The prices quoted are final prices excluding suitcases. As a small business owner under Austrian tax law, I do not charge sales tax (value added tax).
The suitcase price is based on the current price list of the respective suitcase manufacturer. For Kingham suitcases from England, the price is calculated based on the daily exchange rate of the British pound plus customs import fees.
Note: Kingham cases have the lowest weight. Less expensive cases from other manufacturers tend to have a higher weight.
I will organize the order and delivery of the case, which is delivered to my workshop address.
However, billing is handled directly between the musician and the case manufacturer (after I have checked and forwarded the invoice).
Any shipping costs and customs duties will be charged separately.
I will organize the shipping, including insurance. However, payment will be settled directly between the musician and the shipping company (after I have checked and forwarded the invoice).
All musical instruments are covered by a two-year warranty against manufacturing defects from the date of invoice.
During the first winter, the heating season (due to the resulting lower humidity) may cause a change in the string action. Within two years of purchase, neck dressing in my workshop is included in the price, subject to prior notification.
For a fretboard with inlays (intarsia, marquetry), it is not possible to adjust the string height.
15% deposit upon placing the order.
35% at the start of the order.
The remaining 50% upon delivery of the instrument.
The instrument remains my property until full payment has been received.
The entry in the order book “waiting time” takes place upon receipt of the 15% deposit. The approximate delivery time stated in the order is non-binding. As I work alone, completion may be delayed by up to 3 months.
If the order is canceled, 15% of the total value will be charged for the work already done.
If inflation exceeds 3% between the time of ordering and delivery, I must add the excess percentage to the agreed price.
My standard stringing – which is included in the price – is Aquila with Newnylgut/NNG, Loaded Synthetic/CD-CDL for the short basses and for the long basses NylgutElastic/NGE or Carbon/PVF. A data sheet with detailed information about the strings is included.
On request with a different string material or wound strings from Lenzner, HF carbon silver-plated wound.
The historical stringing of the models I offer was done originally with gut strings. Around 1660, the development of open “demi filées” and closed metal-wound strings with a gut core began, but their acceptance was very slow due to the different sound aesthetics compared to “pure” gut strings. The gut strings enriched with metal powder (loaded gut) can still be clearly seen in paintings from around 1750 depicting 13-course swan-neck solo lutes. The development of metal-wound strings with silk cores began in the mid-18th century and only became widespread around 1770. Wound strings with silk cores cause a disturbing long reverberation that does not serve the music/composition.
For an additional charge, historical gut strings can be used = equivalent diameter to NNG.
The string tension and string thickness I recommend are based on historical sources which include string tension of the first string, stringing data sheet, specifications for spruce soundboard, different top constructions and historical illustrations of the position of the right hand on the bridge.
If the user significantly increases my specified string tension over a longer period of time (e.g., from 415Hz to 440Hz without changing the strings), the static structure will become unbalanced, which can cause considerable damage. There is no warranty claim for this damage.
I generally recommend, and in particular during the “break-in phase,” tuning the instrument regularly to the specified pitch so that the statically stable state, which has a positive influence on the vibration behavior, is achieved as quickly as possible.
In order to achieve a practicable string thickness for NNG=gut of at least 0.42 mm (0.40-0.42 mm for the 11 and 13) with today's commonly used pitches (Renaissance 440 Hz, baroque 415Hz), the string lengths of my models may differ from the originals, in order to allow a practical string thickness for NN
On request, a lower or higher tuning pitch than 415/440Hz can be used as the basis for the stringing.
The absolute tuning pitch, which is decisive for the string length, varied between approx. 370-470Hz in the 16th to 18th centuries, depending on the place and time. (In France until around 1700, it was around 392Hz, and in Vienna around 467Hz). In our time, the following pitches have become established: a' 440Hz for the Renaissance, a' 415Hz for the Baroque period from 1650-1750, a' 466Hz for the Italian early Baroque period, and a' 392Hz for the French Baroque period.
My standard string spacings and the resulting fingerboard widths have proven themselves. They are the result of haptic optimization for a good weight balance and easy playability and can therefore differ from the original instrument and be somewhat reduced. Upon request, string spacings specified by the customer can be adopted.
The string spacings of original instruments, which are usually smaller than my standard, can be implemented at the customer's request.
For an additional charge, the body can be made of ebony, yew, or other special woods.
Original lutes existed with a very wide range of ribs on the body, made from various wood types (including ivory: 11 courses Andreas Berr 1699, 13 courses Burholzer 1596 / Edlinger 1720). Starting with at least 9 ribs on a variety of body shapes. No two lutes, even those of the same tuning, were alike. Only a very small fraction of original lutes have survived, and the inventory in no way reflects this sheer diversity.
The type of wood used on the body can influence the sound. Therefore, in my models of preserved lutes with a multi-ribbed yew body (soft coniferous wood's own tone color), I adopted the body shape and reduced it to the then very common number of ribs between 9-13, so as not to be tied to the yew wood or to a single preserved lute model of its kind (type of wood). Furthermore, yew wood is a protected species and is very difficult to obtain in the same high quality as the originals.
For original multi-ribbed basso lutes made of yew, I have also reduced the number of ribs for my models for these reasons. There are original bodies for basso lutes starting with 15 ribs in maple, rosewood etc., for example 25 ribs in ebony (a hard wood), above that they were made of yew.
In addition to the original, you can also choose another one from the corresponding era for the sound hole rose.
For an additional charge, original decorations, inlays, marquetry, relief carvings, heads, openwork peg boxes, etc. can be made.
No CNC milling technology (e.g., heads) or laser cutting technology (lute roses, marquetry on the neck, etc.) is used.
My standard surface protection is a combination of a fully curing primer and a fully curing varnish applied over it, with or without oil-based coloring.
For an additional charge, the surface protection can be applied to the body using historical ceiling wax and a historical oil varnish/alcohol varnish recipe.
The historically used, non-completely drying oils and waxes for protecting wooden surfaces, especially on the soundboards of lute instruments, are applied very thinly due to their dampening effect. Therefore, they offer very little protection against dirt and wear. Due to their ingredients, historical oil varnishes and alcohol varnishes can become soft to sticky at high temperatures or high humidity.
To ensure easier handling for musicians, I use a non-water-soluble, higher-bonding, fully curing, modern musical instrument glue for the body.
Please note: The soundboard wood is always glued with water-soluble gluten glue so that the body can be opened for any repairs!
It is not possible to repair the lute instruments from the outside inside the body without opening the body. A lute made of nine pieces has about six times more glue joints than a violin. However, due to the lower material thickness, these glue surfaces are considerably smaller with approximately the same or higher string tension. Lutes are therefore much closer to their load limit in the area of the glue joints than string instruments. As a result, at high temperatures or humidity, the water-soluble animal glue joints inside the body may also open under certain circumstances. To prevent this, I use non-water-soluble, higher-bonding, modern glue.
For an additional charge, the entire instrument can be made with historical, water-soluble gluten glue.
Renaissance plucked instruments had no protection at the edge of the soundboard. Historical illustrations show them without edge inlays or with “parchment edging.” For practical reasons (edge protection, interior repairs), I recommend discreet edge inlays.
Baroque lutes also usually had no protection at the edge of the soundboard, and were made without edge inlays. Again, for pragmatic reasons, I recommend edge inlays.
To counteract posture and back problems, I have developed a weight-reduced bass neck construction that guarantees balanced weight distribution.
For an additional charge, the bass neck can also be designed as a folding neck – the bass strings remain in tension. The folding construction increases the total weight of the neck construction.
The slightly rounded ebony fingerboard makes the instrument easier to play.
I recommend a bass neck with a maximum string length of 162 cm, as commercially available strings have a length of 180 cm.
The fingerboard, which is typical for this period and has a distinctly rounded cross-section up to the soundboard, and the concave-curved back of the neck, which tapers sharply towards the pegbox, facilitate playability.
In the case of 11-course lutes, the development of fan-shaped bars “baroque baring” under the bridge on the spruce soundboard began in the last quarter of the 17th century and became established around 1700. For Baroque lute music composed in the “French style” prior to this, a lute with a “Renaissance” bar construction typical of that period is the right choice. The French Baroque lute is constructed with two treble bars and one bass bar on the spruce top under the bridge.
For an additional charge, the playable range of 11- and 13-course theorbo-style lutes can be extended from 8 courses to 9 courses by adding an extra pair of pegs.
Pegs are available in the following woods: boxwood, plum, ebony.
Due to climatic fluctuations and the varying expansion and contraction of the pegbox and pegs, the pegs may become loose or stuck.
In the first case, it is important to carefully turn all pegs while pressing them inward until they are secure again.
In the second case, it is advisable to pull the peg out slightly while turning it.
The peg heads of my pegs are the same size throughout.
For an additional charge, the peg heads can be gradually reduced in size towards the end of the peg box.
Wood is a hygroscopic material. It absorbs water vapor when humidity is high and expands, and when dry, it releases water vapor, causing it to contract. This property is referred to as swelling and shrinking of the wood.
My instruments are manufactured under ideal climatic conditions of 20°C with a humidity of 50-55%. To ensure these conditions, constant measurements are taken using a hair hygrometer. I achieve the necessary microclimate in my workshop during the hot and humid season by using air conditioning and dehumidifiers. During the heating season, air washers (Venta) provide the necessary humidity.
The instruments should be stored in a similar climate.
Excessively dry climatic conditions at the storage location should be avoided at all costs.
In winter during the heating season, the humidity can fall below 45% at a room temperature of 20°C, which significantly increases the risk of longitudinal cracks due to the shrinkage of the wood and warping of the instrument.
In addition, the instrument should never (neither in winter nor in summer) be left in the car or exposed to direct radiation from stage spotlights! In cold weather, the humidity is usually very low (risk of longitudinal cracks), and in summer the problem of cracks is less severe, but intense heat can cause damage to the varnish or instrument.
For storage in the instrument case during dry periods, I recommend small, commercially available humidification modules.
