Yes, Dowland and Robinson as well advocated double firsts. Even Thomas Mace, at a time when the typical 11 course lute had a single 2nd as well as a single first. But Arto was asking about the 6 course lute. Can't recall written sources addressing this off the top of my head, but pretty sure I've seen paintings by Carravagio and some others depicting later 16th century 6 course lutes with doubled 1sts, and of course on 7 course lutes. If you can google up Mimmo Peruffo's old lute string page "The Lute in its Historical Reality" he has assembled a wealth of information, including the ups and downs of the doubled first course on lutes, vihuelas, and guitars through out the whole of the 16th century (as well as the 17th & 18th, and the 15th). I'm sure some of our esteemed builders will weigh in soon on this.
Garry, I highly recommend having the pegs, holes, and nut grooves available for the doubled 1st. It's so much easier to take one off than to upgrade the pegbox. Some instruments work really well with the doubled first, and when your right hand touch becomes sensitive enough to handle it, your entire tone and technique benefits. Dan On Nov 19, 2011, at 9:52 AM, Garry Warber wrote: > Arto, > I seem to remember mention, perhaps in my Poultan method, that it was done by > Dowland and others sometimes... I plan to make myself a lute when I can, and > I plan on all-unisons including top course , so I must not have dreamed it > up, hopefully. > Garry > > -----Original Message----- From: wikla > Sent: Saturday, November 19, 2011 11:10 AM > To: lute@cs.dartmouth.edu > Subject: [LUTE] Double 1st string on 6 course lutes? > > Dear collective wisdom, > > is there any evidence of using double chanterelle on 6 course lutes? > (If memory serves, there is at least one liuto attiorbato stringed so.) > > Arto > > > > To get on or off this list see list information at > http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html >
