The terms chitarrone and theorbo refer to the same lute type – large bodied instruments with long top necks, long string lengths, and tuned in a high pitch, around at A440, with re-entrant tuning. However, it is convenient now to reserve the term 'chitarrone' for just the Italian instrument, and to use ‘theorbo’ for all others of this type.

For a further analysis by Robert Spencer go to Grove online.

If you would like high resolution pictures of any of these instruments please contact my webmistress.