Renaissance Workshop Company
The foremost manufacturer of early musical instruments worldwide

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Lute

	Lute in the Cantigas de Santa Maria

After the recorder the lute is probably the most well known of early musical instruments. It is immediately recognisable by its distinctive bowl shaped back, short neck and sharply angled-back head. Unlike the cittern, which is also a fretted instrument, the early lutes had catgut frets tied around the fingerboard. Like the rebec, it originated in the Middle East as an Arabic instrument (the "el-aoud"), but it features in European paintings and drawings as early as the 9th Century. It became popular right across Europe during the renaissance and by the 16th Century it was the most widely used instrument for accompanying church and secular (non-religious) music.

During the Renaissance the lute became the principal instrument for both secular and sacred music so much so that by the end of the 16th century there was an extensive lute repertoire in existence which reached its peak in the work of John Dowland (1563-1626).

The important makers of the late 16th and early 17th century worked in Italy and two of those most prominent were Giovanni Hieber of Venice and Wendelio Venere who lived in Padua during the second half of the 16th century.

[more about the Lute]

RWC Lute

	Venere 7 course finished Lute

Our lutes are available in two sizes.

They are extremely light and resonant instruments with narrow necks . A close string spacing helps the playing of the more intricate passages.

Our 7 course lute is based on the work of Wendelio Venere. This lute has a 13 rib back with a slightly flattened curvature.

A rosewood fingerboard meets the Swiss pine sounboard with the inlay of two 'ears'.

Available in octave (g', d'd', aa, ff, cc, gG, dD) or unison (g', d'd', aa, ff, cc, GG, DD) tuning, the lute comes with a spare top string set.

The figured sycamore ribs can be inlayed with an ebony purfling or left plain according to choice.

The black inlay used for the edging and ribs of the instrument shown in the photograph is optional.

Our 8 course lute is based on the work of Giovanni Hieber.

This lute has a small well rounded body of 11 delicately figured sycamore ribs and rosewood fingerboard.

Available in octave (g', d'd', aa, ff, cc, gG, fF,dD) or unison (g', d'd', aa, ff, cc, GG, FF, DD) tuning, the lute comes with a spare top string set.

Each instrument is entirely hand built by 'in-house' experienced craftsmen to special order in our own workshops in Toledo (Spain) to the highest standard of craftsmanship. They come with 12 months warranty and 12 months free access to our 'helpline' for advice on setting up, playing and maintenance.

A soft padded bag and a simple hard case are available as optional extras.

Lute Kit

	Venere 7 course finished Lute

The same range of Lutes are offered in kit form for home assembly.

The price includes the license to build one instrument for private use and 12 months free access to our 'helpline' for advice on construction, setting up, playing and maintenance.

To ensure success, even for the first time builder, each kit includes:
A fully dimensioned life-size drawing and working template,
A manual with clear and concise step-by-step full assembly instructions.
A set of photographs illustrating further each stage.

An important feature of our lute kits is the inclusion of a mould to ensure success, even for the first time builder, so accurate assembly of the body can begin immediately.

The front is supplied thicknessed from centre jointed Swiss pine and the neck blank is sawn to fit the pre assembled pegbox which has the pegs fitted into taper reamed holes.

A rosewood fingerboard and bridge, an ebony nut and a set of nylon lute strings (tuned g', d'd', aa, ff, cc, gG, dD for the 7 course lute and g', d'd', aa, ff, cc, gG, fF,dD for the 8 course lute) complete these most popular kits.

In the 8 course lute kit, the 11 English sycamore ribs for the back are thicknessed and profiled.

In the 7 course lute kit the 13 English sycamore ribs for the back are thicknessed and ready for the builder to cut to the all important profile by following the templates given on the full size working drawing.

The manual clearly explains how to carve the rose.

The black inlay used for the edging and ribs of the instrument shown in the photograph is not included in the kit.

A simple hard case is available as an optional extra.

Lute Technical Plan

	RWC Hieber 8 course Finished and Kit Lute

You can make the same Lute from scratch, following detailed step-by-step instructions through the construction process in a clear and concise manner.

A fully dimensioned life-size drawing with templates and a set of photographs illustrate each stage.

The price includes the license to build one instrument for private use and 12 months free access to our 'helpline' for advice on construction, setting up, playing and maintenance.

This icon indicates that you can choose between the hard copy of the documents sent by postal mail, or the downloadable electronic files, in pdf format to your computer. In order to view and print the pdf files, you need the free 'Acrobat Reader' program installed in your computer. Life-size drawings require large printers. Electronic documents have a reduced price, don't have shipping costs, but are non-refundable.

Lute Accessories and Spare Parts

Lute Availability and delivery time

Not all of the items listed on our site are available immediately. Products without a reference nor a price are rarely available for quick dispatch. If you are interested in them, please contact us.

We publish standard availability, which means that this product usually ships in that time since it has been ordered. But at the specific time of your order, that interval can be longer or smaller depending on many production factors.  In addition, you still will have to wait for your product to arrive (delivery time). [More info about availability & delivery dates]

Lute Configuration, References and Prices

			Check the offers: In April up to 25% Off
			Ref.				Price [1]
	Lute - Venere 7 Course
	Finished Instrument
	Lute - Venere 7 Course		FLUV7		Finished		1070.60	RWC
	Kit + drawing + instructions + license
	Lute - Venere 7 Course		KLUV7		Kit		335.28	RWC
	Drawing + instructions + license
	Lute - Venere 7 Course		PLUV7		Plan		57.83	RWC
	Accessories and Spares
	Stringing set for 7 Course Venere Lute		SLUV7		Set			RWC
	Lute - Hieber 8 course
	Finished Instrument
	Lute - Hieber 8 course		FLUH8		Finished		1082.51	RWC
	Kit + drawing + instructions + license
	Lute - Hieber 8 course		KLUH8		Kit		405.06	RWC
	Drawing + instructions + license
	Lute - Hieber 8 course		PLUH8		Plan		57.83	RWC
	Accessories and Spares
	Stringing set for 8 Course Hieber Lute		SLUH8		Set			RWC

Prices and Exchange rates
All published prices are exclusive of VAT and shipping costs. They are shown in RWC.
The following exchange rates are valid on April 28th, 2020. See other conditions

Exchange rates 1 RWC= 1.585 GBP 1.725 EUR 1.973 USD 210.4 JPY 2.744 CAD 3.017 AUD 1.925 CHF 144.3 RUB 13.97 CNY 35.84 ZAR 46.99 MXN

Promotions
Some temporary offers and discounts might apply: In April up to 25% Off

Ordering
For security and service quality, we need your order to be in writing and cannot take it by phone.
If you want to buy, please, fill and send the ORDER FORM. Should you have any difficulty, please contact us.

More Info
For more information about buying our products, you should consult the following pages:

Currency exchange Shipping Cost

Discounts: In April up to 25% Off VAT or Sales Taxes

Methods of Payment Customs Duties

Customer Service Availability & delivery dates

Copyright © 1999 Renaissance Workshop Company Ltd.
Last modification: 03 de mayo de 2019

Phone:(+34) 91 450 30 50