Oh, Dan, you are TOO funny and you made my day! God bless you and yours... BJ
----- Original Message ---- From: Daniel Winheld <dwinh...@comcast.net> To: brentlynk <brentl...@bellsouth.net> Cc: "lute@cs.dartmouth.eduList" <lute@cs.dartmouth.edu> Sent: Mon, February 6, 2012 11:34:49 AM Subject: [LUTE] Re: P.S. Re: Action on Baroque Lute? Yes- 3.5 mm fistmele for the average cricket longbow sounds about right. But cricket lutes are gonna be tight, whether they even played lutes is still controversial. Entymusicologists have been wrestling with this question for decades. John Milton Ward and Howard Meyer Brown actually came to blows over this one- it all turned on a misunderstanding of Medieval Arab units of measurement relating to Locust ouds, a thankless task for even the most dedicated investigators. The Pepito Grillo artifact rescued from a Libyan anthill in 1922 turned out to be totally bogus. Adding to the acrimony is the original text of the famous Josquin chanson- "El grillo non cantare". On Feb 6, 2012, at 5:56 AM, brentlynk wrote: > Thanks Dan! > But if one happens to be an English cricket, his longbow might be that small, > LOL! :-) > > > > ----- Original Message ---- > From: Daniel Winheld <dwinh...@comcast.net> > To: brentlynk <brentl...@bellsouth.net> > Cc: "lute@cs.dartmouth.edu List" <lute@cs.dartmouth.edu> > Sent: Sun, February 5, 2012 2:29:46 PM > Subject: [LUTE] Re: P.S. Re: Action on Baroque Lute? > > > > My Baroque lute (Robert Lundberg, 1977) is a bare touch less than 4 mm at > both > 9th and 10th frets (1st string lines up exactly with the line on my ruler- to > top of fret). Feels fine, would not want it lower & certainly no higher. > > The fistmele of an English Longbow (distance from the bottom of the string to > the surface of the inside of the bow when braced) should be the distance from > the edge of the hand to end of the extended thumb, approx. 6-1/4", depending > of > > course on various factors- length of the bow, size of the archer, etc. A > little > > more room to play around with than the lute action distance. > > Dan > > On Feb 5, 2012, at 9:45 AM, brentlynk wrote: > >> P.S. It's much appreciated, Roman and Eugene...Indeed, 4 mm was the "max" >> that > > >> the expert/master luthier told me was "acceptable"...My 10-course was in for >> repairs recently (after 15 years of me playing it...) and the action had >> risen >> >> to about 5.5 mm at the 9th fret. The luthier corrected it and it plays a >> GREAT >> >> deal better now. I am glad to know the same basic rule applies to the >> action >> on >> >> baroque lutes...Heck, they are lutes, not long-bows to shoot arrows with, >> LOL! > > >> :-) >> >> Best regards and have a wonderful Sunday evening, >> BJ >> >> >> >> ----- Original Message ---- >> From: Roman Turovsky <r.turov...@gmail.com> >> To: lute@cs.dartmouth.edu; brentlynk <brentl...@bellsouth.net> >> Sent: Sun, February 5, 2012 12:36:01 PM >> Subject: [LUTE] Re: Action on Baroque Lute? >> >> 3.5mm @ the 8th fret. Definitely no more than 4mm. >> RT >> >> >> ----- Original Message ----- From: "brentlynk" <brentl...@bellsouth.net> >> To: <lute@cs.dartmouth.edu> >> Sent: Sunday, February 05, 2012 12:27 PM >> Subject: [LUTE] Action on Baroque Lute? >> >> >>> Hello Everyone! >>> >>> Quick question to all the experts out there (if it's possible for me to ask a >>> quick question, LOL -- sorry! :-) >>> >>> What is the "ideal action" at the neck/body joint on 13 course baroque lute >>> with >>> a 72 cm vibrating string length "supposed" to be? I realize that this could > be >>> "subjective," based upon individuals and their playing styles, etc...But is >>> there a general consensus of a "range" that most people consider ideal? >>> >>> IF interested, here is more background as to why I am asking the question: >>> >>> I have played ten course renaissance lute for the past 20 years, and was >>> told > > >>> by >>> a great luthier that "4 mm of clearance is acceptable at the neck/body >>> joint >>> for >>> a 63 cm vibrating string length, 10 course renaissance lute." He also said >>> that >>> on smaller renaissance lutes, such as six course lutes, (especially with > those >>> with shorter string lengths...) the ideal action is even lower than that at >> the >>> neck/body joint -- say, "around 3 mm of clearance at the neck/body joint." >>> I >> am >>> NOT a luthier and have no clue...I am only repeating what I was told by a > very >>> reputable luthier who knows his stuff. He gets this newsletter, so perhaps >>> he'll >>> answer this question along with others? :-) >>> >>> Anyhow, the reason I ask is that soon, I am going to be blessed with a 13 >>> course >>> baroque lute with a 72 cm vibrating string length, and I am wondering what > the >>> general consensus is on the action for such a lute? Is 4 mm to 5 mm of string >>> clearance at the neck/body joint acceptable? Or is that too low? Or too > high? >>> >>> >>> I realize that we are talking about millimeters here...I don't literally >>> mean > > >>> to >>> splice hairs, LOL :-). I am also wondering if the action on a 13 course >> baroque >>> lute of 72 cm should/could/would be even higher than 5 mm? Personally, > having >>> only played renaissance lute up to 10 courses thus far, I have always >> preferred >>> the lowest action possible without buzzing...But since the 72 cm,13 course >>> baroque lute I am referring to is so much longer than what I am currently > used >>> to with the 10 course, 63 cm lute I play, I want to make sure I know what to >>> expect... (I am happy to make the transition and adjust accordingly...no >>> worries!) >>> >>> >>> Thanks in advance, >>> BJ >>> >>> >>> >>> To get on or off this list see list information at >>> http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html >> >>
