I hope they don't visit those height often i would think the metal strings would -lay hell on wood frets. What are the tied frets made of? John
I hope they don't visit those height often i would think the metal strings would -lay hell on wood frets. What are the tied frets made of? John
My avatar is of my OldWave Oval A
Creativity is just doing something wierd and finding out others like it.
Fishing line. Seriously. (Eugene, are you listening?)
The lower frets are of the thickest grade of fishing line, the higher ones of medium thickness; all of them, three rings around the neck, tied in the back, knot on the "north" side, so as not to get in the way of the thumb as it shifts. Obviously, the action is very, very low.
If —I still say IF—#I acquire this, and become dissatisfied with the more "authentic", tied frets, I could have a luthier set fixed, metal frets into the fingerboard; that can be done, and IS done on such laouto specimens as are more, ehm... practicality-minded.
But all that is pending...
It is not man that lives but his work. (Ioannis Kapodistrias)
Aha! Just found this on luthier Theo Kanellos' site:
[QUOTE]"This [the laouto] is a string instrument of the lute family with long neck. Although measurements do very from maker to maker, however, the string length is between# ( 680 -750 ) mm, the body length ( 450 - 500 ) mm, body width ( 310 - 380 ) mm, body depth ( 160 - 200 )mm, neck length ( 325 - 365) mm, neck width at the joint with body ( 50 ) mm and (35- 45) mm at the top end ( joint with head ), and head length ( 130 -160 )mm. The soundboard is made of spruce, and the body usually is made of maple, walnut, ebony, rosewood, or a combination of white and darker woods. The laouto has four double sets of strings, which are tuned in fifths ( Cc-Gg-Dd-aa ) starting from the bass. Laouto has a re-entrant tuning , because ( Gg ) is tuned a fourth lower than ( Cc ). In the mainland of Greece at the end of the 19nth century the laouto was build in three defferent sizes, nowadays, one finds only two sizes. The middle size, which is found in the mainland of Greece, and the larger size which is played mainly in the island of Crete, which has different tuning ( Gg - Dd - Aa - ee ), the re-entrant tuning is still a characteristic of the Cretan laouto, because ( Dd ) is a fourth lower than ( Gg ). The role of the laouto in Greek traditional music is that of accompaniment, either providing the rhythmical values, or following the melody of the song."
In other words, speaking of the laouto in general, the second northernmost course is the lowest one, pitch-wise. In other words, D's, A's, and E's progress upwards, pitch-wise; the G's stand a mere major second below the A's, or (as Maestro Kanellos writes) a fourth higher than the G's.
Ugh... a straightjacketed, classical musician I know is getting a headache. Now I am seriously considering restringing this creature, IF, as I said before, I get it. Mental cogwheels grinding away...
It is not man that lives but his work. (Ioannis Kapodistrias)
You may find the reentrant tuning odd, but it is very common on such instruments of the ukulele family. I suppose it also extends to the 5 string banjo but I would think of that fifth string as more of a drone.
Jim
Jim
My Stream on Soundcloud
19th Century Tunes
Playing lately:
1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1
Jim is perfectly right. No, if this comes through, no restringing—#I have seen the light!
I may, however, tune the highest-pitched course to D, instead of E. That way, it will have its dominant drone in the A-course; its tonic drone in the low D-course; it will become the dominant of the G-course, thus setting up all the "classic folk" possibilities for self-accompaniment.
Not to mention that, with the uppermost two courses tuned a fourth apart, not a fifth, some common double-stops (e.g. thirds) become graspable, despite the enormous scale.
Meanwhile, no word yet from the owner. I do not complain, though. Dreaming is often the better part of achieving.
It is not man that lives but his work. (Ioannis Kapodistrias)
Continuing my search for the elusive laouto
Judging by ear (from the attached sound-byte):
Range: Two and a half octaves, from G (fist line in bass clef) to D (fourth line in treble) In other words, the fingerboard is operable up to the 10th fret, D on the E string. Perhaps this is the reason for the tuning of the uppermost course to E, as (my own, goofy preference of) D would "shrink" the upper limit to C.
Stringing: Octave courses on G and D; from the A on, one hears obviously unison-course sound. No re-entrant tuning that I can hear.
Oh... and you CAN read Flemish, can't you? #
It is not man that lives but his work. (Ioannis Kapodistrias)
I can't read Flemish but there is a nice linek to the Museum of Popular Instruments in Athens, with over "1200 Greek popular musical instruments dating from the 18th century to the present day."
In fact, here are a few items of interest from that museum. BTW, what is the "pick" they use for these things?
Jim
Jim
My Stream on Soundcloud
19th Century Tunes
Playing lately:
1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1
Quill from feather of vulture, eagle, or other predatory bird.
I plan to visit that museum in the summer. Meanwhile, I have a book with GLORIOUS illustrations by the museum's curator, Phoebos Anogeianakis. If you ever drop by my office, I'd love to show it to you.
Cheers,
Victor
It is not man that lives but his work. (Ioannis Kapodistrias)
An interesting book by Fivos Anoyanakis on Greek instruments is also mentioned on that Flemish site.
Jim
Jim
My Stream on Soundcloud
19th Century Tunes
Playing lately:
1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1
Ah, what a meeting of minds! THAT's exactly the book I have.
It is not man that lives but his work. (Ioannis Kapodistrias)
The book is really good, though of course covers all kinds of instruments, not only plucked chordophones we love most... I don´t own it, but we have it here in the local library.
Nice to know about the museum. Definitely a place to go, if I´ll be in Athens some day!
I figured you, Victor, of all people, would have that one.Originally Posted by (vkioulaphides @ Jan. 06 2005, 13:40)
Jim
Jim
My Stream on Soundcloud
19th Century Tunes
Playing lately:
1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1
I guess my lowball went off the field... no response yet. Even factoring in some people's habit of checking their e-mail only sporadically, there should have been some response by now. Oh, well...
But one must be stoic: Just think of all the mando-goodies I can get with all the money I will have saved by not buying this creature!
It is not man that lives but his work. (Ioannis Kapodistrias)
There's always short scale, low pitch in red, blue or the always popular black.
Uhm... not exactly what I had in mind but, as I am here to be educated, ah... silicone strings? And just what gauges would said strings need to be, to sound (presumably) in the contrabass octave, stretched across an 18 in. scale?
It is not man that lives but his work. (Ioannis Kapodistrias)
I haven't found the string sizes listed at the Fender string website, but there is a very large photo under zoom.
For reference the electric guitar jack has a 1/4 inch diameter opening.
Victor think how fast you could fly up and down that fret board with silicone strings. Better be careful liable to stub a finger on the nut or bridge when you move to fast. John
My avatar is of my OldWave Oval A
Creativity is just doing something wierd and finding out others like it.
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