Lute Progress -

[kiwigeo]

More progress today. Removed the paper pattern and then did the cuts to highlight the interweaving patterns in the rosette. The circle was then cut with an Olfa circle cutter and beveled using a violin knife. Sharpness of the punched out sections of the rosette arent as good as I'd like it but the next one will be better.

[Nick]

Sure is purdy Martin although I can see a few 'ragged' edges/corners Well done Mr Turner you've done a good job. That Spruce is even better close up!

[kiwigeo]

Yep that spruce is mighty fine stuff......as is any tonewood supplied by Tim. I reckon Tim could teach Gerry Harvey a thing or two about customer service.

[matthew]

Excellent fine work Martin. And great to see the weave starting to emerge.

[kiwigeo]

Thanks for the positive comments chaps.

Busy cutting and shaping braces now. Interesting to note that on a lute the grain in the braces runs parallel to face of the top not perpendicular as on guitars. Got a shit load of braces to make up....13 of the buggers.

[Lillian]

It looks great, despite the fuzzies that Nick pointed out. Think you'll get the lute done before heading back to work in Feb?

[kiwigeo]

It looks great, despite the fuzzies that Nick pointed out. Think you'll get the lute done before heading back to work in Feb?

I don't think so Lillian. There's still alot to do on this baby. Once the top is done there's the peg head to construct which is a major job in it'self. I'm also treading on thin ice with the boss at the moment so pretty soon Ill have to devote some time to domestic duties.

Cheers Martin

[Lillian]

Best to keep the boss happy.

[sebastiaan56]

Very nice Martin!

How thick is the soundboard around the rosette? From memory Lute soundboards are 2.5mm at the rosette and 1.3mm elsewhere? Are you backing the rosette with vellum or the like?

[kiwigeo]

Very nice Martin!

How thick is the soundboard around the rosette? From memory Lute soundboards are 2.5mm at the rosette and 1.3mm elsewhere? Are you backing the rosette with vellum or the like?

Seb,

Soundboard is thickest just behind the bridge where its around 1.8mm max. Under the rosette its around 1.3mm and around the periphery of the top its down to 1.5mm. The rosette has the paper backing I glued on when I cut the thing and it also has two main braces running across it as well as 3 secondary braces. The tops of those braces get coloured with india ink so they're not visible through the rosette.

[kiwigeo]

No work on the lute today...it's my birthday and Im also slightly damaged after a fall on my bike yesterday. Went over an angled railway crossing and got my back wheel caught in the rails. The bike sustained damage and will be spending next week in the shop being repaired. Pic of the new battle scar attached:

[matthew]

prefer shots of damaged guitars and mangled bikes thanks

[Allen]

'tis merely a scratch.

But oooh that's gotta smart.

[Lillian]

Ouch! I'd suggest you apply a cold one to that. Internal and external application would be best.

[kiwigeo]

Ouch! I'd suggest you apply a cold one to that. Internal and external application would be best.

Internal application under way as we speak and it's working to ease the pain.

[kiwigeo]

prefer shots of damaged guitars and mangled bikes thanks

The Campag Super Record rear derailleur took some damage. No pics of the item but the lower jockey wheel is running on a tilt so looks like some serious repairs will be necessary. On the plus side Campag has a good inventory of spares available for their gear so I wont be looking at replacing the whole derailleur.

[Puff]

The ox is slow but the earth is patient.
Sell the bike, the lycra and the bike shoes and you will have ? for rehydration on your way - and your way home?

[kiwigeo]

The ox is slow but the earth is patient.
Sell the bike, the lycra and the bike shoes and you will have ? for rehydration on your way - and your way home?

Getting the ox to move would probably entail as much energy as Id expend on the bike. Nah I love my bike and as soon as its out of the shop Im going for a long ride!

[kiwigeo]

Decided to ignore the aching elbow today and get the braces glued in. The glue is hot hide glue..192 gram high clarity. This is one glue up job where you need to do a dry run first and have everything at hand. No room for f****k ups.

[Allen]

That's a lot of braces. Going to be interesting to see how they get carved.

[J.F. Custom]

Hey Martin.

Thats a nice graze. It's gotta burn a bit but I'm sure you don't need me to tell you that. Bikes may be expensive to fix, but not as expensive as reconstructive surgery so I'm glad you came out the better.

Questions.

Did you paint the braces across the rosette prior to glue up, or is that something you intend to try 'through' from the front?

And I know you are following a plan of sorts and this is traditional bracing for the lute... But, considering the sheer number of braces, why the variation basically at the bridge/tailblock? Do they give any theoretical reasoning behind this?

Is anyone aware of any makers trying more modern bracing techniques such as lattice, modified fans, double X etc etc?

It just seems to me that this will produce a 'traditional' lute sound, but you would think it could be improved.

Having not built one of course, this is conjecture on my part.

Jeremy.

[kiwigeo]

Questions.

Did you paint the braces across the rosette prior to glue up, or is that something you intend to try 'through' from the front?

And I know you are following a plan of sorts and this is traditional bracing for the lute... But, considering the sheer number of braces, why the variation basically at the bridge/tailblock? Do they give any theoretical reasoning behind this?

Is anyone aware of any makers trying more modern bracing techniques such as lattice, modified fans, double X etc etc?

It just seems to me that this will produce a 'traditional' lute sound, but you would think it could be improved.

Having not built one of course, this is conjecture on my part.

Jeremy.

Hi Jeremy,

Answers to your questions:

1. the braces currently glued in across the rosette run across solid parts of the pattern. Theres still a second set of braces to be glued in across the rosette and they get blacked to reduce their visibility.

2. I'm following a tutorial by Van Andrews but also have Lundbergs manual at hand.

3. no tail block as the body is bowl shaped. The braces behind the bridge area are unusual and I don't yet fully understand their function. The position and shape of same do affect the sound of the top according to both van Andrews and Lundberg.

4. Not aware of builders using non traditional bracing on lutes. Like you say alot of builders I think are wary of deviating from the traditional lute sound. Its why gut strings are used in preference to synthetic strings. The latter last alot longer but have much longer sustain than gut strings....the sharp attack and short sustain is part of the lute sound. If a guitar sound is what youre after then youre better off building a guitar...alot easier and cheaper than building a lute.

Cheers Martin

[kiwigeo]

More work on the lute......braces shaped and top test fitted to the body.

[matthew]

Martin that's wonderful to watch taking shape. You are a Luthier in the truest sense of the word!

My question - is the brace glued to the paper at the back of the rosette or just resting on it and glued either side?

[kiwigeo]

Martin that's wonderful to watch taking shape. You are a Luthier in the truest sense of the word!

My question - is the brace glued to the paper at the back of the rosette or just resting on it and glued either side?

Glued to the paper as well as wood each side. van Andrews removes the paper backing before bracing but alot of makers leave it on. I prefer to have the extra reiniforcing for the delicate rosette.