Martin Hoffmann Baroque Lute

The original instrument was made by Martin Hoffmann, with the neck added by his son Joh. Christian Hoffmann, in Leipzig, Germany. The date of the construction is a little uncertain, but the instrument seems to have been made around 1670, and is now in the Germanisches National Museum in Nuremberg, item number MI 245. The stringing is arranged with eight courses on the fingerboard at 69.5cm and five courses on an extension at 97cm. Although the instrument pictured here has a plain-backed extension, the back of the extension on the original is richly carved with floral figures.

The cross-section of this instrument is slightly deeper than half round, which gives the tone of instrument a silvery, introspective quality having shimmering treble notes and deep basses.
The original instrument has 9-figured maple ribs with ebony spacers.

Lute specifications, Baroque model:

  • String length 69.5cm (27 1/4")

  • Overall length 122cm (48")

  • Body length 48.5cm (19")

  • Neck length 29.5cm (11 3/4" )

  • Body width 31cm (12 1/4")

  • Body depth 17.5cm (6 3/4")

 

 

 

 

Baroque Lute Features:

  • Back and sides: 9 ribs, wood of choice with ebony spacers

  • Engelmann spruce "AAA" quality

  • Choice of rose design

  • Neck - spruce with ebony veneer

  • Ebony fingerboard, with points

  • Pegs: rosewood, boxwood or ebony

  • End button: to match pegs

  • Bone nut

  • Extension - carved maple stained black

  • Nylon top strings and octaves with wound nylon basses

  • Maple bridge with ebony top plate

  • Ebony outlined mother of pearl or ivory heart at bottom of front

  • Ebony front edge half binding

Back options:

  • Pearwood back

  • Figured maple back

  • Bird's eye maple back

  • Yew heartwood back

Front wood options:

AAA Englemann
Western red cedar
Sitka spruce
Figured sitka spruce
Italian Alpine spruce
Figured Italian Alpine spruce

Peg choices:

  • Ebony

  • Rosewood

  • Boxwood

  • Mechanical PegHed pegs