When I was in college, I decided that it was time for some formal instruction on the instrument that I had taught myself to play when i was 13, and signed up for classical guitar lessons....got an inexpensive classical guitar, and showed up for lessons.  My guitar teacher had a 6 course lute (5pairs and one single) that was tune just like a guitar and she let me play it one day in my lesson...(of course one of the pieces i was trying in class) and it reminded me totally of my 12 string, but easier to push down the strings!  the only thing about it that I DIDN'T like was the way that the head angled straight back..that wasn't what Alan-a-Dale played...his was a longer neck, and the head was more like a violin's ...or at least that's how I remembered it.  In looking online at a site that sells renaissance instruments,
 I came across pictures of an inexpensive lute (still the wrong shape) and considered gettting one to play at SCA events and other things...in scrolling down the page...THE LUTE popped out at me...it's actually a Lute-guitar, a 19thC adaptation of the Guitar.  It seems that the German revival of interest in folk music had made people there want a "classicly" shaped instrument, but by then no one could play Lutes..but everyone could play guitar, so the instrument makers put a melon body on a guitar type neck, and voila, a "lute" for the gay 90's.  well that's what i wanted!!!! 
     i was saving my pennies and then my daughter announced she was finally getting married...as father of the bride I felt obligated to contribute to her wedding (even though they've been together for over 6 years)  and the money i was going to use became earmarked for her wedding (I had just paid off my car and was going to keep putting my "car payment" in savings...well it went into "wedding fund" instead.  then after I finished with my share for that, my car decided to die, and I had to get a new one, and my entire stash went for the down payment.  Then in talking with a friend at FenCon, he said he had one he'd be willing to sell....but christmas was coming up, so i had to hold off (and save save save what I could each month). 
     WELL to make a long story even longer...Money became available this month!!  so I started talking to my friend and Friday after work I sped over to his place (97 miles west of me)  to look at, play and purchase a guitar lute that his father had gotten  back in the 60's. So now, thanks to fithelere (Cedric of the Bedlam Bards), I am the proud owner of an antique "Luitar" .   there is a manufacturer's stamp on the sounding board at the end  that says "jul. Heinrich Zimmerman, Leipzig"   In researching this company, I discovered that they made Lute-guitars in the 1890's thru the 1920's.  So my baby is at least 75 years old...possibly as much as 110!!!  
   One of the interesting features of this particular Luteguitar is that it has violin type tuning pegs...and I've never tried to tune anything with that type of pegs.  there were a couple of the pegs that kept slipping when i tried to tune it, but i completely restrung it when i got home and cleaned the pegs before restringing ...that plust the humidity here in the Houston area is higher than over by Austin, so they are gripping much better after only two days. :)  I spent all day Saturday accustoming myself to the narrower neck and different action it has...actually am not fumbling too badly anymore! LOL.  
I also was perusing my music, checking out which songs would be possible to play on it...I want to keep it for period type music..but even some of that might not be right.  So far I've been quite pleased.


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