1981 Bernie Lehmann 5-String Vielle

Update 2023: this instrument is back here in the shop after years hanging-out in a recording studio. I've restrung a couple of strings but it's otherwise been good to go and arrived back here just as it left. I've taken new photos and a video. Now back to the description...

Admittedly I'm quite out of my depth with an instrument like this. It shares the same scale length as a violin but the feel is quite different and so's the tuning! It seems there's a number of different tunings for this instrument ranging in pitch between a viola and violin range in fourths, fifths, and open variations. I've ignored that and for the purposes of sounding foolish on record played a sample in an open C tuning (CGCEG with the low C being a viola's low C pitch). It has a lovely, warm and sweet sound to it which might be expected with natural gut strings and a spacious, fairly-flat soundboard and larger box compared to a violin or viol.

This one was made by Mr. Lehmann who's still in business (as of 2015) and still selling vielles and fancy variations of acoustic guitars. I did nothing to it save setting the soundpost back up and giving it a quick cleaning. It's in good health and ready to go.

The woods look like solid spruce over solid mahogany with a rosewood tailpiece and fingerboard. The maple bridge is carved super-fancy -- and how about those painted/cut decorative touches?

I love the touch of the flamed heastock veneer. The fingerboard shows evidence that this was originally setup with nylon or gut frets but evidently someone wanted this to be fretless at some point. It seems like vielles are played either way depending on the whim of the owner. It has an ebony nut.

Repairs included: minor cleaning and setup adjustments.

Scale length: 12 7/8"

Nut width: 1 1/4"

Body length: 13 1/2"

Body width: 8 5/8"

Body depth: 1 3/4"

Weight: 1 lb 3 oz

Top wood: solid spruce

Back & sides wood: solid mahogany with mild figure

Bridge: maple

Fingerboard: rosewood

Neck wood: mahogany

String height: fairly quick
Strings: gut

Neck shape: medium-bigger C

Neck relief: straight

Condition notes: it's in very good shape with only the most minor wear. There is a bit of finish "lining" to the back of the neck from, presumably, where gut "frets" were tied for part of its life. Otherwise "usewear" is very light save for yellowing of the finish as it's aged.

It comes with: a homemade plywood case and some loose spare gut strings of various gauges.