Instruments
Click on the names of instruments to read more about them
Renaissance Lute
- Renaissance lute. Based on surviving examples by Georg Gerle, Hans Frei and others. 6 courses. Also available with 7 courses. For tuning in G or A.
- Scale length: 56cm.
- German/Alpine Spruce, European Cherry, Apple, Plum. Other wood choices available.
Medieval Lute
- Early Medieval lute, based on various iconographic sources of 1280-1450. 4 or 5 course. Available fretted or unfretted. The upper, smaller rose is available in round, diamond or lancet window shape.
- Scale length: 55cm.
- German/Alpine Spruce, European Cherry, Norway Maple, Apple, Boxwood. Other wood choices available.
Oud or Zenne Oud
- Standard oud and smaller zenne oud both available with 5 or 6 courses and with any tuning. Both work especially well with high F tuning.
- Scale length: 58.5 for standard oud, 57cm for zenne oud.
- German/Alpine Spruce, Light Meranti, London Plane, European Ash, Zebrawood, Boxwood. Other wood choices available.
Baroque Mandolin
- Baroque mandolin. Available with 4, 5 or 6 courses of strings.
- Scale length: 35cm.
- German/Alpine Spruce, Norway Maple, Ovangkol, Boxwood. Other wood choices available.
Oud Arbi or Andalusian Oud
- 4 course version of the Oud played in Al-Andalus and still played today in north Africa. Available with traditional re-entrant tuning or all fourths tuning.
- Scale length: 58cm.
- German/Alpine Spruce, Leopardwood, Field Maple, Sapele, Boxwood. Other wood choices available.
Cremonese Mandolin or Brescian Mandolin
- Cremonese or Brescian mandolin. 4 single nylon or gut strings tuned in fifths (the same tuning as a Neapolitan mandolin). This type was espeiclaly popular between 1850-1930.
- Scale length: 35cm.
- German/Alpine Spruce, Norway Maple, Sapele, Ovangkol, Plum. Other wood choices available.
Renaissance Mandore
- Renaissance mandore. A small instrument which is the ancestor of the mandolin. Available with 4 or 5 single or doubled courses of strings. Also works well as a Brescian/Cremonese mandolin or tuned as a ukulele.
- Scale length: 35cm.
- German/Alpine Spruce, European Cherry, European Beech, Apple, Boxwood. Other wood choices available.
Gittern
- Would have usually been carved from a single block, but is here built from ribs like a lute. Available with 3, 4 or 5 single or doubled courses of strings.
- Scale length: 44cm.
- German/Alpine Spruce, European Cherry, Khaya, London Plane, Wych Elm, Boxwood. Other wood choices available.
Colascione
- A long necked lute popular in Italy during the late renaissance and early baroque periods. Available with 3 or 4 strings.
- Scale length: 80cm.
- German/Alpine Spruce, Norway Maple, European Walnut, Ovangkol, Boxwood. Other wood choices available.
Kwitra
- A traditional 4 course lute/oud played in north Africa, especially Morocco and Algeria. Transliterated from Arabic as Kwitra, Kouitra, Quitra and other spellings. Available in traditional re-entrant tuning, or oud-like tuning (shown in picture).
- Scale length: 58cm.
- German/Alpine Spruce, Ovangkol, London Plane, European Cherry, Wych Elm, Boxwood. Other wood choices available.
Panduri
- Traditional instrument from Georgia in the Caucasus. Also played in some neighbouring countries and regions. The larger, unfretted Chonguri with half string is also available on request.
- Scale length: 50cm.
- German/Alpine Spruce, European Ash, Dark Meranti, Swiss Pear, Ovangkol, Wych Elm, Sapele, Silver Birch, Boxwood. Other wood choices available.
Cobza or Koboz
- Traditional short-necked fretless lute played in Romania (where it is called Cobza) and Hungary (where it is called Koboz). Available with wooden pegs or machine heads.
- Scale length: 46cm.
- German/Alpine Spruce, Light Meranti, European Ash, London Plane, Sapele, Boxwood. Other wood choices available.
Medieval / Renaissance crossover lute
- Late Medieval lute based on various iconographic sources of 1460-1510, and a surviving instrument labelled 'D.G.' from Northern Italy about 1500. Available with 4, 5 or 6 courses. Also available with upper, smaller rose in round, diamond or lancet window shape.
- Scale length: 56cm.
- German/Alpine Spruce, European Ash, Wych Elm, Swiss Pear, European Cherry, Boxwood. Other wood choices available.
Citole or Guitarra Latina
- A small medieval instrument with a distinctive body shape. Would have usually been carved from a single block, but is here built with bent sides. Available with 3, 4 or 5 single or doubled courses.
- Scale length: 46cm.
- German/Alpine Spruce, Norway Maple, European Beech, Swiss Pear, European Walnut, Boxwood. Other wood choices available.
Vihuela de mano (Guitar style)
- Vihuela de mano (in Spanish) or Viola da mano (in Italian). Based on surviving instruments and iconography. Available with flat peghead with pegs from behind (as shown) or pegbox. Available with flat or vaulted back. Available with or without soundboard inlays. 6 courses.
- Scale length: 55cm
- German/Alpine Spruce, European Walnut, Norway Maple, European Ash, Boxwood. Other wood choices available.
Vihuela de mano (Viol style)
- Vihuela de mano (in Spanish) or Viola da mano (in Italian). Based on iconography of vihuelas shaped like the viola da gamba. Available with pegbox (as shown) or flat peghead with pegs from behind. Available with or without soundboard inlays. 6 courses.
- Scale length: 55cm
- German/Alpine Spruce, European Sycamore, European Cherry, Apple, Boxwood. Other wood choices available.
Renaissance Guitar
- Renaissance guitar based on historical illustrations. Available with pegbox (as shown) or flat peghead with pegs from behind. Available with flat or vaulted back.
- Scale length: 50cm
- German/Alpine Spruce, European Ash, European Alder, Swiss Pear, Silver Birch, European Cherry, Boxwood. Other wood choices available.
Jarana Jarocha
- Traditional Mexican rhythmic instrument related to the baroque guitar. Segunda size shown, with others also available. Requinto Jarocho also available. Available with wooden pegs or machine heads.
- Scale length: Segunda size (in picture) 50cm. Primera size 40cm. Terciera size 58cm. Requinto Jarocho 50cm.
- German/Alpine Spruce, Sapele, Light Meranti, European Beech, Ovangkol. Other wood choices available.
Ukulele or Cavaquinho
- Traditional Hawaiian instrument. Also available with heavier bracing as a Portuguese cavaquinho, and as a cak or cuk for Indonesian Keroncong music. Soprano size, with others also available. Available with wooden pegs or machine heads.
- Scale length: Sopano (in picture) 34cm. Concert 38cm. Tenor 43cm. Baritone 48cm. Cavaquinho 34cm.
- German/Alpine Spruce, Sapele, Norway Maple, London Plane, Light Meranti. Other wood choices also available.
Charango
- Traditional instrument from South America, especially the Andean mountains. Chillador (flat-backed) style. Available with wooden pegs or machine heads. Hatun charango or Ronroco also available.
- Scale length: Charango 36cm. Ronroco 48cm.
- German/Alpine Spruce, Sapele, Light Meranti, European Oak, European Walnut, European Cherry. Other wood choices also available.
Viola De Cocho
- Traditional instrument from Mato Grosso, Brazil. Available with tied frets as picture, metal frets, or fretless. Also available with machine heads. Traditionally, this instrument has a small soundhole or no soundhole at all. Also available without soundhole.
- Scale length: 45cm
- German/Alpine Spruce, Wych Elm, Ovangkol, European Oak, European Walnut, Tamarind. Other wood choices also available.
Renaissance Cittern
- Renaissance cittern. Available with chromatic (as picture) or diatonic fretting. Available with 8 or 9 strings in 4 courses.
- Scale length: 41cm.
- German/Alpine Spruce, European Ash, London Plane, Norway Maple, European Oak, Boxwood. Other wood choices available.
Modern Cittern or Irish Bouzouki
- Modern or Irish cittern. Available with 4 or 5 courses.
- Scale length: 60cm.
- German/Alpine Spruce, Sapele, Hard Maple, European Hornbeam, Boxwood. Other wood choices available.
Komuz
- A traditional instrument from Kyrgyzstan.
- Scale length: 58cm
- German/Alpine Spruce, Khaya, Light Meranti, European Ash, Boxwood. Other wood choices available.
Anglo-Saxon Lyre
- An Anglo-Saxon lyre based on the remains of one found in the Sutton Hoo ship burial, and other similar examples. It was also played in Northern Germany and in Scandinavia by the Vikings. Available with 5, 6 or 7 strings.
- Scale length: 43cm
- German/Alpine Spruce, European Alder, European Ash, European Cherry, Boxwood. Other wood choices available.