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.

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.

The overall length is 40 1/2" and the scale length is 25 3/8", similar to a normal guitar. Satin lacquer finish.

Included FREE: "The Ultimate Fretted Tuning Chart"

This chart contains 87 tunings (47 for guitar) for various common and hard to find instruments. The accompanying CD has all the tunings played on the actual instruments. Many tunings are offered for most instruments. Instruments include guitar, mandolin, banjo, dulcimer, bass, harp guitar, balalaika, oud/Lute, charrango, bouzouki, tres, ukulele, bajo sexto, dobro/lap steel, vihuela and requinto. Included are the most common tunings as well as many exotic tunings.

Includes:

• The Ultimate Fretted Tuning Chart with CD (shipped separately)
• European spruce Soundboard
• Mahogany neck
• Length: 40 1/2"
• Scale length: 25 3/8"
• Shipped insured
• Brand New!