Intonation is a problem, especially first fret, second course. If you are in USA you could contact Andrew Hartig for ideas on string gauges. When I played this I was using for the first course, iron 8 thou or steel 9 thou, I think. Iron or steel for the top two courses and brass for the third course. For the lower courses I used wound lute strings. The wound lute strings don't really sound wirey enough. Now I use brass on the fourth course too.
Lovely piece, beautifully played on a fine guittar with great tone and intonation. Would you be willing to share what kind of strings you are using? I'd find this very helpful on my EG journey.
Hi Stuart. Lovely music but that wasn't what I wanted to contact you about - I saw your article about bell harps / fairy bells online- very interesting and well informed. I couldn't find a way to write to you via that. I wondered if you'd seen my article in Folk Music Journal vol 12 no2 pp25-35 (2022) "Eli Colman and his Box of Bells"?
I have seen a reference to your article but have not been able to see it. Could I contact you directly or perhaps via Facebook? Or I could give you my email.
What is the tuning of the instrument and what is the string length? Is it a copy from an original. Where can I find information about that ? Thank you !
A', D..... , E, A, d, e, a, c#, e. It's a very simple copy of No. 261 in Baines, European and American Musical Instruments (1966). without the keyboard attachment. Deleplanque 1792. String length c. 47cms for the fretted strings.
Evidence from the time indicates that Merchi was playing a two-string instrument with the strings a fourth apart and top string D. So. presumably a and d'.
a very nice piece! where did you get the instrument? and what are the specifics? i cant really hear what tuning you are using and i can see how many strings your instrument has O_o anyways.. id really love to hear more of your music, so keep it coming! ;)
Thanks! The instrument was very inexpensive. I don't think that they are sold any more but they were marketed as lute-ukeles with two outer singles and four inner double strings. Six pegs in all. The string length, by chance, is exactly that of the mandore/mandole as described in the late 17th century Talbot Ms. These instruments could be mainly single strung and were lute tuned at c'`. The lute-uke is well made but the top is too heavy. I've removed the rose and thinned the top a bit and fiddled with the nut and bridge and put decent strings on. And I'm guessing what might have been played on it.
@@pluckedturkeys i heard about lute-ukuleles, i think. thanks for the quick answer! i think this will be on my shortlist for the next instrument i will be buying. have a nice day!
