, not everyone in the 16th century had lutes of the quality that professional builders produce today.
The bowl scares and impresses people, but it is really not as bad as it looks - as long as you're willing to work patiently and accept a few dodgy parts. David Van Edwards's online course is a good way to learn, and Robert Lundberg's book is a valuable resource. For your first instrument I wouldn't worry too much about hide glue; you have other things occupying your attention. Save that for your second instrument. It took me about 6 months of evenings and weekends to build an instrument. You will come to appreciate the exquisite joins in a professionally-built lute, but you will be able to build a lute that will get you started with your lessons. Don't book time in the recording studio or concert hall yet, but it will be fine in your home. The problem I had was in coming up with the right materials. Unless you have access to a band saw and a thickness sander, the wood for the bowl in the right thickness is hard to find. EBay sometimes carries wood at the right thickness that has been prepared by someone especially for lute ribs. I eventually found that hobby model-building stores in the U.S. carry a variety of hardwoods in the right thickness that are coincidently the right length for the bowl of a Venere-style G lute. Just barely. You won't find the lovely woods used by professional luthiers and it won't be book-matched across the width of the bowl, but if you sort through what the store has in stock and choose pieces that look similar, you will have an acceptable-looking instrument. The other problem is the pegs, which are longer than violin pegs. You can buy lute pegs from a few sources, but you will pay about $5 US per peg. If you are good with a lathe you can turn your own, or if you are not fussy you can put a central rib down the middle of the peg box and use 1/8 sized violin pegs. They will reach about half-way across the base of the peg box to the central rib. Not elegant, but it works. I did my first lute that way. You can buy a guitar soundboard from a luthier supply house and sand it down to the right thickness with an ordinary electric sander and a pair of calipers. Choose a simple rose pattern and cut it with an Xacto knife. You can buy a luthier's bending iron to use in heating the ribs for bending, or you can make a bending template out of plywood and sheet aluminum and use a steam iron from the laundry. There are ways around most of the problems, if you put your mind to it and are willing to accept that it won't be perfect. My cost was exactly what Martin estimated. I had a lot of fun and I learned a great deal about the instrument. When I go to buy an instrument from a professional luthier, I will be much more knowledgeable than if I had never tried it myself. And it's a real kick to play an instrument that you built -- however dodgy it is in places. Tim Motz >---- Original Message ---- >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Subject: Re: Buying an 8c >Date: Thu, 21 Oct 2004 09:28:04 +0100 > >>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 >> >> >> >>
