Tales from Guerilla Lutherie!

Thank you very much Mark! The short time I have spent in this early guitars and vihuela group has already been great for doing some research. I am looking forward to check in once a week and see what is happening.

Hi Mark,  What is the confusion about the string calculator?  You can call me at 866-616-0675 or email: sorli@lautenwerk.com

Steven

The lack of corner blocks in historical viols (and in some violins too) is not that uncommon and the building method(s) of such instruments is usually thought of as without using a mould. I don't use any either. My original 'dai Libri' model (http://www.vihuelademano.com/viola-da-mano/daiLibri.htm) has 58cm string length , and the other (http://www.vihuelademano.com/viola-da-mano/daiLibri_viola-da-mano_inG.htm) 56 cm. They can both be tuned in G (a' 440), it's a matter of your choice. The neck to body length proportions, as is seen on some iconographic representations, can differ quite considerably, so the neck can be long as to allow for 12 (if not more!?) tied-on frets. One such viola is depicted on the painting by Frencisco Venegas (c. 1582 - 1591) in Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Luz (Lisboa). Here again it's up to you how long the neck should be.

The body dimensions of my 58cm SL viola da mano are: body length 37.5cm, body width 12.5cm / 7.5cm / 10.6cm (bottom / middle / upper bouts). These are taken from my drawing (I no longer have the instrument with me) and represent the internal outline of the body so you'd need to add c.1-2mm to the figures to allow for the thickness of the sides.

I'm not sure that the difference in sound is so dramatic, just because of different body outline... From the early 19th century onwards guitar makers have made guitars with any possible (and impossible! :)) shape that one can only imagine. However, we are still stuck with the sort of shape that is traditionally associated with the guitar or, for that matter, vihuela. Good luck anyway!