My first lute had string spacings which, I presume, were intended for thumb-out playing: rather close between courses. When I decided to learn thumb-in, this was a serious draw-back. My luting went into hiatus until I could afford a new instrument built with wider spacing for thumb-out. It's interesting how much difference something like that can make, yet, like strings options, you don't hear much about it regarding other string instruments.
Leonard Williams On 8/23/13 4:44 AM, "William Samson" <[email protected]> wrote: > That's a beautiful lute. > > In contrast I have a 59cm 7c Venere replica (also shaded yew) with very > close string spacing at the nut - as the original lute has. When I was > younger this suited me nicely, but as I age my fingers have thickened > and it needs very great care to play chords cleanly. For this reason I > have used a considerably wider spacing on my new 62cm 10c lute and have > no trouble with chords. The one stretch that I am particularly > conscious of is when I stop the first and sixth strings at the seventh > fret using little finger on the 1st and ring finger on the 6th. > > In favour of the lute with closer spacing I find that rapid single-line > passages are easier on it - It's ideal for playing divisions. > > Horses for courses and an excuse (if one was needed) to have more > lutes. > > Bill > > -- > > >To get on or off this list see list information at >http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
