This is a type of archlute much used in the late Baroque, by Corelli for instance, especially in Rome, and principally for continuo work. A number of instruments of this type survive, and they are typically quite heavy lutes, usually with their backs of a hardwood such as rosewood, snakewood or ebony. They were probably tuned in a nominal g', but at the low Roman pitch of the time, which makes a modern pitch of f'A440 quite likely. This necessitates tight stringing, and the result is an instrument with great power and sustain, very like the chitarrone, but without the re-entrant tuning. I based this design on an instrument I restored some years ago for the Edinburgh university collection, by one ‘Cinthius Rotundus’ of Rome, 1699. A slightly fishy name – a false label maybe? – but a well proportioned instrument, and a good model to use. Stringing (6x2)(8x1).