If one is so fortunate as to be able to play a lute or theorbo prior to purchase and you can bring along someone knowledgeable to listen to you play it, I'd add the suggestion you should bring along someone (hopefully the same person) whose playing you trust to play it, too, so you can listen to the instrument. Over the years, based on personal experience with lutes, guitars, recorders, trumpets and french horns, I've found any individual instrument will sound different out front (listening) than it does sitting behind it (playing). Just my two cents, Steve
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