Five-course Guitar
(1636) - Mersenne, Harmonie universelle (Paris, 1636)
instrument: guitarra | century: 17cent/1/early | catalogue nº: 17-212
Artwork
Creator Mersenne, Marin
Medium Artwork: Print
Location
City Paris | Region France | Old kingdom France
Characteristics
| Body Waisted | Strings 5 courses | Neck Long | Pegbox Angled flat |
| Bridge Fixed | Frets Yes | Back Flat | Pegs Rear |
| Technique None |
Commentary
ARTWORK
Etching on fol. 95v of Mersenne’s treatise showing the guitar and the various forms of chord notation: French and Italian tablature, alfabetto symbols, and Spanish tablature numbers
INSTRUMENT
The guitar has five double courses, completely parallel, and unusually with a double string on the first course. It has a well-proportioned body design with a rosette that recalls Itlian guitars of the time. Eight double? frets are tied around the neck. The bridge is close to bottom and the flat pegbox is typical of instruments of this period.