Lutes for sale

Last updated 04/10/2024

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, ebony fingerboard, alpine spruce soundboard with original rose and ebony edging, pear wood end pin.

£2718 (£2064+Kingham case £654)

For Sale: 8 crs Multiribbed Yew Renaissance lute based on Hans Burkholtzer c1596 (KHM NE48)


£3073 (£2515 + case £558) made 2020

Originally inspired by the look, shape and sound of the Sixtus Rauwolf original/restored lute, so 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) string length 62.9cm in g' at a=440Hz. The original rose design, shown here has a roped border, typical of this type of renaissance lute. Hear it here

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

Below is another Burkholtzer with the same materials as above but with a golden rose and tuned to a=380 Hz (Renaissance pitch/Pretorius' Chorton pitch) with part gut trebles and and octaves with CD loaded gut bases, the string length is 64cm, this can be heard here. If this pitch is not preferred then a new set of Nylgut and CD basses could always be ordered at standard 440Hz pitch but a new size of strings would need to be calculated.

£2575+ Kingham case £618 (discounted to £2175 + case £618 for variation in soundboard colour as seen below, made 2021)

Here this golden rose Burkholtzer being played below: 

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



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)

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)

For sale new lower price 2020: 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

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.

5 course Medieval lute c1480

£1683 inc case, Sold, 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. 
Currently located in London Early Music Shop

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

£1200 inc case SOLD 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.

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.

Theorbo based on Pietro Railich c1639 (Brussels MIM 1569)

Currently this instrument exists in three pieces in the museum, to some extent makes seeing inside easier so the barring can be recorded in technical drawing.  This instrument is a 'medium' sized theorbo at 79/162 cm string length and does feel easier to play and has an archlute feel to it especially having a dolphin tail bridge ending, the bridge on the original not being original but probably replaced in 1678 as indicated by the museum providing a second date for the instrument, a repair label usually. The rose had to be reconstructed somewhat, the drawing by the late great Stephen Gottlieb didn't have the rose drawn on (maybe indicating it was taken from another theorbo and inlaid into this one). Below is a picture of the original and the restored design newly made, and the original instrument in it's current 3-piece state: