The following text has been taken from Wolfgang Emmerich's homepage http://www.zupfinstrumente-emmerich.de/English/index.htm - click on <new> on the left, then scroll down to the bottom (pics available there):
Only scarcely noticed: Magno Stegher in Venetia 1598 A much bigger share of bass-lutes than these days must have been played considering the comparably large number of instruments one finds among the surviving lutes. In most cases these bass-lutes were transformed into baroque-lutes later. One good example for these instruments is the "Magno Stegher in Venetia 1598". It was only scarcely noticed so far because it is not being exhibited. This instrument was built 1598 by the Allgäu lutemaker Stegher as a typical bass-lute of that age. The body he built of 27 ebony-ribs with ivory-spacers. The veneer on neck and pegbox was made of the same materials. It´s quite likely that in its first version it had 10 courses. On top of the "Magno Stegher"mark there was one of "Magno Dieffopruchar"- so either he did some repairwork on this lute or somebody thought it might sell more expensively with that name. Into its present shape as a 11-course baroque-lute with a string-length of 72 cm it was brought the 2nd half of 17th century. Some people believe it may have been done by "Thomas Edlinger". If it was turned from a 10-course bass-lute into a 11-course baroque-lute it just meant adding a treble-rider and replacing the old bridge by a new one with 11 courses. It is quite likely, though , that the original neck was shorter as bass-lutes usually had less frets. Repairs were made in 1772 in Antzenberg and after in Hornberg, Baden (?), names cannot be identified. 1934 this lute was repaired in the "Peter Harlan workshop" in Markneukirchen (Vogtland). Later the instrument was destroyed by much too strong strings (Cello- thickness (!) -they still exist at the museum). The pegbox was torn from the neck, the table ripped off the body and the body itself broke close to the block. The single parts are being kept at the Berlin "Musikinstrumentenmuseum" in Tiergartenstr. 1, 10785 Berlin. It is not part of the exhibition. Like some other interesting instruments it is being stored in the cellar. For anybody looking for a bass-lute the "Magno Stegher in Venetia 1598" is a very good model to be copied. I have built a few copies and always liked the results very much. -- Best, Mathias "Michael Bocchicchio" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> schrieb: > In trying to arrive at a body size for a nice > "general purpose" theorbo, I became concerned about > playability problems related to body size. Though > string length is a factor, several different string > lengths will fit on any of the four theorbo plans that > I have to choose from. I am attentively following > current string length/tuning discourse, but prefer to > remain an observer on that subject. As players, we > can adjust to string lengths, but as mortals, we can't > change our torso or arm length. > The Stegher body is 69cm form end cap to the > neck/body joint, and 42cm wide. --Add a mast, keel, > and rudder and a child could sail it! Actually, the > outline of the entire Venere 1592 Renaissance lute > fits inside the Stegher body. It is hard for me to > believe that this would not be a difficult hurtle for > a Ren-lute player interested in 17th century continuo > playing. > Does anyone have some perspective on this body type? > Is the "feel" or sound of the smaller Buechenburg or > Graill significantly different? > > To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
