Official Luthiers Forum!

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

That's quite cool. I was a bit more interested in the variety of lute family instruments behind him though. Looks like a very interesting shop to peruse.

CBG - cigar box guitar?
Many years ago I saw a similar 5 course Aubert guitar in a luthiers (violin) shop that had been sent there to be converted into a 6 string instrument. That was not uncommonly done when they were just "used" instruments, but was kind of a shame to see being done in the 1970's.

Yes, the sound kind of reminded me of some nylon strung cigar box guitars, I suppose because of the small box.
But respect to the player, that was a veryw ell played piece.

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

It seems like a fun little thing to play. Especially if you could play like he does. I made a smaller one with the bridge moved up, and the neck shortened for a 1/2 scale guitar with 5 strings for the grandsons. Sycamore and old barn cedar wood. The same basic size, but narrower than a baritone uke I fixed for them too. It has the same sweet sound, but not very loud; I made it fairly thick. They are 4 young boys. I put steel frets on it.

Would people cry foul if you made one with steel or EVO frets, and not use tied gut ones? Or is that part of the "experience?" It was pretty fast and easy to build; compared to the arch top I'm making.

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Why be normal?