About the Liuto forte
Early History
- Lute and guitar – a dilemma?
- Lute and guitar in the 20th century
- Why the lute died out
- Original instruments – original sound?
- The stringing of historical lutes
- Rift between guitar and lute
- Distinctions in sound
- Methods of guitar and lute construction
- The guitar’s limited bass range
About the Liuto forte
- A Lute for the 21st century
- “Guitar-lute“ or “authentic“ lute
- Historical Liuti forti
- Single or double strings?
- Liuto forte sound
- Liuto forte stringing
- Fingertips or nails?
- The belly
- Fine tuning
- The rose
- Fixed or tied-on frets?
- Tuning pegs
- The nut
- The fingerboard
- The bridge
- Playing position
- Playing technique
- Prospects
The Belly
In general, historical lutes have a completely flat belly. This means that it begins to bend and sink inwards, just in front of the bridge, as soon as tension is put on the strings. Acoustically, this has a detrimental effect on the middle-range of the instrument. Even the very slight convex “doming” on the belly of the liuto forte is enough to prevent this depression, or “dishing” effect. One hundred-year-old Spanish guitars which received the correct doming of the belly show no evidence today of a tendency to sink inwards at the bridge.
