On Mar 10, 2010, at 4:43 PM, Graham Freeman wrote: > I wonder if anyone can offer some helpful suggestions. I have a very > nice theorbo of medium size with which I'm very happy. The only problem > is that the neck extension is quite heavy, so much so that it > interferes with the balance of the instrument. This isn't a big problem > except that it can make it difficult to hold on to. Is this a common > problem? Do different theorbos have different levels of balance?
Yes, obviously. My own theorbo has a heavy extension. This isn't a design defect. I'm told the theory is that a vibrating extension will damp the vibrations in the instrument's body, decreasing its loudness, and a heavy extension vibrates less than a light one. > Are > there any solutions, aside from the obvious one of selling it, which I > am loathe to do? It has such a great sound and is such a nice > instrument, but a bit more balance would be nice. The trick to holding it is not to hold it. I have a substantial strap -- probably intended for a solidbody electric instrument -- which has more than one hole for the end-of-body peg. I string a longish leather or pseudo-leather bootlace through the second hole, and sit on the lace. This holds the instrument in place; no hands necessary. You can probably pick up something similar at your local Guitar Center, or improvise one. BTW, Paul O'Dette's theorbo is the same basic model by the same maker, and I've seen him play an entire concert on it without using a strap. To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
