Went to an antiques fair today and found this, which was clearly
irresistible. Made in 1880, it is a lauten - a cross between a lute
and a guitar, and it sounds brilliant.

http://www.soundthoughts.co.uk/look/lauten.jpg

d

Don Pearce said...

Went to an antiques fair today and found this, which was clearly
irresistible. Made in 1880, it is a lauten - a cross between a lute
and a guitar, and it sounds brilliant.

That looks lovely and it must be fun to play. I'm very envious of those
who can play an instrument. I've tried keyboard and guitars many times
but just can't relate the sound produced to the physical action
required if you see what I mean, bloody frustrating.


--
Ken O'Meara
http://www.btinternet.com/~unsteadyken/

On Mon, 22 Feb 2010 02:06:52 -0000, UnsteadyKen
wrote:

Don Pearce said...

Went to an antiques fair today and found this, which was clearly
irresistible. Made in 1880, it is a lauten - a cross between a lute
and a guitar, and it sounds brilliant.

That looks lovely and it must be fun to play. I'm very envious of those
who can play an instrument. I've tried keyboard and guitars many times
but just can't relate the sound produced to the physical action
required if you see what I mean, bloody frustrating.

Fun it certainly is, but also a bit frustrating. The curved back means
it won't sit upright on your thigh, but always tries to twist away and
lie flat. I'll need to get a strap for it. Probably a fluorescent
green and yellow one wouldn't be quite the thing.

d

"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...
Went to an antiques fair today and found this, which was clearly
irresistible. Made in 1880, it is a lauten - a cross between a lute
and a guitar, and it sounds brilliant.

http://www.soundthoughts.co.uk/look/lauten.jpg


Fascinating. It seems to have the body of a lute,
(which was a generic term) but the unlike the lute
the tuning pegs are not set at 90 degrees.

Hard to be sure from the pic, but does it have
six strings?

If so, the tuning is presumably the same for a six
course lute, in fourths with the exception of the
interval between the third and fporuirth course
being a third.

Is it about the same physical size?
Any indication as to the maker?


Iain

"UnsteadyKen" wrote in message
m...
Don Pearce said...

Went to an antiques fair today and found this, which was clearly
irresistible. Made in 1880, it is a lauten - a cross between a lute
and a guitar, and it sounds brilliant.

That looks lovely and it must be fun to play. I'm very envious of those
who can play an instrument. I've tried keyboard and guitars many times
but just can't relate the sound produced to the physical action
required if you see what I mean, bloody frustrating.


Ken. My own teacher maintains that anyone and
everyone has the potential to play an instrument,
it's just a matter of finding the right one. If neither
piano nor guitar suit you, try a brass or woodwind
instument (both are easier in the respect that you
only have to produce one note at a time)

It's never too late to start.

Iain

"Iain Churches" wrote in message
...

"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...
Went to an antiques fair today and found this, which was clearly
irresistible. Made in 1880, it is a lauten - a cross between a lute
and a guitar, and it sounds brilliant.

http://www.soundthoughts.co.uk/look/lauten.jpg


Fascinating. It seems to have the body of a lute,
(which was a generic term) but the unlike the lute
the tuning pegs are not set at 90 degrees.

Hard to be sure from the pic, but does it have
six strings?

If so, the tuning is presumably the same for a six
course lute, in fourths with the exception of the
interval between the third and fporuirth course
being a third.

Is it about the same physical size?
Any indication as to the maker?


Iain

"fporuirth" ??? Difficult to type while
riding in a truck. I meant fourth:-)

Iain Churches wrote:
"Iain Churches" wrote in message
...
"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...
Went to an antiques fair today and found this, which was clearly
irresistible. Made in 1880, it is a lauten - a cross between a lute
and a guitar, and it sounds brilliant.

http://www.soundthoughts.co.uk/look/lauten.jpg

Fascinating. It seems to have the body of a lute,
(which was a generic term) but the unlike the lute
the tuning pegs are not set at 90 degrees.

Hard to be sure from the pic, but does it have
six strings?

If so, the tuning is presumably the same for a six
course lute, in fourths with the exception of the
interval between the third and fporuirth course
being a third.

Is it about the same physical size?
Any indication as to the maker?


Iain

"fporuirth" ??? Difficult to type while
riding in a truck. I meant fourth:-)


I assumed it was Finnish.


--
Bill Coombes

"bcoombes" bcoombes@orangedotnet wrote in message
o.uk...
Iain Churches wrote:
"Iain Churches" wrote in message
...
"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...
Went to an antiques fair today and found this, which was clearly
irresistible. Made in 1880, it is a lauten - a cross between a lute
and a guitar, and it sounds brilliant.

http://www.soundthoughts.co.uk/look/lauten.jpg

Fascinating. It seems to have the body of a lute,
(which was a generic term) but the unlike the lute
the tuning pegs are not set at 90 degrees.

Hard to be sure from the pic, but does it have
six strings?

If so, the tuning is presumably the same for a six
course lute, in fourths with the exception of the
interval between the third and fporuirth course
being a third.

Is it about the same physical size?
Any indication as to the maker?


Iain

"fporuirth" ??? Difficult to type while
riding in a truck. I meant fourth:-)


I assumed it was Finnish.


LOL.

It's (a bit) closer to the Swedish "fjärde"
but still not what I intended:-)

Iain

In article ,
UnsteadyKen wrote:
Don Pearce said...

Went to an antiques fair today and found this, which was clearly
irresistible. Made in 1880, it is a lauten - a cross between a lute
and a guitar, and it sounds brilliant.

That looks lovely and it must be fun to play. I'm very envious of those
who can play an instrument. I've tried keyboard and guitars many times
but just can't relate the sound produced to the physical action
required if you see what I mean, bloody frustrating.

IMHO it's one of these things you need to learn when young, to be
proficient. Although can be fun to try in later life.

--
*Forget the Joneses, I keep us up with the Simpsons.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...
Went to an antiques fair today and found this, which was clearly
irresistible. Made in 1880, it is a lauten - a cross between a lute
and a guitar, and it sounds brilliant.

http://www.soundthoughts.co.uk/look/lauten.jpg

d

Isn't Lauten simply the German for lute?