Renaissance lutes for sale / Baroque lutes for sale

 

Lutes for sale

Last updated 20/12/2025

8crs student lute based on Hans Frei C34

A popular model based on Hans Frei C34, tuned in g' (a=440Hz) 61cm string length, CD basses with NNG trebles. This is an upgraded version with points on the fingerboard, ebony egding and black rib spacers, ribs in figured ash, pegs in natural pear wood and a bridge in ebonised pear wood, neck and peg box in ebonised maple with a black bog oak peg box bottom and fingerboard. Frets in Aquilla's LS nylgut for long lasting frets up to the 8th fret to allow for tuning in 1/6th temperament alternative positions

£1385 (case to be ordered if need £311 shuster case or fitted case from Kingham)

This instrument can be heard here

14crs Liuto Attiorbato for sale based on Sellas (Paris E1028)

The above Liuto Attiorbato is based on the Sellas E1028 tuned in g' at a=415Hz in NNG and CD basses string length is 59cm  with 84cm basses as per the original, the 1st crs is currently double as per the original but can be made single if desired of course by removing one string. It can be strung single through out too with larger holes for thicker/higher tension strings, which is louder than double stringing and some may prefer single stringing as some customers and seen with Pro lute players such as Luca Pianca. Ribs are Yew heart and sapwood ribs some occasional knots as seen and black poplar spacers between the ribs, figured maple neck and extended neck, 7000yr old Bog oak fingerboard (and upper nut) which is an eco alternative to using ebony, Alpine spruce soundboard with original simple sellas rose which helps reduce the total price. Ebonised pear wood bridge and pear wood pegs with black stained collars. The lower nut has wider /more comfortable spacing than the original which is quite close.

£2367 not including a case (Kingham case up to £864)

Student Paduan Theorbo based on Sellas (Paris E547)

The Paduan Theorbo version of the Sellas E547 has been re-created from music scholar and composer Praetorius' Syntagnum Musicum II de Organographia woodcuts as seen above, this has been a valuable catalogue of instruments in scale drawings.The instrument is almost the same size or just short of the folding theorbo when folded  so the case is cheaper too and no extra cost for a folding mechanism needed. The original size of the Paduan theorbo is projected as 96cm with 128cm basses, the Sellas has a string length of 85.7cm so therefore has basses of 114cm in loaded Nylgut, since loaded strings were available for 7crs lutes already (iconographical evidence according to Aquilla) then the Paduan Theorbo is likely to have had them as basses rather than plain gut, allowing for a shorter neck but the same volume as the long plain gut basses. Of course if you are not too worried about authentic stringing then louder D type wound basses can be used.

The original Paduan Theorbo is 16crs but there's not much music for 16crs so the standard 14crs tuning in 440Hz is used. The ribs, neck and pegs are in slightly figured, varied toned natural pear wood, ebonised maple extended neck and ebonised pear wood bridge with black bog oak fingerboard. The larger rose is the same as the Sellas E547 as is the smaller bass rose. This arrangement has not survived well overtime on museum instruments, and the few Paduan theorboes that were made haven't  either making some doubt if they existed but I don't think Praetorius would have included a fictitious instrument in an accurate survey of instruments at the time (1614/15), some may have been converted to longer necked theorboes out of popularity but some theorbo with two sound holes  do exist as do a few paintings  as seen below being held by Lady Mary Wroth.

The original idea of a bass rose may have been invented by composer for archlute and chitarrone Alessandro Picinini in 1594 as an unusual ('experimental') instrument with a longer body than it's neck exists in the museum in Vienna as seen below:

This was made by a well known luthier, in Padua too! a forerunner of the Chitarrone, but it's easier for the luthier to extend the neck than the body, and easier to play too! The paduan theorbo can be heard via You Tube played by Tomas Korula (heard here) originally an inspiration to make this instrument available in the first place.

£2849 (+case £783)

For Sale

Student Quito Vihuela

A new version of the student scaled down 'Marianita' vihuela or Quito Vihuela at 61.5cm so a bit easier to play. The body is made in English yew with some characteristic small knots and sapwood which seems popular for its 'woody' look. Neck and peg box in ebonised maple with  natural pear wood pegs, black bog oak fingerboard and a headstock veneer, ebonised pear wood bridge and end pin, alpine spruce top with golden rose so could pass as a small baroque guitar if restrung, movable frets in LS nylgut by Aquila. Case can be bought separately would fit a standard 3/4 size standard guitar case.

£898 (case can be bought separately usually, soft £15- hard circa £90)

For Sale:

 13crs Baroque lute based on Wolfgang Wolf( Stadtmuseum Fussen Nr4669/ Jonas Elg 1729 (Stockholm M 220)

This small baroque lute is based the Wolfgang Wolf 12crs lute, same as the  Renaissance 7crs version of it below, intended as the next evolution of the 12crs, of course 12crs music could be played on here too, the barring is the same as the original so the sound would be a close to the 12crs as a 13crs could be. The ribs are in Indian Rosewood with boxwood spacers, the pegs also in Indian Rosewood, bridge and end pin in pear wood stained black, Black Walnut neck and extended neck, ebony fingerboard and soundboard edging with the original 'golden' rose. There are 13 frets to allow to play the Bach transcriptions (By Imamura) 

£2248 (case if needed, essential if getting delivered £744 currently)

Hear it being played below

 

For Sale

8crs Lute Based on Hieber (MIM1561)

8crs Renaissance lute based on Hieber of Venice (MIM1561), original string length of 59.7cm in g' (a=440Hz) in NNG and CD basses, the Hieber lutes one of the few surviving lutes still in it's original form. This one has plum ribs, black walnut neck and peg box with original design pear wood pegs, plum wood fingerboard, alpine spruce soundboard with original rose and ebony edging, pear wood end pin.

£2718 (£2064+Kingham case £654)

For Sale

 7crs Renaissance lute based on Wolfgang Wolf (Stadtmuseum Fussen Nr4669)

This interesting instrument by Wolfgang Wolf survives as a rare 12crs lute so didn't get converted to a later baroque lute as many did so has some interesting marks on the soundboard hinting at it's earlier life, I decided to make as it may have been originally made by Wolfgang Wolf in Fussen as a 6 or even a 7crs. The 7crs was chosen as it allows for more repertoire to be played, tuned in g' 61.5cm string length. Ribs are a mix of various shades of heartwood and sapwood Yew, slightly figured maple neck and peg box with pear wood pegs and bridge. The body is smaller in width than the popular Frei lute but noticeably deeper in depth as seen above (15cm). The instrument can be bought with a custom made Kingham case or the shuster hard plastic case at £311

£1771+ case £311

For sale

 8crs multi ribbed lute based on Hans Burkholtzer (NE48) Gut strung

Below is a multi ribbed lute based on Hans Burkholtzer with a golden rose and tuned to g' at a= 440Hz with a NNG 1st crs, part gut trebles and octaves with CD loaded gut bases, the string length is 64cm, this can be heard here.Neck and peg box in back walnut with natural pear wood pegs, end pin and bridge, ebony fingerboard and sound board edging.

£2575+ Kingham case £618 

Here this golden rose Burkholtzer being played below: 

Current lutes for sale (updated 19/06/2020)

SOLD 6 crs Mandolino (Paris, E0702)

The latest addition is this Mandolino with 6 courses as ordered previously. The original instrument is in the Paris Cite de la Musique No E.0702. The original is mostly in Ebony and Ivory so I made this one out of Yew wood inspired by the Burkholtzer made before with heartwood yew, the rose also has a roped border. The neck is ebonised maple and the peg box ebonised limewood with natural pear wood pegs. The decorative headstock is made of holly and ebony like the original. The intention was to create a venetian lute feel for the mandolino. The case is an oversized case but was bought as left over stock from Kingham and used for this instrument, it can be bought without this case but it does a good job at protecting it and small enough, the instrument can be bought without the case too.

£1565 without the case, (£120 for case shown above)

Sold 8 crs Multiribbed Yew Renaissance lute based on Hans Burkholtzer c1596 (KHM NE48)

Originally inspired by the look, shape and sound of the Sixtus Rauwolf lute played by Jacob Lindberg, it was created to give the look/feel of an original instrument. With a multiribbed yew body with old dark and lighter heartwood, one small rib restoration (thus a reduced price), and with a slightly darker/'aged' finish elsewhere, hopefully it's got the ambience of an old/original instrument, dare I say!

It has a Black Walnut neck and pegbox (as recommended by the Mary Burwell lute Ms) and is cheaper than a veneered neck, less ebony too, the fingerboard is black English Bog Oak an eco-alternative to Ebony, the only ebony used is around the soundboard. The pegs and bridge are pearwood with decorative stars carved as seen on another original/ surviving lute by Giovanni Hieber ( Brussels MIM 1561). The original rose design, shown here has a roped border, typical of this type of renaissance lute.

£3073 (£2515 + case £558, a must if shipping overseas) or to order new £2615+ case cost (now £582)

SOLD: 11 crs swan-neck lute (or Double lute) based on MIR 899
Originally by M.Hartung/Harton c1600 converted to a swan neck in c1691 by Johann Zacher/Dacherl Bresslau.

Yew multi-ribbed back, veneered neck with holly lines, stained maple extended neck with stained pearwood pegs, ebony fingerboard and natural pear wood bridge, strung all in gut at f' at a=415Hz, D minor tuning. Alternatively it could be strung like the double lute/luth en tuorbe/Luth a double manche in vieil ton as seen in  Mersenne's Harmonie Universelle (1636),  but in g' at Mersenne's pitch a=375Hz with a different set of strings. New Kingham case wine red exterior/black plush interior. Shallow body and string length of 63.4/90.2cm makes it very comfortable to play Weiss' 11crs music which suits this instrument. Hear it here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKdCKVVtPkk

£ 4260 £3699 inc used case (some exterior scuffing)

Sold: 7 course lute based on Hans Frei (Vienna KHM C34)

7crs student lute for sale, made in 2015, used/hire instrument, ware due to playing/being held means its discounted to the current price. Strung in Kuershner Strings in g' at 440Hz, a warm a responsive tone. Yew heartwood body, maple neck and pegbox, pear wood pegs and bridge, fingerboard in eco-friendly English Bog oak. 

Price: £865 inc Kingham case or £665 with cheaper case

Here it being played here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIEcUaKiPJQ

Sold 6 course renaissance lute based on Giovanni Heiber ( MIM 1561)

£ 1593 inc case SOLD but can be ordered at www.jminstruments.com

New 6 course Renaissance lute based on Giovanni Hieber, Venice.

String length 59.7cm strung in NNG and a Gut 6crs. String width at nut 3.8cm, string width at bridge 7.7cm, cherry wood ribs, maple neck and pegbox with pear and box wood heart shaped pegs, fine golden rose, pearwood bridge with stars carved on top, bog oak fingerboard. Case by somerset cases, semi hard case fabric covering.

Sold 5 course Medieval lute c1480

£1683 inc case, sold now but can be ordered from www.jminstruments.com

5 course Medieval lute c.1470, with gut strings in g’ at 440Hz, 52.5cm string length.

English Yew back, pear wood neck, peg box and pegs, parchment rose with pear wood, alpine spruce soundboard with sycamore edging, double fretting. String width at nut 3.3cm, 7.8cm at bridge. Made in 2010, barely played, can be heard on the jamarriage channel on you tube. Repair to one hairline crack rib crack on left hand side, so discounted to £ 1683, case included as seen. 

SOLD 11 course baroque lute based on Hans Frei (KHM C34)

£1200 inc case, sold now but can be ordered via www.jminstruments.com

11course Baroque  student lute for sale at a new price of £1200 inc Kingham case (dark red/mink plush interior). Based on the Hans Frei C34 and made in 2006, rejuvenated for sale. Ribs in Ash, rosewood pegs and fingerboard, pear wood bridge stained black. 11course Baroque  student lute for sale at a new price of £1200 inc Kingham case (dark red/mink plush interior). Based on the Hans Frei C34 and made in 2006, rejuvenated for sale. Ribs in Ash, rosewood pegs and fingerboard, pear wood bridge stained black.

SOLD 7 course lute- guitar based on Laux Maler (MI54)

£ 1276 inc case, sold but can be ordered via www.jminstruments.com

New lute-guitar based on Laux Maler (MI 54) for sale £1276. This instrument is traditional in lute construction but tuned like the guitar with the top string in e’ (a=440Hz) and a string length of 65 cm to make it easier for the guitar player to play the lute without needing to learn tablature. Back in Heartwood English Yew, neck and pegbox in slightly figured maple, bog oak fingerboard, pearwood pegs and bridge. Kinham case red wine exterior/ mink plush interior.