> I am assuming a public forum is > not a comfortable place to discuss the pros and cons of various luthiers.
many of the better luthiers are members and thereby freinds, yes, its an uncomfortable subject matter, especially since what makes a good lute to any particular client involves subjective criteria; like choosing a book for reading on a plane trip (as opposed to something deeper, to be studied for work). > So, to take a step back and to reframe this from a larger view: how would > one go about selecting a luther from which to commission a lute? You will find earlier discussions of that in the archives of this list, its one of our frequently asked questions. Much depends on the repetoire you intend, but there are other considerations too, such as what other instruments you own and intend to complement. How quickly do you want the lute? Many makers have backloged orders and wont be able to begin work on your instrument for months or even years. Once begun, its a matter of weeks to complete at best, unless parts are ready to hand, perhaps from the rare cancelled commission. Check with teachers during your search, consider hireing one if you have access to one of the rare retail sources and dont trust your own judgement. Join one or more of the several lute societys and go to a meeting or two so you can sees, hear, and maybe even handle various instruments. Consider alternatives - wirestrung (cittern, orpharion, bandora), guitar/vihuella. Consider that size matters, and variations in size can be had (the Venere Lute Quartet certainly demonstrates it). -- Dana Emery To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
