European spruce is used for the soundboard and, in keeping with the design of 16th-Century lutes, its soundhole is a carved rosette in an attractive geometric pattern which is cut into the soundboard itself and is not inlaid of different material. Most exciting is that the soundboard bracing pattern follows bracing used in world-famous Kohno classical guitars.

The mahogany neck has a shape is similar to a classical guitar with a 51mm (2 inch) wide nut of ebony. The top of the peg box has a woman's head carved on the top. Using standard nylon classical guitar strings, it is tuned like a guitar in e, b, G, D, A, E tuning. If it is to be used for lute music, the 3rd string may be tuned a semi-tone down to F# to enable lute fingering. The guitar is outfitted with smooth-operating gold tuners with black ebonized tuning key buttons.

• Tuning and String Gauges

• 1:E
• .028
• 0.71
• Titanium

• 2:E
• .028
• 0.71
• Titanium

• 3:B
• .032
• 0.81
• Titanium

• 4:B
• .032
• 0.81
• Titanium

• 5:G
• .040
• 1.02
• Titanium

• 6:G
• .040
• 1.02
• Titanium

• 7:D
• .028
• 0.71
• Titanium

• 8:D
• .028w
• 0.71
• Silver

• 8:D
• .028
• 0.71
• Titanium*

• 9:A
• .032
• 0.81
• Titanium

• 10:A
• .034w
• 0.86
• Silver

• 10:A
• .032
• 0.81
• Titanium*

• Tuning and String Gauges

• 1:E
• .028"
• 0.71
• Nylon

• 2:B
• .032"
• 0.81
• Nylon

• 3:G
• .040"
• 1.02
• Nylon

• 4:D
• .031w
• 0.79
• Bronze

• 5:A
• .037w
• 0.94
• Bronze

• 6:E
• .045w
• 1.14
• Bronze

Overall length, Base to Top: 40.5"

Neck length 19" Neck width 6.75" Neck depth 2"

Item# Note inches mm lbs kg

BEC028      E   0.028   0.71    16.2   7.35
BEC032      B   0.32     0.81    11.9   5.40
BEC040      G   0.040  1.02     11.7   5.31
BEB031W   D   0.031  0.79    16.9   7.67
BEB037W   A   0.037  0.94    15.3   6.94
BEB045W   E   0.045  1.14     14      6.40

Some may find the round back of the lute-guitar body less easy to hold than the flat-back guitar and that is why, at the bottom end of the instrument a peg has been fitted to permit the attachment of a strap to facilitate security whilst playing. With one end of the strap attached to the peg and the other end tied to the tuning head it is possible to play whilst standing if required. Originally lutes were tuned by means of tapered pegs similar to those found on a conventional violin, but on the lute-guitar modern machine heads are fitted for ease of tuning. This instrument has great appeal to guitarists who enjoy playing early folk music and who like the idea of playing an instrument with a look and feel of the old times.

Zachary Taylor is a designer and maker of early stringed instruments. Early in his career as a performer on classical guitar and lute he began to study the creation of representations of early instruments. In his relentless research from many sources he endeavours to acquire sufficient information for the construction of examples in the likeness of original instruments. For more than a quarter of a century he has taught the subject of lutherie in the Universities of Suffolk, England and Vigo, Spain and in colleges including West Dean, Missenden Abbey and York in England. Major projects include the re-construction of instruments that form the entrance arch to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. His authorship includes many books, including 'Make and Play a Lute' and 'Making early stringed instruments'.

The lute-guitar is an attractive and lightweight instrument of a similar size and scale to a standard classical guitar but with a body like a lute. In keeping with the character of a lute, the bowl-shaped body is achieved by edge-gluing together staves of uniformly thin Lacewood bent to a specific shape with no heavy internal bracing to retain its form. Lacewood is a light-colored hardwood that has color similar to maple and has distinctive rays that provide what is known as a "beeswing" pattern. A member of the sycamore family, its timbre characteristics are similar to maple generally providing a brighter tone than rosewood.

European spruce is used for the soundboard and, in keeping with the design of 16th-Century lutes, its soundhole is a carved rosette in an attractive geometric pattern which is cut into the soundboard itself and is not inlaid of different material. Most exciting is that the soundboard bracing pattern follows bracing used in world-famous Kohno classical guitars. Our resident luthier spent time working with Kohno in Japan and received access and permission to this bracing design.

The mahogany neck has a shape is similar to a classical guitar with a 51mm (2 inch) wide nut of ebony. The top of the peg box has a woman's head carved on the top. Using standard nylon classical guitar strings, it is tuned like a guitar in e, b, G, D, A, E tuning. If it is to be used for lute music, the 3rd string may be tuned a semi-tone down to F# to enable lute fingering. The guitar is outfitted with smooth-operating gold tuners with black ebonized tuning key buttons.

The lute-guitar is an attractive and lightweight instrument of a similar size and scale to a standard classical guitar but with a body like a lute. In keeping with the character of a lute, the bowl-shaped body is achieved by edge-gluing together staves of uniformly thin sheesham rosewood (Dalbergia sissoo) bent to a specific shape with no heavy internal bracing to retain its form. Sheesham rosewood is a medium to dark-brown hardwood and is highly sought after in furniture and musical instrument making. A true member of the Dalbergia family, sheesham's timbre characteristics are best described and "warm" with pronounced mid-range, very clear bass and sublimely subdued trebles.

European spruce is used for the soundboard and, in keeping with the design of 16th-Century lutes, its soundhole is a carved rosette in an attractive geometric pattern which is cut into the soundboard itself and is not inlaid of different material. Most exciting is that the soundboard bracing pattern follows bracing used in world-famous Kohno classical guitars. Our resident luthier spent time working with Kohno in Japan and received access and permission to this bracing design.

The mahogany neck has a shape is similar to a classical guitar with a 51mm (2 inch) wide nut of ebony. The top of the peg box has a woman's head carved on the top. Using standard nylon classical guitar strings, it is tuned like a guitar in e, b, G, D, A, E tuning. If it is to be used for lute music, the 3rd string may be tuned a semi-tone down to F# to enable lute fingering. The guitar is outfitted with traditional lute-style ebony friction pegs.