Medieval Latin Guitar by Morillo

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Comment by Alexander Batov on March 14, 2011 at 18:51

I see ... I thought that might be the case. I suppose I don't fancy making anything 'medieval' like that for a similar reason - lack of boredom.

Comment by Rob MacKillop on March 13, 2011 at 22:12

Thanks, Sasha. I'll get around to it someday. It's an instrument I pick up when I'm bored with everything else...that doesn't happen often.

Comment by Alexander Batov on March 13, 2011 at 21:20

Rob, now you know what can happen to an instrument that's lost its 'ears' ...

I don't know what you decided about the strings but the main problem in situations like this (i.e. when the pitch is unstable) is more to do with the pegs. From what I can see in your video, the shafts of the pegs are quite chunky for use with metal strings; in particular on such, relatively short, string length. This, coupled with a higher than necessary string tension (if it is indeed high); or, in other words, if the strings are too thick, can easily lead to problems that you are experiencing.

So if you still want to stick to metal strings, using thinner gauges can help a bit. What can really make a difference, though, is fitting a sort of violin-like fine tuners: in the actual strings(!), in the area behind the bridge. I've seen something like this on somebody's English guittar and it seem to work quite well.

Anyway, here are the gauges that I would try (at c. 3.5kg per string):

g' - 0.17 steel
d' - 0.23 steel
a - 0.28 brass
d -  for this I would use wound string (something like 1010 or 1011 Pyramid) rather than, say 0.42 brass (it would be difficult to tune it precisely). Or, indeed, twisted brass string, although it might be tricky to find one.

Comment by Rob MacKillop on March 6, 2011 at 12:39

Yes and No. Read the comments below. All sorts of things were used. I feel there might be a decent instrument here, but the tuning doesn't last for more than five minutes.

Comment by Lars Hedelius-Strikkertsen on March 6, 2011 at 12:08

Hi Rob. Very nice. I see You play with a pick, was that custom.

Comment by Rob MacKillop on March 6, 2011 at 11:03

This guitar is driving me insane - it just won't stay in tune. I'm tuning it to DADG (bass to treble). I'm using the wire strings that came with it. The string length is 563mm. It seems reasonably well made, so I should be able to find strings that work. Can someone give me string gauges that should work? I don't have a micrometer to measure the present strings. I'm even contemplating giving up on wire and trying nylgut.

Comment by Akira Sakamoto on November 13, 2010 at 21:35

Thank you for the further info. I remember seeing the name "Saracen Guitar" played by Hopkinson Smith on a CD of Hesperion XX. I googled it with no avail.

Comment by Jelma van Amersfoort on November 13, 2010 at 21:14

Peasant's feet? Oh dear.

Comment by Rob MacKillop on November 13, 2010 at 19:56

They used all sorts of plectra - tree bark, peacock feathers, peasant's feet, etc...

Looks like a citole. The 'Latin' part is in opposition to the Saracen guitar. Murky waters.

Comment by Akira Sakamoto on November 12, 2010 at 12:17

Thank you for introducing this interesting and beautiful four-course instrument! Does the Latin guitar have any relationship with the citole?

As for the pick, even though the bird's feather should be historically correct and not too difficult to obtain, how about the stylus pick as an alternative? :D
http://www.styluspick.com/

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