The Lute Society maintains a fleet of hire instruments (currently 44 lutes and other instruments), for the use of:
prospective beginners wanting to try the lute before deciding to buy their own;
any player who wants to try one of the rarer types of lute;
attendees at playing days who need a stock of bass lutes, treble lutes, etc.
Most of the instruments are held at the premises of Bridgewood and Neitzert of Stoke Newington, London www.vivaceviolin.com/ and prospective hirers are warmly encouraged to go and see, try, collect and return lutes in person - though instruments can be couriered to those who cannot make the trip to London.
Beginners who are not sure what they want are welcome to bring their teacher, or invite a representative of the Lute Society to help them choose a lute.
The hire charge, unless otherwise stated on the inventory below, is £30 per month, and the hirer is asked to pay carriage - so for many UK residents it will be cheaper as well as safer to collect and return the lute in person. Please note that LARGER INSTRUMENTS are disproportionately expensive to courier and it will often be cheaper to travel in person even a long distance to London to collect or drop off a long-necked lute.
Please direct initial enquiries to the Secretary of the Lute Society, who maintains the waiting list; .
Please note, you must be a member of the lute society to hire most of these lutes. This does not apply to the "theatrical" lutes; theatrical companies may be restricted to the sturdier instruments, however, unless a designated professional musician in the company takes responsibility for a hire instrument.
We regret that because of the very high risk of loss or damage when lutes are sent by air freight, OVERSEAS MEMBERS can hire lutes ONLY if they can guarantee to both collect and return hire instruments travelling overland (using the Channel tunnel) or by sea ferry.
Some of these instruments are on long term loan to the society.
Grading and photographs: we are currently in the process of grading and photographing all the instruments.
Grade A: fit to be played in a public concert
Grade B: generally slightly worn instruments
Grade C: generally heavily-built, guitar-influenced, less historically-informed lutes, built before the 1980s, and available at reduced price.
PLEASE NOTE that if one of the 'Grade A' instruments on the list is not available, you may hire one of the more basic 'Grade B' or Grade 'C instruments' without losing your place on the waiting list for a best quality instrument.
Rules of the hire scheme
Hirers agree that they are responsible for the care and condition of the hired instrument, and in particular undertake that:
a] the instrument should not be left against a radiator or in prolonged direct sunlight,
b] the instrument must not under any circumstances be left in an unattended motor vehicle, since this voids theft insurance,
c] the instrument may not be transported by air, because of the danger that check-in staff might refuse it to be carried as hand luggage and require it to be put in the hold,
d] the hirer will not change the tuning of the instrument, and especially not raise the pitch of the strings, without consulting Bridgewood and Neitzert about selective restringing,
e] the hirer will promptly inform Bridgewood and Neitzert of any accidental damage, so that Bridgewood and Neitzert can either carry out repairs or designate another professional luthier to carry out repairs, in consultation with the Lute Society,
f] the hirer will consult Bridgewood and Neitzert about replacement of strings which break during hire, or any other restringing; within reason the Lute Society will supply and bear the cost of replacement strings.
Instrument list
no. 1: 6 course lute in G, by Martin Haycock
on hire
no. 2: 6 course lute in G, 60.5 cm, by David van Edwards summer school (1999) Grade: A
on hire
no. 3: 7 course lute in G, 59 cm, by David van Edwards (1978), grade A
on hire
no. 4: 7 course lute in F# (G at 415), 63.5 cm, by Stephen Gottlieb (1998), grade: A
on hire
no. 5: 8 course lute in G, 63cm, by Paul Hunt (1979), Grade: A
on hire
no. 6: 7 course lute in G, by John Gorrett, Grade: A
on hire
no. 7: 7 course lute in G, 60cm, by Chris Allen, grade: B
on hire
no. 8: 8 course lute in G, by Stephen Barber and Sandi Harris
on hire
no. 9: 8 course lute in G, by Anthony Campbell (1977)
on hire
no. 10: 10 course lute in G, 63cm, by J Karoubi, grade: B
on hire
no. 11: 11 course D minor baroque lute (at baroque pitch), by David van Edwards summer school (2003), grade: A
on hire
no. 12: 13 course D minor baroque lute, 71.5/100 cm by David van Edwards summer school (2000), grade: A
on hire
no. 13: 7 course lute in F, by David van Edwards summer school (2005)
on hire
no. 14: 6 course bass lute in D, by David van Edwards summer school (2002), with Gordon Gregory, grade: A
available
no. 15: 8 course bass lute in D, 76cm, by Philip Macleod Coupe (1973), grade: B
available
no. 16: theorbo in A [at 415], 82/166.5 cm, by David van Edwards summer school (2001), grade: A
on hire
no. 17: 14 course 'liuto attiorbato' or archlute [in G] by David van Edwards summer school (2006)
available
no. 18: 5 course mediaeval lute [in G], 58.5 cm by David van Edwards summer school (2008), grade: A
on hire
no. 19: 4 course mediaeval gittern in C, 44.5cm, by David van Edwards summer school (2008) Grade: A
on hire
no. 20: 6 course mandora in d', 72 cm, by David van Edwards summer school (2007), grade: A
available
no. 21: 4 course renaissance guitar in A, 55cm, by Neil Morrison (1980), grade: A
available
no. 22: 7 course lute in G, 59 cm, by John Gorrett, made for Early Music Shop (undated, marked 'no. 102'), suitable for theatrical hire, grade: B
available
no. 23: 6 course lute in G, 62 cm, suitable for theatrical hire, grade: C, £20 per month only
available
no. 24: 8 course guitar lute in G, by Guitarra Estruch of Spain (1968), 61 cm, grade C: £20 per month only, suitable for theatrical hire
available
no. 25: 4 course carved-from-solid cittern in E, by John Pringle (1976) grade: C, very basic instrument, £10 per month only
under repair
no. 26: 7 course treble lute currently in C but could be restrung in D, 43.5 cm, by Mark Butler (1980), grade: A
available
no. 27: 7 course treble lute in C, 51 cm, by Mark Butler (1977)
with norfolk children's project
no. 28: 4 course guitar in A, 55 cm, by Robert Rivie (1982), grade: A
available
no. 29: 7 course lute in F, 66 cm, by Mark Butler (1981)
on hire
no. 30: 10 course lute in E, 72 cm, by Mark Butler (1978)grade: A
on hire
no. 31: 10 course bass lute in C, 89 cm, by Mark Butler (1981), grade: A
available
no. 32: 7 course bandora in A, 71/76cm by Lyn Elder (1977), grade: A
available
no. 33: 6 course cittern in E, 47 cm, by David Madigan (1975), grade: A
available
no. 34: 6 course vihuela in A, 54 cm, by Robert Rivie (1984), grade: A
available
no. 35: wooden tenor flute in D, by Phil Levin, grade: A
available
no. 36: wooden descant flute in D, by Phil Levin, grade: A
available
no. 37: 7 course plastic-backed Progress lute, grade: C
unavailable
no. 38: 6 course single strung, 'Wandervogel' guitar-lute,60.5cm, (1920s?) in E, grade: C, suitable for theatrical hire, this is in normal guitar tuning and stringing, and would suit an actor who wanted to play something familiar but which is lute-shaped, £20 per month only
on hire
no. 39: 6 course lute in G, 60cm, by Bruce Brook (1997), grade A
on hire
no. 40: 7 course Harwood and Isaacs kit lute built by Alan Hoyle
with norfolk children's project
no. 41: 8 course lute, by Eric Mcleod (1981), refurbished by Luke Emmet (2011), 63 cm
on hire
no. 42: 6 course student lute by Barber and Harris, 60cm (2002)
on hire
no. 43: 8 course lute, 62cm, by Stephen Gottlieb (1972)
on hire
no. 44: 12 course double-headed lute by David van Edwards summer school (2010), 673, 720, 780, 850, 938 mm, currently in French flat tuning but can be retuned to baroque D minor at A=392 (i.e. C minor at modern pitch), grade A
on hire
no. 45: Triple-headed 13 course baroque lute in D minor, tuned at baroque pitch, 720, 885, and 1010 mm, by David van Edwards summer school after Jauck (2011), grade: A
on hire
no. 46: 6 course lute in G [A=440], 56cm, by Eric Franklin (2011) with short scale length - intended for children, grade: B
under repair
no. 47: 6 course lute in G, 58cm, by Mark Butler (1978), grade: A
on hire
no. 48: 7 course lute in G, 60cm, by James Marriage (2011), grade: A
