Thread: Insanity has struck... I'm trying to make a lute.

they are wierd looking things those lutes.... martin has one going too i think?

nice plane... i want it lol

Last year I spent 3 hours watching a lute maker at work in the old markets in Kuwait city. He was working mainly on the floor using his hands and feet to hold the wood while shaping the sides of the wooden sections of the back using pieces of freshly broken glass and sand paper. The one power tool in his stall was an old Mg alloy case power drill. Out back he had a bench where he hand sawed and planed the pieces to approximate thickness. His lutes were stunning but the starting price was US$600. In the end I bough an egyptian made one for about a third of that price. It's a bugger to tune bay as usual with most musical instruments I own I rarely touch them - shame really. cause it sounds real nice once I do get it in tune.

Andrew..yes Im in the midst of building a 7 course Renaissance lute. Not much progress of late due to heavy work schedule (at work now), an ailing father and of late a bldi great earthquake back home in NZ.

Bob, the instrument you saw being made in Kuwait was more likely an Oud. very similar to a lute but of Middle Eastern origin.

Cheers Martin

What a cool project... are you going to do a fancy rose?

Yep. I wouldn't be able to count myself as properly insane if I didn't go for a nice rose... Mind you, it will probably be pretty basic compared to some I have seen!