JAUME BOSSER
LUTHIER
INSTRUMENTS
JAUME BOSSERLUTHIERINSTRUMENTS
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All instruments and photos made by Jaume Bosser.
Click on any picture for an enlarged view.
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Student model: 7 courses,
Belly profile based on Wendelio Venere (Padua, 1582), body of 9 ribs
and semicircular cross section
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2.300 € |
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Professional model : 7 courses, belly profile based on Wendelio Venere (Padua, 1582), body of 9 ribs and semicircular cross section With edge binding at the belly, spacer strips between ribs, fingerboard points, veneered pegbox and a more elaborated rose.
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3.200 € |
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Historical model : 6 courses, based on George Gerle, Innsbruck, middle XVIth c., belly of 9 ribs |
3.500 € |
From 6 to 10 courses, count 50 € per course for all the models.
Examples of body wood choices:
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rosewood and cypress |
Dyed cherry |
maple and cherry |
rosewood |
Curly maple |
Birdseye maple |
Decorative options:
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pike under the bridge |
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Fingerboard framed with white strips of boxwood or synthetic ivory (also available in natural bone, please ask) |
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Neck and pegbox veneered with contrasting strips of ebony and maple |
| Suplement including all the above options | 400 € |
Professional model: belly profile based on J.C.Hoffmann (Leipzig Germany, beginning of XVIIth c.), body of 9 ribs, with a semicircular cross section.
Historical
model: 2 models available, the first also based on J.C.Hoffmann, with a very
deep 11 rib body 
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and the second, with a smaller and flatter 11 rib body based on Frei (Bologna,
s.XVI, transformed at the XVIIth c.)
(there is now one 2nd hand 13c.(11+2) baroque lute of this model, available for sale. You can see it here.
Click on any picture for an enlarged view.
 (2 pegboxes from 2 lutes) |
13 courses with “bass rider” (11+2 bourdons): |
4.000 € |
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4.200 € |
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13 courses “swan-necked”(8+5 bourdons) |
4.500 € |
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4.700 € |
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Fingerboard framed with white strips of boxwood or synthetic ivory (also available in natural bone, please ask) |
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Neck veneerded with contrasting strips of ebony and maple |
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Carved back of the pegbox |
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Supplement including all the above options |
620 € |
All the models have the body (bowl) shape based on original instruments, even if the number of ribs may be different. They all have 14 single courses (=14 strings), if nothing else said. Among the great variety of sizes of surviving theorboes, two of them seem to receive more acceptation among modern musicians. I call those 2 sizes "solo" and "accompaniment" respectively.
Here you can see some roses, as well single as triple
Click on any picture for an enlarged view.
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Solo theorbo (string length 75cm/bourdons 1m30 to 1m50), based on Matteo Sellas (Venice, c.1640), belly of 13 ribs, single or triple rose. |
5.200 € |
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Solo theorbo (string length75cm/bourdons 1m30 to 1m50), based on Mattheus Buechenberg (Rome, 1610) and reduced of size, belly of 19 ribs, single or triple rose. |
5.500 € |
Accompaniment theorbo(in A):
Because the vibrating length is longer, the strings are thinner (compared to those of the solo theorbo tuned in A). This produces a clearer and longer sound (two interesting qualities for an instrument to be played in a ensemble). The bigger size of the bowl gives also more body and majesty to the sound.
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Accompaniment theorbo (string length80 cm / bourdons 1m60), based on another Matteo Sellas theorbo (Venice, c.1640), belly of 13 ribs, single or triple rose. |
basic model:5.500 € pictured model: 6.500 € |
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Theorbo of 19 COURSES (string length82 cm / bourdons 1m60), based on the same model as above |
basic model:6.000 € pictured model: 7.000 €
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Examples of body wood choices:
Within the same wood specie, a great variety of colours is possible, depending on the varnish. Here you can see some examples:
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Curly maple, clear varnish |
Curly maple, coloured varnish |
Antiqued ash |
Ash, coloured varnish |
rosewood, oil |
Cypress, clear varnish |
Yew, clear varnish |
All the above
prices correspond to the basic model, with a one piece end clasp, ebony
veneered neck, black lackered pegbox: 
and ebony
fingerboard:
If you wish a more decorated instrument, you can choose amongst the following supplements:
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Stripped end clasp | 60 |
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Neck veneered with strips of ebony and maple | 100 |
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Fingerboard framed with strips of boxwood, synthetic ivory or bone | 90 (boxwood or
synthetic ivory)/ 150 (real bone) |
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Pegbox veneered and with 2 edge contrasting strips | 450 |
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neck and pegbox veneered with a Venetian style marquetry design |
please ask |
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Pike under the bridge, ebony | 40 |
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Pike under the bridge, bone and ebony | 80 |
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Pike beneath the pegbox, bone and ebony | |
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Wooden “hoop”, instead of button, to fasten a holding ribbon | 50 |
Convinced of the practical advantage of this system, that makes tuning an easier task, I´ve created the following model, that has been enthusiastically received by the musicians that tried it.
This type of pegbox has the same price as the common pegbox.
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Solo theorbo (string length 75cm/bourdons 1m30 to 1m50) based on Matteo Sellas (Venice, c.1640), belly of 13 ribs, single or triple rose, pegbox with pulleys |
Basic model: 5.200 € Pictured model: 5.700 € |
14 courses . The 8 treble courses can be fretted and are double (=2 strings per
course, except for the first, one string). The other 6 bass courses, called
“diapasons” –that are tied to the 2nd pegbox, and played only in the
air-, can be double or single, depending if the pegbox - and so the strings- is
rather short:
or long:
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respectively. In the old times,
the diapasons where usually 8 –and not 6, like now. This is because nowadays
people prefer to be able to fret the 7th and 8th courses
for easy availability of bass altered notes.
Click on any picture for an enlarged view.
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Archlute in A (string length 57cm/ single bourdons 1m20), based in Matteo Sellas, Venice 1639, belly of 13 ribs |
5.000 € |
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Archlute in G (string length 63 cm/ single bourdons 1m20), based in Magno Dieffopruchar (Venice, c.1610), Museu de la música de Barcelona, MdMB 403, belly of 13 ribs |
5.000 € | |
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supplement for double bourdons (string length from 83 to 90 cm) |
100 € |
Decorative options are the same and with the same prices as the theorboes. Please have a look here.
Vihuela in A : 6 courses, own design, based on the iconography, vibrating length of 56 cm
Vihuela in G : 6 courses, belly profile based on the iconography, (Milan engravings and cathedral of Barcelona), vibrating length of 60 cm.
Vihuela in E : 6 courses, own design, based on the iconography, vibrating length of 65 cm
(Available tunings are indicated for each model)
Click on any picture for an enlarged view.
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Flat back | "Talentis" model: in E | 1.100 € |
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Flat back |
Student model: in A, G or E |
1.800 € |
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Flat back |
Professional model: in A, G or E. With inlays on the top and head plate, edge binding, and back and sides made from strips of contrasting woods |
3.000 € |
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Vaulted back with fluted ribs: based on the only 2 surviving vihuelas of this appealing type of back (much proofer against humidity changes), the Belcior Dias, Lisboa 1581 (Royal College of Music, London), and anonymous E0748 (Musée de la musique, Paris) |
Professional model: in G. With inlays on the top and head plate and edge binding |
3.300 € |
Decorative details of the professional model:
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decorative optional supplement:
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mosaic fingerboard | 325 € |
Examples of wood choices (you can see more in the lutes section):
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| walnut and curly maple | rosewood and walnut | cherrywood |
rosewood |
ash | walnut |
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| Spanish model
(based on the iconography and several original instruments) |
French model (based on Voboam) | Italian model (based on Stradivari) |
Click on any picture for an enlarged view.
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Flat back | "Talentis" model: in E | 1.100 € |
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Flat back |
Student model: (Spanish model pictured) |
1.800 € |
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Flat back |
Professional model: (Spanish model pictured), with moustachios at the bridge, more elaborated soundhole rosette, falt parchment rose, top edge binding, veneered neck, and pieces of contrasting woods on back, sides and head plates, depending on the model |
3.300 € pictured model: 3.475 € |
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Vaulted back |
Professional model: based on an anonymous 17thc. Italian guitar (Musée de la musique, Paris).
with moustachios at the bridge, more elaborated soundhole rosette, flat parchment rose, top edge binding, veneered neck, and contrasting spacer strips and/or contrasting woods on head plates, back and sides |
4.600 € pictured model: 4.775 € |
Decorative optional supplements:
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Sunken rose |
175 € |
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Inlays on the top |
240 € both |
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Marquetry on the head plate |
100 € |
Based on the Francis Palmer Orpharion (England, 1617) ("Claudius collection" museum, Copenhague, Denmark), 6 to 9 courses, metal strings, string length 54,5 cm 1st treble, 60,7 cm last bass. I am very grateful with Bruce Brook, who kindly gave me information and advice about this instrument.
Click on any picture for an enlarged view.
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Orpharion | 3.800 € |
Concert guitar, top of selected European spruce, Indian rosewood back and sides, and French polished. Constructed following the principles and advices directly learnt from José Luís Romanillos.
Click on any picture for an enlarged view.
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Concert classical guitar | 4.000 € |
Features of the different models:
"Talentis" model ( vihuela/guitar only): Designed for most of the beginners that, wishing to work on repertories from different instruments, can´t afford the expense of buying all of them at once. It´s a 6-course vihuela in E (string length 65 cm). This allows aproaching a wider repertory, with just small changes in the stringing:
1) stringed with 5 courses, for the baroque guitar repertory
2) stringed with 6 courses (and, if necessary for easier left hand fingering, with a capo on the 2nd fret, resulting in 58 cm string length), for the vihuela de mano and renaissance lute repertory.
In order to keep the price down, all decorative elements are ommited. Nevertheless, in order to get a good easy of playing, the same care is given than with the other models. Its construction in small batches, doesn´t allow personal variations of the desing -if those are wished, other models (from the student model up) are to be choosen.
European spruce top, body of massive wood, simple parchment rose.
It comes with a padded bag, included in the price.
Student model : European spruce top, rosewood fingerboard, body of the same woods as the professional model but of lesser aesthetic quality. Construction and decoration more straightforward (roses of very simple design), but good sound and playability. From this model up, personal variations of the design are allowed (rose design, bridge moustachios, string spacings, better top wood, etc...).
Professional model : Selected European spruce top, ebony fingerboard, body of selected wood, to be chosen between maple (curly or birdseye), ash, walnut, cherry, yew, cypress, rosewood,... Constructed and decorated with special care –specially elaborated and decorative roses. Concerning lutes, belly with a semicircular cross section.
Historical model (only lutes and theorboes): All the same as professional model, but with the belly reproducing the shape of extant instruments , as told in each case.
