Prof Stack's Guitars (and A Lute)

[prof_stack]

I finally got around to updating my website, eliminating old interests and posting new ones.  Here is the link to the guitars (and lute):

http://www.dlux.net/~nhardy/guitars/guitars.htm

KDonovan's JV-05E never looked so good!   :D
The LoPrinzi after neck reset plays like butter and sounds wonderful.
The 8-course lute (15 strings) is definitely not for the Gut-less.   :lol:

Enjoy the photos!

[Randy_R]

Nice.

How about a discussion of how the lute is tuned and played for those who have no experience with one..

:)  

[prof_stack]

Think of a 12-string guitar as a 6-course instrument.

So an 8-course lute has 8 pairs of strings, but the highest course is a single string, according to tradition (it also breaks a lot, but that is another story).  Hence the 15 strings.

The highest six courses are usually tuned to
G - erman
C - ourtiers
F - lee
A
D - runken
G - uitarist.

You can get this tuning on your guitar by fretting up three and dropping the G to F#.  That's a good way to start playing simple lute tablature.

Lower pitched courses are usually tuned chromatically (like F, E, D, etc.) and not fretted when played.  Late Renaissance and early Baroque era lutes have 10, 11, 12, or more courses.  That's a lot of tuning.

Which is a pain with tuners that are friction pegs.  That also explains why so many lute tunes are relatively short in duration.  Time to retune!  

Actually, most lutenists use nygut strings, which are nylon textured like gut.  They stay well enough in tune to allow the player to keep at it.  I use the Intellitouch on the soundboard to help tune it.  But my son is the real player and keeps the lute in good use.

Oh, did I mention that we put the gut frets on ourselves?  Talk about authenticity, a lute just exhudes history.  

Hope this helps.

[Randy_R]

Prof,

thanks for the lute information.

It would appear that tuning a 12 string and capo'ing appropriately would be a way to try some of lute-style tunes.

might be interesting...  :)  

[Brad166]

WOW!!! That has to be the nicest JV-05E Iv ever seen. What a find!!!! How did you come to find that beauty  :WNK>

[prof_stack]

Brad166, one of the kindest persons around sold me this wonderful jumbo for a song.   ^_^

KDonovan bought it from me in early 2006.  He may have found his "holy grail" of guitars. 
UPDATED 01/25/06:  Kevin's shoulder injury from '97 prevents him from keeping this guitar.  He is putting it up for sale.
UPDATED 01/29/06:  Kevin sold it through Harmony Central and now is looking for a smaller Larrivee.

I sold it after buying a wonderfully amazing SD-50 from Jim Holler (TrinityGuitars). 


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[prof_stack]

Arriving today:  a L-03MT from Flaggerphil (his dad's guitar).  Thanks Phil!

Very, very nice guitar.  Smooth sound and very resonant.  Perfect shape. 

Also best wishes to Phil as he undergoes some medical procedures (from a car accident, I believe).



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[prof_stack]

This '04 LV-05MT is not mine, yet.  Nice looking and sounds great.  At the local dealer.  $1725 discounted, NewOldStock.


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[el guitana]

I'm kind of partial to that LoPrinzi. I had one of his dreads many years ago - under his first name, Augustino. Nice guitar.

[prof_stack]

How about a (circa) 1940 Cowboy Loye?  I borrowed it from my dad who got it for his 10th birthday.  Solid bottom, laminated sides/top.  This little box really vibrates!  Reminds me a little of a Larrivee parlor (Pete Anderson?).


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[prof_stack]

Here's a closeup of the bridge and headstock.  Not much break-angle here!   ^_^
Seriously, it sounds pretty good with D'ad EJ16 PB lights.


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[prof_stack]

More on my new brown body later.  But here's a couple of photos:

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