About My Lute
One of my favorite things about the lute is the quality of craftsmanship that goes into the instrument. The lute is more than the sound it makes. Lutes are beautiful works of art in their own right with many surviving instruments displayed in the world’s best museums. The luthiers who create these instruments are deserving of recognition and praise for the great work they do in making such precise instruments.
My lute is no different and I wanted to take a moment to talk about its background and about the lute itself and its luthier.
My lute is no different and I wanted to take a moment to talk about its background and about the lute itself and its luthier.
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My lute was made by Colin Everett in 1973. My lute has a maker’s tag says that this was Everett’s sixth lute. It is made from bird’s eye maple. It is a seven-course renaissance lute. It is tuned G4, D4, A4/A4, F3/F3, C4/C3, G3/G2, F3/F2.
I bought the lute in 2021 on ebay from an antique and estate consignment shop in Rhode Island. Although the lute was nearly 50 years old when I bought it, it was still in perfect condition. Even the original hard case was in good condition. It was probably never or rarely used after it was made and sat until the liquidation of the owner’s estate. Although I have tried to track down who initially bought the lute and/or who owned it before me, I have had no success.
I bought the lute in 2021 on ebay from an antique and estate consignment shop in Rhode Island. Although the lute was nearly 50 years old when I bought it, it was still in perfect condition. Even the original hard case was in good condition. It was probably never or rarely used after it was made and sat until the liquidation of the owner’s estate. Although I have tried to track down who initially bought the lute and/or who owned it before me, I have had no success.
Everett was born in England and emigrated to Canada in the 1960s. He began making lutes in the early 1970s. Everett made and sold lutes (and other renaissance instruments) as a hobby. By trade he was a chemistry professor.
Because my lute was made in the 1970s, Everett followed the convention of the time to construct it similarly to standard classical guitar conventions rather than purely historically informed lute construction. This was the common practice at the time as the early music movement was beginning to gain more popularity.
For example, my lute was to built the neck with metal frets rather than tying on gut frets. The bridge on my lute is also more similar to a guitar bridge. These are things that I have considered having updated on my lute, but I have enjoyed playing it as it is and not felt a strong need to change it, especially because I am an amateur player.
I am told that Everett would have charged $1000 or more for a lute in his early years. By the 1990s, he was charging $3000 for a lute. He also updated his lute construction techniques and kept improving his mastery of the craft. The idiosyncrasies of the 1970s gave way to more historically informed construction methods. One thing that Everett focused on in his lutes was making them as lightweight as possible.
Because my lute was made in the 1970s, Everett followed the convention of the time to construct it similarly to standard classical guitar conventions rather than purely historically informed lute construction. This was the common practice at the time as the early music movement was beginning to gain more popularity.
For example, my lute was to built the neck with metal frets rather than tying on gut frets. The bridge on my lute is also more similar to a guitar bridge. These are things that I have considered having updated on my lute, but I have enjoyed playing it as it is and not felt a strong need to change it, especially because I am an amateur player.
I am told that Everett would have charged $1000 or more for a lute in his early years. By the 1990s, he was charging $3000 for a lute. He also updated his lute construction techniques and kept improving his mastery of the craft. The idiosyncrasies of the 1970s gave way to more historically informed construction methods. One thing that Everett focused on in his lutes was making them as lightweight as possible.
He also made harps, rackets, and travel lutes of his own invention that could easily be transported and tuned. Two of Everett’s lutes have been featured in the Canadian Museum of History. One an early lute from 1974 and another, a later lute made in the 1990s. In total, he made over 70 lutes.
Unfortunately, Everett died in 2011 from a degenerative disease. After I bought my lute, I tracked down a family member who put me in touch with Everett’s best friend who continues to play medieval and renaissance lute. Everett’s friend expressed how much he enjoyed his company and Everett’s wide array of hobbies and passions.
I play almost everyday and sometimes I feel like I come close to doing the instrument justice.
Unfortunately, Everett died in 2011 from a degenerative disease. After I bought my lute, I tracked down a family member who put me in touch with Everett’s best friend who continues to play medieval and renaissance lute. Everett’s friend expressed how much he enjoyed his company and Everett’s wide array of hobbies and passions.
I play almost everyday and sometimes I feel like I come close to doing the instrument justice.
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