Reconstruction of Historical Lutes and Plucked String Instruments
Historical plucked string instruments reconstructed from historical sources, treatises, iconography, and contemporary constructive experimentation.
Luthier and researcher dedicated to the historical reconstruction of plucked string instruments.
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Baroque lutes
The baroque lute became established in the early 18th century as a fully distinct instrument, characterized by an expanded number of courses, diapason-based tunings, and a central role in the solo repertoire of the period. The instrument presented here is based on a lute attributed to Johann Christian Hoffmann (Leipzig, c. 1730), a representative example of the authentic baroque lute of the late German tradition.
The reconstruction was carried out from the plan HOFFMANN, J. C. Baroque Lute, Leipzig, c. 1730, drawn by G. Vermeiren in 1975 and preserved at the Musical Instrument Museum Brussels (inventory no. 3188), preserving the proportions, course organization, and constructive solutions characteristic of the historical model.
Configurations of Baroque Lutes Based on Johann Christian Hoffmann (Leipzig, c. 1730)
Baroque Lute Based on Johann Christian Hoffmann (Leipzig, c. 1730) – Example 1
Constructive characteristics:
1 1 ribs in Muiracatiara (Astronium lecointei);
Top in Spruce (Piceas Abies) with Ebony (Diospyros ebenum) ;
Ebony Fretboard;
•Neck in Cedar (Cedrela Odorata) laminated in Ebony;
Peg box in Maple (Acer pseudoplatanus) laminated in Ebony;
Gut frets (1.1mm);
Bridge in Pear Wood (Pyrus communis) with Ebony;
String Length 68cm / 74cm;
Aquila Strings;
Oil finish;
Tuning pegs in Indian Rosewood (Dalbergia latifolia)
Photo gallery
Baroque Lute Based on Johann Christian Hoffmann (Leipzig, c. 1730) – Example 2
Constructive characteristics:
Ribs in Imperial rosewood (Dalbergia cearensis);
Soundboard in spruce (Picea abies) with ebony purfling (Diospyros ebenum);
Fingerboard in ebony;
Neck in pink cedar (Cedrela odorata) laminated with ebony;
Bridge in pearwood (Pyrus communis) with an ebony veneer;
Pegbox in maple laminated with ebony;
Gut frets (1.10 mm);
Oil finish;
Pegs in Indian rosewood (Dalbergia latifolia) and ebony;
Nylgut strings by Aquila Strings.
