Dear Robert, Most makers are led by players so maybe asking us is a bit circular! Certainly I make string-spacings to fit what each player prefers and these are very varying sizes.
However I thought the best way to point the way forward is to give as many measurements of historic instruments as possible. So I've had a trawl through my drawings and notes and come up with the following string band widths for 13 course lutes: (some of my measurements are a millimetre different to yours) BRUNER, Martin 1764 Prague 152 BURKHOLZER, Hanns 1596 Vienna KHM 44 / 4056 / NE 48 153 EDLINGER, Thomas <1734 Leipzig 497 155 EDLINGER, Thomas <1734 Leipzig 3319 155 GOLDT, J H 1734 London V&A 4274-1856 155 HOFFMANN, J C c.1720 Berlin, No. 129 29 145 HOFFMANN, J C c. 1720 London, Horniman 1975 506 LAB 4792 148 HOFFMANN, J C 1720 Leipzig 506 153 HOFFMANN, Martin 169. Nurnberg GNM MI 245 142 HOFFMANN, J. C. 1730 Brussels, Musée Instrumental M 3188 142 HOFFMANN, J. C. 1720 Paris CNSM E 529 146 HOFFMANN, J. C. Leningrad /St. Petersburg 1346 145 HOFFMANN, Martin 169? Nürnberg MI 245 142 MALER/Widhalm Nurnberg GNM MI 54 143 RAUCHE, Michael 1762 London V&A 9-1871 150 SCHELLE, Sebastian 1744/48? Nurnberg MI 46 142 SCHELLE, Sebastian 1721 Nürnberg MIR 902 143 TIEFFENBRUCKER/conversion 1610? Den Haag Ec 555-1933 155 TIEFFENBRUCKER [?Edlinger?] 1608 /1732?? Vienna KHM AR 969 156 UNVERDORBEN/Edlinger 1607 ?? Prague 656 154 UNVERDORBEN/conversion 158? Fenton House 152 VENERE / SCHELLE Leipzig MIMU 3357 148 WIDHALM, Leopold 1755 Nurnberg GNM MIR 903 148 Andreas Jauck Yale 4565.1960 140 J C Hoffmann c. 1754 Horniman Museum 148 VENERE / Edlinger Vienna Leigabe 155 One or two things seem to come out of this list: Firstly that Edlinger's conversions and original lutes are remarkably consistent at about 155mm and that this is slightly larger than the Widhalm and Schelle bridges and that the Yale Jauck is very narrow at 140mm. Apart from the Jauck, it looks as if a case could be made for the idea that the spacings got wider as time went on. It also looks as if there's plenty of evidence for you to use a narrower string spacing if you wanted. Best wishes, David At 10:00 +0200 25/5/07, Robert Barto wrote: >Dear Juan Fco, > >I am also curious what builders have to say about the most commonly used RH >spacings. > >My normal spacing is 15.2cm and although I find it on the large side at >times, going smaller causes me some problems. (But I've used this spacing >for over 20 years) > >I have a drawing before me ( courtesy of Gerd Soehne) with the following >bridge spacings for 13 course lutes: > >1730 J C Hoffman 14.2 >1705 Burkholzer-Edlinger Vienna 15.2 >Schelle Yale 13.6 >1732 Venere-Edlinger 15.6 > >I find the 15.6 spacing a bit on the large side, and would say that the >average of modern 13 courses that I've seen to be closer to 15cm. It of >course depends on hand size, repertoire, and whether one tries to play with >"historical" right hand fingerings (just i and m for most melodies with the >hand back fairly close to the bridge). > >This being said, I see that my fairly relaxed hand span is about 20cm, so >the larger spacing might be good for you. > >Robert > > > > > > > >To get on or off this list see list information at >http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html -- The Smokehouse, 6 Whitwell Road, Norwich, NR1 4HB England. Telephone: + 44 (0)1603 629899 Website: http://www.vanedwards.co.uk
