At the risk of speaking out of turn here (I am not a maker)... HW> HW> Ignoring for a moment the tuning instability of gut strings, what HW> construction details make a lute stay in tune better? Is staying HW> in tune a sign of a good lute? HW>
Wood, by its nature, will absorb moisture. As it does so, it expands. Different woods expand at different rates. Glues also do the same, though to a less extent. So, the ambient temperature and humidity will influence each wood in its own way, until some sort of stability is reached. Given that lutes are made from a variety of woods, in a stable environment a well made lute will stay pretty much in tune. In a not so kind environment, such as the sub-tropical summer here in Sydney, tuning each time becomes an issue. Not because of the well-madeness of my instrument (it was perfectly stable in Victoria BC) but due to the swings in temperature and humidity (up to a daily 10C and 35%). As the wood acclimatises to Sydney (along with me!), it might get a little more stable. And, for reference, I am using Nylgut. Hope this helps a little. .. mark To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
