Plucked Instruments

maple-ormesby

Based on the Ormesby Psalter from the 14th C, this citole has a solid maple body with a carved Griffin’s head, high quality spruce top with a walnut tailpiece and fingerboard, maple bridge, ebony frets, boxwood nut, medieval style pegs and nylgut strings.  It comes with a custom hard case and is available for immediate shipping.

$1695.00 US

Dragon-citole

Based on a 14th C Flemish MS and a number of illuminated 14th Wyverns or dragons, this citole a very thick solid cherry body with a high grade spruce soundboard, walnut tailpiece, maple bridge, figured maple fingerboard, boxwood nut and medieval style pegs with nylgut stings.  It comes with a custom hard case and is available for immediate shipping.

$1695.00US

lion-citole-(3)

Based on a number of citoles in the Queen Mary Psalter from the 14th C, this instrument has a carved lion’s head based on a 14th C Aquamanili on its solid cherry body with a thumb hole, high grade spruce soundboard, walnut tailpiece, maple bridge, walnut fingerboard, boxwood nut, French polished finish and nylgut strings and tied on frets.  It comes with a custom wooden case and is available for immediate shipping.

Sold

sutton-hoo-lyre

Based on the remains of the Sutton Hoo lyre in the British Museum, this instrument has a solid figured maple body with a spruce soundboard, cherry tailpiece, maple bridge and nylgut strings.  These instruments are fairly quiet and are intended for vocal accompaniment as were the originals.  Available for immediate shipping.

$324.95US

6th-c-oberflacht-lyre

Based on the remains of a 6th C lyre from Oberflacht, this instrument has a solid cherry body with a spruce soundboard, cherry tailpiece, maple bridge, nylgut strings and a French polished finish.  It is available for immediate shipping.

Sold

symcamore-cantiga-citole

Based on the Cantigas de Santa Maria, this citole has an interesting solid spaulted sycamore body with a spruce soundboard, cherry tailpiece, maple bridge, boxwood nut, tied on nylon frets, nylgut strings and a French polish finish.  It is currently set up with strings for ADF# and is great for playing chords.  It comes with a custom case.  Available for immediate shipping.

$749.95US

chordal-cantiga-citole

Here is another but with a solid poplar body, spruce soundboard, cherry tailpiece, maple bridge, walnut fingerboard, ebony nut and nylon guitar strings.  It has a deeper body than most of our poplar instruments.   Available for immediate shipping.

$419.95US

1567-English-guitar

Based on on of the English examples on the Eglantine Table, probably about 1567, this early Renaissance guitar has a solid cherry body with a nice spruce soundboard, walnut tailpiece, maple bridge and fingerboard, boxwood nut, tied on nylon frets and nylgut strings.  It has a slightly shorter scale than usual and is tuned Gg cc ee a.  It comes with a simple custom wood case and is available for immediate shipping.

$699.95US

15-c-florence-vihuela

Based on a 15th C drawing from Florence, this vihuela has a solid cherry body with a spruce soundboard, walnut tailpiece, maple bridge, boxwood nut, wood frets and nylgut strings.  It has exceptional resonance and good tone.   It comes with a simple custom case.

$649.95US

walnut-parma

Based on the 12th C Parma Baptistry, this citole has 5 strings instead of the original 4.  It has a thick solid walnut body with a high quality spruce sound board, walnut tailpiece, maple bridge, cherry fingerboard, boxwood nut, synthetic gut frets and strings.  There is a hand rubbed French polish finish.  It comes with a custom case.  Available for immediate shipping.

$849.95US

14-c-paris-ms

Based on the 14th C Paris MS, this citole has a solid poplar body with a spruce soundboard, white oak tailpiece, maple bridge and fingerboard, boxwood nut and modern nylon guitar strings.  Available for immediate shipping.

$419.95US

Sycamore-paris-citole

Also based on the Paris MS, this citole has a solid spaulted sycamore body with a spruce soundboard, cherry tailpiece, maple bridge, walnut fingerboard, boxwood nut, nylgut tied on frets and nylgut strings.  It has amazing resonance and comes with a custom case.  It is available for immediate shipping.

$799.95US

14-c-flemish

Based on a 14th C Flemish MS, this citole has a solid poplar body with a spruce soundboard, walnut tailpiece, maple bridge, maple fingerboard, boxwood nut, wooden frets and modern nylon guitar strings.  It has a smaller neck size and is available for immediate shipping.

sold

9th-C-German

Based on a number of 9th C German MS, this citole has  a solid poplar body with a spruce soundboard, cherry or oak tailpiece, maple bridge, walnut, cherry or maple fingerboard, boxwood nut, wooden or tied on nylon frets and modern nylon guitar strings.  It has a 22″- 24.75″ scale length and a nice deep tone.  Available for immediate shipping.

$469.95US

15th-c-vihuela

Based on a number of different pictures, this 15th C Vihuela has a solid poplar body with a spruce soundboard, white oak tailpiece, maple bridge, cherry fingerboard, boxwood nut and nylon guitar strings.  It has good tone and excellent volume.  Available for immediate shipping.

$599.95

14-c-rouen

Based on a 14th C stained glass window in Rouen, this citole has a solid poplar body with a spruce soundboard, white oak tailpiece, maple bridge, walnut fingerboard, boxwood nut and nylon guitar strings.  It has very narrow neck and is well suited to someone with smaller hands.  Available for immediate shipping.

SOLD

13-c-reims

Based on a figure in the 13th C Reims Cathedral, this instrument has a solid poplar body with a spruce soundboard, walnut tailpiece, maple bridge, walnut fingerboard, boxwood nut, tied nylon frets and modern nylon guitar strings.  It has a smaller neck and shorter scale, so might be more comfortable for those who don’t have large hands.  Available for immediate shipping.

sold

 

ormesby

Based on the 14th C Ormesby Psalter, this citole has a solid poplar body with a spruce soundboard, walnut tailpiece, maple bridge and fingerboard,  tied frets, a boxwood nut and modern nylon guitar strings.  It is available for immediate shipping.

$349.95US

14-c-lincoln

Based on a 14th C stained glass window in Lincoln Cathedral, this citole has a solid poplar body (with a cherry back) with a spruce soundboard, white oak tailpiece, maple bridge, walnut fingerboard, boxwood nut, tied nylon frets and modern nylon guitar strings.  Available for immediate shipping.

sold

 

Based on one of the 13th C angels in Lincoln Cathedral, this citole has a solid poplar body with a spruce soundboard, maple tailpiece, maple bridge, cherry fingerboard, boxwood nut and modern nylon guitar strings.  Available for immediate shipping.

$469.95US

 

gittern-uke

This instrument is in response to a common question: do you have anything tuned like a Ukulele?  While there is no evidence for specific ukulele tuning, reentry tuning is quite documentable and the specific uke tuning would not have been considered as meaningful, it is not outside the bounds of possibility.  It has a solid cherry body with a spruce soundboard, walnut tailpiece, maple bridge, walnut fingerboard, boxwood nut, nylgut strings and a French Polish finish.  It comes with a custom made case.  While a very petite instrument, it has a surprisingly loud voice when played with a plectrum.  Available for immediate shipping.

sold

13-c-Mont-St-Michelle13-c-mt-st-michel

Based on a 13th C MS from Mont St. Michel, these citoles have a solid poplar body with a spruce soundboard, white oak tailpiece, maple bridge, walnut fingerboard, either tied nylon or wooden frets, boxwood nut and nylon strings.  Available for immediate shipping.

$494.95US

cantiga-citole

 

Our bargain citoles are based on the Cantigas de Santa Maria. These instruments have an exceptional tone and resonance.  They have a solid poplar body with a spruce soundboard, maple or white oak tailpiece, maple bridge, walnut or cherry or maple fingerboard, wood or tied nylon frets, boxwood nut and classical guitar strings.  An instrument is available for immediate shipping.

$349.95US

Here is a short video of this instrument being played.  This is not my preferred style of instrument, but you get the idea.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2-9scpBVWE

 

14-th-c-exeter-citole

Based on a 14th C. statue in the minstrel’s gallery in Exeter Cathedral, this citole has solid poplar body with a spruce soundboard, white oak tailpiece, maple bridge, cherry fingerboard, ebony nut, tied on nylon frets and nylon strings.  Available for immediate shipping.

$349.95US

14th-c-vihuela

Based on the earliest example of a plucked viol or vihuela, this instrument has a solid poplar body with a spruce soundboard, maple nut and bridge, walnut fingerboard, ebony nut, nylon tied on frets and nylon strings.  This is an easy playing instrument.  Available for immediate shipping.

$499.95US

large-st-mary-citole

A larger example based on the same St Mary’s Psalter, it is tuned GDG’D’ with the high D’ above middle C.  This citole has a solid poplar body with a spruce soundboard, walnut fingerboard, boxwood nut, rosewood pegs, maple bridge, oak tailpiece and nylon strings.  Available for immediate shipping.

$399.95US

 

ormesby-walnut

Another Ormesby citole, this instrument has a thicker solid walnut body with a spruce soundboard, mahogany fingerboard, boxwood nut, white oak tailpiece, maple bridge and nylon strings.  It has more than a full octave scale.  Available for immdeiate shipping.

$424.95US