❌SOLD❌ Greek Laouto made in Sparta, 1930s

Popular during the 19th and into the mid-20th century, the Greek Laouto or lute contributed to the evolution of the now popular Greek Bouzouki. Though similar in many ways to the German lute guitar, the Greek instrument is strung with double gut or nylon strings in a variety of tunings similar to Bouzouki tunings.

The role of the Laouto was usually as a backup instrument to a violin of bouzouki. The frets are tied on as on a Renaissance Lute. The tops were generally spruce and the back are bowl-back construction consisting of 20 or more ribs similar to a Renaissance lute

This particular example was probably built in the 1930s and displays the single sound hole and carved lion’s head on the peghead typical of the Laouto design.

A customer of The Twelfth Fret visiting from Greece was kind enough to translate the label visible through the rosette and it reads as follows:

Musical Instruments
Sotirios Tserotas
Archidamaou 52
Sparta.

We are told that the family of Sotirios Tserotas has been building and selling musical instruments in Sparta for several generations.

The top is Spruce and the neck and back is a mix of maple, ebony and walnut. The tuners indicate a build date in the 1930s. The instrument has seen decades of hard use and has lots of honest wear and tear. It had not been strung for decades, until we serviced it. The top cracks are stable and the instrument is now fully playable. The tuners showed heavy wear and tarnish but once lubricated they function as they should.

This instrument is sold without case.