Hi All, I don't know if there is actually anyone on this list that is interestred but I'll fire a question into the ether and hope for a response.
I am currently building an 8 course lute for a customer on a Frei body. I do not build many renaissance lutes and specialize in baroque instruments but took this commission anyway. He specified the Frei body but also specified a 62cm mensur. Now, the Frei is a long body, 52cm from block end to end cap, and the narrower neck/body juncture of the 8 course makes it even longer. The problem is, of course, that the body will not accommodate anything shorter than about 66cm without the neck being ridiculously short. I talked him into 65cm but renaissance players, and I'm not one, advise that anything longer than 62 is untenable for the solo repertoire. Any ideas? I'm cutting the rose now, the neck blank is on, and will have the soundboard glued on in a couple of days. I can't "lengthen" the neck by repositioning the bridge because, well, the bridge goes where it needs to go acoustically. He's probably going to wind up with a fingerboard about 28cm long which puts 4 frets on the soundboard. Is there precedent? I try to accommodate requests from clients but this neck sure looks short. Mind you, I usually build 70cm+ on the Frei for baroque lutes. Best, Rob Dorsey <http://robdorsey.com/> http://RobDorsey.com -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
