Hello everyone,
I have an 13 string Dresden guitar made by Taos luthier Michael Thames,(self) soon to be of the Cremona, Italy school. My ( Italian ) wife, our son, and I, are reclocating there this coming fall.
http://www.thamesclassicalguitars.com/sub13.htm
I've been a baroque lute player exclusivly for the past 4 or 5 years. After feeling compassion for my fellow guitarists in thier attempt to play the baroque repatorie on the 6 to 10 string guitar I came up with a solution for them. The solution ironicaly turned out to benefit me the most. After playing the Dresden for many freinds of mine the verdict was in, the guitar sounds sooo much better than the lute! so I'm now adjusting to a change in identity from lutenist, to guitarist agian.
Glad to be back in the relam of the living. That being said I have the utmost admiration for the great lutenists of our time in paticular Robert Barto, and Michel Cardin, who have now opened the door for all of us. My hope is that within the next 10 years or so, the baroque reptorie won't be taken seriously, unless performed on an Altoguitar, or The Dresden.
A lutenist wouldn't think of playing Bach or Weiss, on an 8 or ten course lute. I hope this way of thinking crosses over to the guitar world as well.
I'm in the process of recording a CD on the Dresden ( Weiss 34 d-minor, Bach 1st cello suite, and the beautiful Reusner Passigallia ) which can be heard on my website, as well as dowloaded there in a version for 6 string guitar. If anyone wants the original Tab let me know and I'll send it to you.
Chris great job with the the Altoguitar group I will post a link on my site as well. Hopefully we can share in some interesting discusion.
All the best,
Michael Thames
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