Thomann Lute Guitar Standard Walnut

This is simply BEAUTIFULL INSTRUMENT WITH NICE SOUND !
If wanna try the old music sound by the easiest way and affordable instrument, skip from class.guitar to this - it has only 6 strings and same tunning like guitar. Simple.
WHAT YOU GET:
- A beautifull instrument from massive - all used woods are nice.
- classic tunnig mechanics works good and keep tunning fine; much better than classic-lute style pegs...
- classic guitar neck, where "E2" is near body !!! Look carefully to photos! Last possible barre chord E-type is Eb!!!
SOUND: it is NOT a doubled strings (courses) choir instrument as classic lute - by single strings is much close to a classic guitar. You can play a Flamenco or classic gt pieces. Tunning is much easier!!!
BUT: tonal characteristics are different - lute body, lute sound. Wellcome to the Luigi XIV court!
CONS: = MINIMUM, but:
- due its rounded body is really problematic keep & play without a support or a strap - It is still slipping! But there are no strap-pegs..
- theres no adjustable truss rod in the neck - surely, understand its a copy of an ancient instrument - but no space for neck/string adjustment !
- AND THE WORST: THE STRINGS ARE REALLY HIGH - WAY ABOVE THE NECK FRETS !!! From 5th fret - DAMM! I believe, it was an obvious fact at renaissance times, but we are hundred years later - no craftmanship improvement? Such fantastic looking and sounding instrument must torture a player??? Even with a nylon strings...
This is 3rd instrument of the same Portugal producer and THE SAME PROBLEM! Think (for this considerable money) the instrument is to be a much better adjusted!
So - look carefully, if the Lute you get is great for hanging on the wall, or ready for a hours of playing... !!!
Really sad to write the same once again..
CONCLUSION: a very nice instrument you cant find by this price at the market !!! But look on - IS IT PLAYER-FRIENDLY...???
Then count additional considerable money for somebody handle enough to do, what a producer "forgot"..

Of course I never have enough instrument, especially guitars so when I decided to get a new one, straight away I went to Thomann website. I like the traditional acoustic instruments and thought about getting a lute but as a classical guitarist I wanted mainly the sound of a lute and the convenience of a classical guitar. This lute is perfectly fitting the bill. Well made (love the walnut back, so gorgeous) and the soundhole rosace is beautiful. I'm also a huge fan of the spruce top! Playability is really good too. Definitely recommend to get the lute sound but keep the simplicity of playing a guitar. There's a bit of a learning curve to hold the lute at first but it's definitely worth the effort. Thanks Thomann!

I have never in my life found a an acoustic or classical guitar that sounded so good I had to have it. I've played $2000-$4000 guitars and nothing has wowed me.

I live in the USA so I couldn't play this one before i ordered it but its always been a dream of mine to learn lute.. this solves the problem so for the price I decided to give it a shot.. WOW. this thing is absolutely stunning. soo much reverb and sustain absolutely gorgeous tone.

The one caveat is that i changed the strings to real catgut strings which cost me about $100 I also tried the nylgut strings which were only about $20 and sounded great I just cant stand the plastic feel and sound of typical nylon strings.

If you always wanted to play a lute or if you want an amazing sounding classical guitar, it also feels great, I Highly Highly recommend this lute guitar. I own around 20 guitars from Gibson down to glarry and this is may be my all time favorite.

Je voulais essayer cet instrument car la forme est originale, tout en conservant le diapason et l'espacement des cordes propres à une guitare classique (650mm, sillet 50/52mm)
A réception, j'ai été surpris de recevoir l'instrument juste dans une petite housse, avec deux malheureux bouts de papier pour protéger lors du transport, l'instrument n'était pas du tout calé, une chance qu'il soit arrivé entier.

La qualité des bois utilisés est bonne, la table en pin massif d'Engelmann est très belle, le veinage est bien visible. C'est une question de goût, j'aime voir le veinage du bois.

En revanche, là où j'ai été vraiment déçu, c'est le soin apporté aux finitions. Sur certains modèles visibles dans des vidéos, on voit qu'il y a un binding noir sur le côté de la touche. Là, il n'y en a pas, et on voit le sillon des frettes. Ensuite, la tête est peinte en noir, mon modèle était mal peint, il y avait pas mal de bavures. Les sillets sont en plastique gris, et pour 400€, ça laisse un peu le sentiment d'un instrument cheap avec les coûts de productions tirés vers le bas au maximum...

Pour finir, je parlerai brièvement du son. Je me doutais qu'il serait plus faible qu'une guitare classique, mais il est vraiment très pauvre. Aucune basse, pas spécialement de brillance non plus... J'ai l'impression de retrouver le son de la guitare de voyage nylon que j'ai payé 50€.

En bref, les instruments fabriqués au Portugal par APC, c'est fini pour moi. J'ai déjà eu une classique 8 cordes et une 7 cordes fabriquées par eux, et force est de constater que la qualité et le soin sont bien moindres que des instruments made in china comme Harley Benton, qui sont, bien au dessus en terme de rapport qualité prix.

Cet instrument tient plus du jouet que d'autre chose, 399€ me semble être un prix délirant, j'en donnerais maximum 150€.