Candace, I have a "removable" rose on my flat back lute. Although it isn't exactly a rose, I have a signature sound hole on all the instruments I make - the shape of a flying bird (different on each). Bill has it right, a "washer" of thin plywood. Make a ring with the outside diameter a bit larger than the hole and the inside a bit smaller. Glue that to the inside of the soundboard, it won't change the sound characteristics as it doesn't cover enough of it to stiffen the action. (And now you say how can I put the ring in the hole without taking the soundboard off - just make the ring two half rings and slip them in). My rose isn't removable as I glued it solid (it is made of the same thickness and material as the soundboard), but you could use a gum type glue that never sets so you can remove it to restring. I think of the "musilage" we used in grade school projects sixty years ago.
That also has the advantage of being able to change the rose for the situation should you choose. If you are handy with a scroll saw and design you can make your own (just make them a bit oversize so you can fine sand them to fit the hole exactly, there are always some anomalies in the soundhole shape, particularly in hand made instruments). Best, Jon ----- Original Message ----- From: "Candace Magner" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Wednesday, November 24, 2004 3:17 PM Subject: Re: Roses in late 16th - early 17th century vihuelas > These pictures are very nice! > > I have a baroque guitar which was made for me in Mexico. The stringing is in > the traditional folk-instrument style, i.e., from the inside! Which means > that having a rose which is permanently affixed is not possible -- one needs > to put a hand inside the instrument to restring. > > Has anyone ever seen/used/made a 'removable' rose, that would fit into the > soundhole but could be taken out? To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
