adamgood
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lavta scale length?
Hi, I'm sure some people here play or have a lavta, the kind made in Turkey.
I'm just curious if anyone can tell me what the typical string length is?
thanks
Adam
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al-Halabi
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The typical scale length today is 60 cm. Older Turkish lavtas, though, had longer scale lengths. I have a reproduction of a nineteenth-century lavta
with a scale length of 72cm.
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Peyman
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Adam, You can check out a nice set of dimensions (for ouds, lavtas, tanburs) from this website: http://www.muzikbilim.com/3m_2004/ozek_e.html
Tel Boyu is the string length.
Al-Halabi, I am curious about the reproduction lavta. You have very interesting instruments. can we see a picture of the lavta? 
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al-Halabi
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Here are a couple of images of the older-style lavta with the 72 cm. scale length.
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al-Halabi
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The bowl is shallower than that of a typical oud.
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adamgood
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al-Halabi and Peyman, thank you for the info about string length.
I found in the archives the answer as well...I was curious how lavta compares to nylon string guitar string length, of which mine is 65cm, slightly
longer but nothing like the miles of centimeters i have on my tanbur. I'm thinking of taking the possibly ridiculous plunge of putting on some fishing
line frets on my guitar after taking of the metal ones. I'm missing lately the ability to make glissandos like i can on my tanbur. I already have
experience re-tying every fret on my tanbur so i know what a pain in the butt it will be.
anyone feel free to talk me out of it or if anyone has experience trying it i'd love to hear about it. i know that i don't want fretless guitar cuz i
need to be able to play in tune, still play chords.
thanks again guys,
Adam
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mavrothis
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That's a beautiful lavta Al-Halabi, very pretty. Who made this instrument? It's very nice that the lavta is coming back into use so much recently -
it's a very unique and powerful instrument.
Adam, don't do it!  Unless you really want to...
mavrothis
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al-Halabi
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Thanks, Mavrothis. This lavta was made by Turhan Demireli in Istanbul. I bought it directly from him.
The lavta has indeed come back into use in recent years, although its musical role is quite different from what it once was. The instrument was
traditionally used mostly for rhythm accompaniment of dance music (such as kocekce pieces), in which it was usually played alongside the kemence. This
was popular entertainment music performed in taverns, often by Greek musicians. Today the lavta is played most often as a melody instrument in art
music contexts. The tuning, fretting, and scale length have changed to adapt to this newer "classical" role.
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mavrothis
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Thanks Al-Halabi. Mr. Demireli was very respected for uds and lavtas - I've
had a chance to hear some of his older instruments (I hope I'm thinking of the right maker).
mavrothis
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Peyman
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I remember reading about Turhan somewhere. That's a very nice instrument indeed. Lavtas are pictured in a lot of old paintings too, which shows they
were important at one point.
As for Adam's quest, I am not sure if I would want to do away with frets on a classical guitar, especially if it's an expensive one . I once saw a kurdish banjo player, put in extra metalic frets on his 4 string banjo.
It sounded interesting. Ramin Torkian also had a guitar with quarter note frets.
If you decide to do it, I think you should use thicker frets, like the ones they use on lutes and baroque guitars and use their tying technique. Good
luck.
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farukturunz
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| Quote: | Originally posted by adamgood
al-Halabi and Peyman, thank you for the info about string length.
I found in the archives the answer as well...I was curious how lavta compares to nylon string guitar string length, of which mine is 65cm, slightly
longer but nothing like the miles of centimeters i have on my tanbur. I'm thinking of taking the possibly ridiculous plunge of putting on some fishing
line frets on my guitar after taking of the metal ones. I'm missing lately the ability to make glissandos like i can on my tanbur. I already have
experience re-tying every fret on my tanbur so i know what a pain in the butt it will be.
anyone feel free to talk me out of it or if anyone has experience trying it i'd love to hear about it. i know that i don't want fretless guitar cuz i
need to be able to play in tune, still play chords.
thanks again guys,
Adam |
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