So it seems, re-drilling the holes in a lute bridge is just something that has to happen sometimes, when the player decides it's time for a different string spacing. It also seems that, when I'm doing it, the customer wants the entire bridge re-drilled. In this scenario, my impatience wins the fight, and I find simply twisting a drill between my fingers for the entire bridge, more than I can bear. I am going to try to describe an operation that I've become accustomed to. Don't get me wrong, there is most likely, a better solution.

 I much prefer to drill the holes from the rose side. I don't care as much about the rear end of the bridge, only that the holes line up somewhat tidily. It's quite often the case that the drill can wander off it's course. This is why I prefer the rose side. I like to design the distance between the hole and the top of the bridge to enable a clear indication of how high the string's action will be. The lute string will ultimately like to lie somewhere in the middle of that distance using the classic loop tie. Also, I can make slight deviations from the original hole, left or right, which is usually the case.


With all of this in mind, I have been using a somewhat simple method and what I will describe as a bow drill. Instead of twisting the drill bit between my fingers, the bow drill will do the work in a fraction of the time. Like with many lute repair operations, you need to be extremely careful. Here is the apparatus.

I am somewhat embarrassed with it's simpleness and lack of refinement. I could likely spend a bit more time and design the tool rather than finding the bits and pieces around the shop. However, at first, I wasn't convinced that it would work.

The drill bit is easily acquired from a jewelry supply house. You can find the proper diameters and the business end is just barely long enough to get through the bridge. The shank of the drill is thicker than the drilling diameter which allows the drill to follow the direction you give it a bit more than a long spindly bit would.

The block of wood holds the blunt end of the bit securely and at the correct height from the soundboard. To make them slightly different as you progress towards the bass, I will shim the block with masking tape as required. Hold the block securely from the back and forth motion of the bow. This unfortunately, is the spot where pressure might be applied to the soundboard, likely between the two soundboard braces. You do have to hold it somewhat securely. Only apply as much pressure as necessary to keep the drill straight. Watch out for the end of the bow you're not holding! Don't drive it into the edge of the soundboard.

You are using the soundboard as a table at this point and extreme caution needs to be observed so as not to put too much pressure on it's delicate areas, which is anything other than the extreme edges. It can be tricky to a hold the lute in this position, as it wants to rock on it's back and this just has to be dealt with one way or another. I lightly rest my arm around the edge where the binding is, if I need to.

The bow is merely a length of hardwood notched to accept an old string. Wrap the string around the bit several times to provide enough surface area to allow friction to grab the bit. If  you are pressing too hard into the bridge the bit will grab, overcoming the friction of the bowing string and you'll have to back it out and try again. This is a nuisance because you'll likely have to re-twist the string around the bit.

To drill the hole, you need to measure and prick your points with a sharpened metal rod to give the drill point somewhere to begin, as is standard drilling practice. Don't push into the bridge, only light forward momentum is needed if any at all. Let the drill work. I concentrate all my efforts on protecting the lute from inadvertent damage by the bow and to keeping the drill straight. The height is already set by your block of wood holding the other end of the drill.

Leave it to a lutemaker, to derive pleasure from a tool like this. I'm sure with time and money that I could find a machine tool to do the job. The last time I did this was 2007, so I will likely grab this tool the next time I need it and marvel at simple physics, while doing a mundane task. The jewelers Archimedes push drill didn't work for me. It's diameter was too thick and mine gave up only after a few practice holes were drilled.

This operation is somewhat quirky, demanding your attention. It does have the benefit of using technology that our highly skilled ancient lutemakers might have used. The only point to this being most of the parts can be obtained rather quickly and likely just lying around. I would certainly try gluing a bit in the end of a dowel and try that before. However, if accuracy suffers here may be an alternative.

A Vihuela for Eugene

Eugene Braig- fishery biologist, guitar and mandolin aficionado, and Artisitic Director for the Columbus Guitar society,  http://columbusguitarsociety.org/ -brought me a vihuela to work on.

It was clearly constructed to a guitar-like concept. A massive bridge with saddle and placed approximately in the center of the lower bout. The fingerboard was elevated and blended into the soundboard at the join. I have found similar qualities including the figured maple back and the identical color of shellac-finish on instruments by Hans Jordan, although this one had no label. It may have been produced early in his career or by someone following his example.

I removed the top and found a soundboard that was braced like a modern guitar, yet very crudely and heavily. There were some inlaid bits of spruce between the main braces. We decided that it should  be replaced with appropriate barring.

Another feature I have found In Jordan's instruments is dovetailed necks. The heel is "dovetailed" into the neckblock. here is the image on the left.

The lute pictured here also has the dovetailed neck feature and is labeled Hans Jordan. The bars on the lute, however, were a little more carefully executed. A lot of time was spent on this joint. Interestingly, As the case with the Jordan lute, there is no real improvement on original lute design/model. His lute was in my shop to repair the neck that had "come up" revealing air between the neck body joint.

Of course, the neck was back angled to accept the height of the saddled bridge, which we hoped to replace with a more appropriate unsaddled bridge. Tuning pegs were also thick ebony shanks that were hopeless. The only thing seemingly decent, at this point was the shell, the back and sides. The shell was beautiful curly Acer pseudoplatanus or common European maple. With so much to our dismay, we decided on a total rebuild, keeping only the shell and fingerboard.

This sort of work has been done before. Our ancestors would take a bowl and re-use it, building a more modern concept onto it, and I believe that is what I have done here. The difference here is, what was lost or changed, I don't expect to be missed by future generations, judging by the completed instrument's aesthetic and vastly improved sound, there is just no comparison.

For Instance, I replaced a crudely cut rosette with this rose. I copied this design from the Stradivarius guitar The Rawlins in the National Music Museum in South Dakota. This is not a guitar, but I believe roses transcend their accompanying instruments and a fair design for the vihuela.

I moved the bridge position lower down the soundboard and subsequently had to increase the string length to maintain the tenth fret, neck side of the body join. Luckily, I was able to shorten the new pegbox so all would still fit in the case. The original pegbox left a little to be desired, see images above. I set to work on a new set of pegs and designed a slightly curved, yet simple pegbox.

The instrument still has the body outline described by it's original design and Eugene expressly requested to keep the original lateral peg layout, he believes the aesthetic is derived from this painting.

In the end, it was worth the effort. I'm happy to say Eugene and I are pleased with the result. I spent the better part of last weekend playing through some lute music. I have yet to learn the upside down tablature for this instrument.


Finally, the completed instrument.

You'll have to excuse a couple of these photographs. I didn't notice until later that the fourth course had popped out it's position in the nut.