Hey Musicians... I'm looking for a lute?

magenta321 · #1 09-17-2007, 08:49 PM

Well... not necessarily a lute but...

I never know what to give my father for Christmas.

The other day he came over my place and he saw this painting I have of a cherub playing a lute. When he mentioned it, I told him it was a place holder til I got more artwork. He said... "no, I really like it. It's a lute! Hey, does that flea market sell instruments?"

So now, I have an inkling of something he might like. Some old crappy lute :P

I'm not stuck on lutes completely. My dad is one of those savant types that picks up anything and plays it. I have seen him play accordian, piano, keyboard, flute, recorder, mandolin, dulcimer, dobro, guitar, slide guitar, bass, harmonica, mouth harp... you name it, and although he's never taken lessons, he can play it.

So if I don't get him a lute... what other obscure instrument can I get him? I think he owns all of the things I mentioned above. And where, other than ebay, should I be looking?

**theworm**[$] · #2 09-17-2007, 09:14 PM

If he liked the painting, why not give him that?

**theworm**[$] · #3 09-17-2007, 09:18 PM

I just checked ebay - lots of lutes at various price points and some are really beautiful!

magenta321 · #4 09-17-2007, 09:36 PM

The ones at the "affordable" price point have $130 shipping.

I have given him paintings before. He doesn't put them up. He doesn't like the painting that much... he likes the lute.

**jgibson2**[$] · #5 09-21-2007, 12:59 AM

Mandolin?

**drmomentum**[$] · #6 09-21-2007, 01:26 AM

Ukulele?

**hadassahchana**[$] · #7 09-21-2007, 01:33 AM

I have no idea of where you are, but I found an ad on craigslist for a small instrument repair/sales in Fairfield Connecticut:

DGN Stringed Instruments

**conradd** · #8 09-21-2007, 03:54 AM

I haven't found a lute online that's less than $500. If he's into angelic instruments, how about a harp?

**theworm**[$] · #9 09-21-2007, 07:23 AM

how about this

magenta321 · #10 09-21-2007, 07:45 AM

Mandolin he has.

Ukelele... he doesn't have as far as I know, and there is a company in CT that makes them (they are the only ones outside of Hawaii that have large commercial success, or so I've heard).

The harp might be cool. Those take up a lot of room, though, don't they? I guess he has my entire bedroom to fill up with his stuff if he wants to. My parents are kind of treating my room like the room of someone who died. They closed the door and haven't gone in there since :o

The guitar repair and shop might be cool, but I think this guy will know the value of what he has

If I wasn't working or walking in a charity event every weekend for the next six weeks or so, I think I would be scouring flea markets. But that would make me nervous, because I don't know the value of anything either. I'd be afraid I'd get him something and he'll turn around and say "didn't you realize this tuning pin was broken" or something. Arugh

The lute book is a great idea, but it's just not how he does music. He will pick up any instrument, invariably try to play "House of the Rising Sun" on it, then he will search his library in his head and play something more fitting for whatever instrument it is. His method is infathomable to me, but, it works for him. It actually annoys the crap out of me! After years of guitar lessons in my childhood, the only thing I can recall now is how to play a G or a D chord... I might have gotten his blue eyes, but I didn't get his talent for music.

**mtomm**[$] · #11 09-21-2007, 10:56 AM

Oboe?

**theworm**[$] · #12 09-21-2007, 11:33 AM

washboard?

Leslie2k · #13 09-21-2007, 07:13 PM

*emeleel* · #14 09-21-2007, 07:28 PM

Spoons!

magenta321 · #15 09-21-2007, 07:34 PM

Not helpful

Ok, I give up on the lute, and I'm gonna get him any instrument I see. :p

**mtomm**[$] · #16 09-21-2007, 09:42 PM

Hey, the oboe was REAL.

magenta321 · #17 09-23-2007, 05:23 PM

So I worked too late to catch the flea market today, but I was able to still catch some of the vendors at the indoor flea market. I met someone who had a collection of weird instruments, but didn't have them with him. He said he could bring them next weekend. I wanted to do some research on one of them.

It's Russian, is shaped like a triangle, has tiny holes, a short neck, and three strings. He told me the name, but I can't remember it. I googled it. I think it might be Balalaika. But whatever he told me stuck in my head as being "like Dubrovnic" and those words don't sound alike ^^.

Next weekend he said he'll bring it to the flea market. Since I don't know where I will be working next weekend, I really hope I can get back to him while they are open!!!

**mjfrombuffalo**[$] · #18 09-23-2007, 07:44 PM

Too bad you didn't post this before I went on my errands - I was in Brighton Beach, aka Little Russia, I could have look it up for you

magenta321 · #19 09-23-2007, 08:29 PM

I'm hoping the Ukranian woman I work with will be back on Monday. I'm going to ask her.

She might not be though, her husband just had some major surgery.

**mjfrombuffalo**[$] · #20 09-25-2007, 08:50 AM

From an email newsletter I got today:

Musical instruments: Secondhand instruments, both used and reconditioned, are a bargain at Musical Instruments Sale Used Musical Instruments Sale - Music Classifieds Ads, where you can find violins, guitars, banjos, keyboards, drums -- even pianos -- and more.

magenta321 · #21 12-25-2007, 11:01 AM

The balalaika was a hit. When I told people I was getting that for my dad, everyone asked "does he know how to play one?" Well, when he unwrapped it he said "oh wow, what is this?" I told him it was a balalaika. He looked it over, he played with the tuning pegs, and then unwrapped his other gifts.

I had given him a book and a cd in case it was so far out of his element that he'd have no clue how to play it. I guess I didn't really need to. He tuned the thing while my mom and I were unwrapping, and was playing christmas songs on it. God, I hate how easily true musicians can pick things up!

But, I was right. People who asked me if he could play it, I replied "he'll probably be playing House of the Rising Sun on it within a few minutes of opening it." Well, he was more in the Christmas themed mood, but, yes, he was playing within minutes of unopening it.

Today will be the real test. His brother, the Eddie van Halen of the family, will be over. I have a feeling all the guitars in the house will be out, as well as every other stringed instrument my dad owns.