Stock for sale: 11 crs swan-neck lute (or Double lute) based on MIR 899

Originally by M.Hartung/Harton c1600 converted to a swan neck in c1691 by Johann Zacher/Dacherl Bresslau, New pics (10/2019) with new CD bass strings put on.

Yew multi-ribbed back, veneered neck with holly lines, stained maple extended neck with stained pearwood pegs, ebony fingerboard and natural pear wood bridge, strung all in gut at f' at a=415Hz, D minor tuning. Alternatively it could be strung like the double lute/luth en tuorbe/Luth a double manche in vieil ton as seen in  Mersenne's Harmonie Universelle (1636),  but in g' at Mersenne's pitch a=375Hz with a different set of strings. New Kingham case wine red exterior/black plush interior. Shallow body and string length of 63.4/90.2cm makes it very comfortable to play Weiss' 11crs music which suits this instrument. Here it here with its new CD bass strings https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hE2aPzmOKxc&feature=youtu.be

£ 4260  now £3699 slight use and including used case (some exterior scuffing)

 13 crs (electric) lute/ angelique 

This latest creation is a 13crs swan neck lute based on the comfortable Hans Frei (C34) body and has the extended neck and bridge of the Widhalm (MIR 903). Single strung in Nylgut and CD bases, the bridge has positions for being strung as a double/standard baroque lute or seen here as single with higher tension strings and a 4 point pickup, as previously installed with the electric mandora. The bridge also has extra holes to allow stringing as a 16crs angelique too, so 3 instruments for the price of one!

The ribs, neck and extended neck are in figured maple and the extended neck panels in pearwood, pearwood pegs and bridge, with the fingerboard, bridge top and points in bog oak instead of ebony. The soundboard has a ebony edging. Kingham case in wine red exterior and a mink plush interior.

To order, £3309 inc case (£624)

7/8crs Electric Mandora based on the Frei Body (KHM C34)

This hybrid Mandora brings together the 19th century Electric Mandora made and played by Chris Hirst (hear it here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBgp0Km1CgA, and here in ensemble https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrlq0bGpYPH0fQTG_v5qE8Q) and the traditional Mandora as an un-amplified 7/8 crs conversion heared here played by Rod Blocksidge. So it can be played as a 7crs double strung Mandora (tuned d', a, f, C, G, D, C) or restrung to it's current state (tuned e, b, g, d, A, E, D, C). Dare I say it could be tuned as a renaissance lute in e with lute intervals just by tuning down a semitone, so 3 instruments in one potentially. 

Having converted Rod Blocksidges' Mandora from 7 to 8crs single recently (as heared in the link above) I decided to apply this to the 8 crs 19th century mandora I had made for Chris Hirst who uses it for modern ensemble music, hence the amplification. So by drilling the bridge with holes for 7 crs double and 8crs single and a nut that caters for both stringing then it combines the best of both Mandoras and more value for money for the player. Rod tells me the 8 crs can be used to play rare Russian music requiring 8 crs. 

The strings for 7 crs double and 8crs single have been adjusted to have the same overall tension, the neck and sickle pegbox are ebonised to be in keeping with guitars from the same period, and metal frets which worked just as well as gut, the back is in English yew pegs and bridge in Natural pearwood. The Hans Frei body (C34) is a popular choice, not too deep as later baroque lute bodies can be, once plugged in it's certainly loud enough!

To order, £ 1445, case not included in price

 6 course Spanish Guitar based on Joseph Benedid,

 Cadiz 1787 (Met Museum 1992.1.2)

Hear it being played here by Richard MacKenzie:

This new affordable guitar is the 6 course Spanish Guitar, a transitional instrument between the Baroque and the Early Romantic single strung guitar, the instrument above can be heard here played by Richard MacKenzie. This instrument can be strung as a Vihuela, a Baroque guitar (as seen above), a 6 course Spanish guitar ( as seen above) and 6 single Early Romantic Guitar (as above), so 4 in one if you really want to explore music!
The 6 course had a short life span, circa 1780's to 1810's. Some examples can be found on You-Tube played by Thomas Schmitt or via Presto Classical of Fernando Ferandiere's, Moretti's and Guzman's music, as well as recordings of Boccherini's guitar quintets by Jose Moreno, so plenty of nice music (https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/search?search_query=6+course+guitar)

6 course guitars are by Pages and Benedid, most in the Barcelona Music Museum. The typical 6 course has a similar body length and depth to the late baroque guitars, some still having gut frets on the fingerboard but this one was made with metal, considering some guitar players may not be familiar with replacing gut frets. The body is made of light weight English Yew, ebonised maple neck and head stock, pearwood pegs, Indian Rosewood bridge, alpine spruce top. Ebony edging like a lute would have. This instrument can be made without the sound hole rings (minus £100) Hear it being played here :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJCbHRIplqI

and played much better here by it's owner.

To order, £ 950 excluding case