Theorbo
 

Short scale? Long scale? Why not both. Think fan frets or harp guitar? But then there's this.

I'd only seen a theorbo in paintings, so I really enjoyed coming upon this video that not only shows it's sounds, but includes a discussion about what the design aims for.



Interesting to see that an unusual tuning scheme is used ("Like a ukulele" the musician says). She also says she travels with it a lot. What kind of case would such a monster have?

I'd rather have one of these - https://youtu.be/WQB28sqA8aQ

I wonder what people who think that "people with small hands need 1 11/16 inch wide at the nut necks" would think seeing this video. The idea of low open strings would be nice for some pieces. The video doesn't give any idea of the scale of this guitar other than the small inset, but they do ring out nice.

:lol: !!

Thinking of scale length again, I wonder if I'd ask "Does your theorbo have a truss rod?"

And the answer would be: "Why yes, it's about that long."

.

Crickets, as no one will get that joke.

XXX-long scale....

I attended a concert by Cristina Pluhar and her group L’Arpeggiata, in LA a couple of years ago; she was playing a theorbo. It was otherworldly....the theorbo and some of the small guitars were FAR louder than I’d imagined.

It’s a long lesson to learn to play, because the design is far from standardized. But the end result is glorious music.

https://www.arpeggiata.com/