> On Jun 12, 2009, at 11:20 AM, wayne cripps wrote: > > > whatever lute you get, you will > > probably change your mind in a few years and want something > > different. So get a good lute that you can sell again. I > > run a 'lutes for sale' web page, and Larry Brown student lutes > > always sell well, and sometimes can be gotten for a good > > price. In other words, you might buy one for $1250 and sell it > > for $1500 a few years later. My opinion is that playability > > and sound is more important in a first lute than the particular > > number of strings or style. Go to an early music festival > > and try a few too! (even if they are far away.) > > Amen.
Not sure if Howard here is agreeing with the idea that your tastes and desires in lute music change with experience, or if one should go to an early music festival and try out some lutes. I started with an 8 course student model. Still have it and it is a fine instrument. But eventually I wanted something smaller, so that I could be more comfortable playing it. I ended up buying a (hardly) used 10 C alto. For some years I mostly used it for duets with my husband on guitar, which is great fun. But recently I've been gravitating to later Ren music, and more courses on the alto fills a new need. Now I'm playing the alto as my principle lute, and really love it. But would I have known that would happen when I started lute? No way. Most of us amateurs as beginners spend time playing various little pieces (if we can find them, but that is a different thread), and just getting our thumbs under us. (Packingon's Pound BTW is a lovely piece.) Its only later, as we start exploring different music as we can that we discover we like other things than at first. Or maybe not. But you can never tell. Does anybody know of a used Larry Brown that is available now? Suzanne To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
