My advice to "New Boy" would be to acquire the best qaulity lute he can afford and begin. If funds are limited scour music stores that feature folk instruments or sell instruments on consignment or used instruments. One of my lutes is an Ian Harwood 7 course that I found in such a store on consignment for $250. No one knew what it was. It's not the greatest lute ever made, but it is a lute and is reasonably playable after I replaced the nut. I call it my beach lute. I strung it completely in gut. The point is to stop thinking and "jawing" about it and get playing. Time's a-wastin'.
I find the let-them-eat-cake attitude of some for those in lesser economic circumstances somewhat elitist. One can't pry dollar bills, or euros, from one's wallet that simply aren't there. Sure, it would be most desireable to have the instrument of one's dream at hand. but there's no reason not to start now with what is at hand while working to realize the ideal. John Dowland's first lute was probably not of the same quality as his last. Time's a-wastin'. Gary To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
