GodOfWar

I agree! My first thought about the first image of your second set was "the back looks fuller".

Hey, where are the nuts? The only nuts I see are almonds... Eat your nuts and you get your calories!!!

Of course I asked some people who know about it so I wrote some eMails to some luthiers yesterday. Here is what I got so far: It is no problem to build a lute free of animal components: Gut strings are played rarely nowadays because there are better alternatives (I have to add here that the frets of a lute are normally from gut strings, too. Who ever has seen a guitar could probably not imagine but on a lute you have to knot your fretboard by yourself . You could also take nylon strings for knotting your fretboard but they can cut in the wood of the neck as another lute player I asked told me). The glue is more problematic: Animal glue can be removed by the use of wetness. This is especially important for later maintenance: If there are any repairs, it is not possible to remove a synthetic glue to open the body of the lute so the parts that have to be repaired have to be destroyed. So it would be better to use animal glue. But in general you could use a synthetic glue instead of animal glue. Its also about tradition: One luthier told me that he is able to build a lute in the same way the medieval luthiers did because he can build his lutes without the use of any electrical device since animal glue can be melted on alternative ways. So in general, it's no problem to build a lute without any animal component: There won't be any loss in sound, for the luthier it would just mean a higher effort in building such an instrument, there is a risk when it comes to repairs and the price could go up or go down what depends on too many components to make a general statement. I think we have enough knowledge about building vegan lutes now so that we can start our own vegan lute company ... Perhaps I have to mention that in general if you want to play the lute you have to find a luthier or an used instrument since an exotic instrument like the lute is not build in mass production. So it's something different than buying a cheap guitar if you think about starting to play. I think getting a cheap guitar without the use of animal components could be kind of difficult. As an anecdote aside: One of the luthiers told me that 20 years ago he had a similir request and built such an instrument: One customer who had to move to the tropical rainforest for scientific researches asked him to build such an instrument without animal glue. To their surprise there was no difference in sound in comparison to his other instruments. He has no idea of repairs for this instrument: His customer is in retirement now and still plays on the same instrument and is still comfortable with it.

Of course I asked some people who know about it so I wrote some eMails to some luthiers yesterday. Here is what I got so far: It is no problem to build a lute free of animal components: Gut strings are played rarely nowadays because there are better alternatives (I have to add here that the frets of a lute are normally from gut strings, too. Who ever has seen a guitar could probably not imagine but on a lute you have to knot your fretboard by yourself . You could also take nylon strings for knotting your fretboard but they can cut in the wood of the neck as another lute player I asked told me). The glue is more problematic: Animal glue can be removed by the use of wetness. This is especially important for later maintenance: If there are any repairs, it is not possible to remove a synthetic glue to open the body of the lute so the parts that have to be repaired have to be destroyed. So it would be better to use animal glue. But in general you could use a synthetic glue instead of animal glue. Its also about tradition: One luthier told me that he is able to build a lute in the same way the medieval luthiers did because he can build his lutes without the use of any electrical device since animal glue can be melted on alternative ways. So in general, it's no problem to build a lute without any animal component: There won't be any loss in sound, for the luthier it would just mean a higher effort in building such an instrument, there is a risk when it comes to repairs and the price could go up or go down what depends on too many components to make a general statement. I think we have enough knowledge about building vegan lutes now so that we can start our own vegan lute company ... Perhaps I have to mention that in general if you want to play the lute you have to find a luthier or an used instrument since an exotic instrument like the lute is not build in mass production. So it's something different than buying a cheap guitar if you think about starting to play. I think getting a cheap guitar without the use of animal components could be kind of difficult. As an anecdote aside: One of the luthiers told me that 20 years ago he had a similir request and built such an instrument: One customer who had to move to the tropical rainforest for scientific researches asked him to build such an instrument without animal glue. To their surprise there was no difference in sound in comparison to his other instruments. He has no idea of repairs for this instrument: His customer is in retirement now and still plays on the same instrument and is still comfortable with it.

Hi vegan brothers and sisters, I have kind of a problem: I'm dreaming of starting to play the lute. But the problem will be, that some parts of this instrument (and instruments in general) are from animal sources: The frets are from cow or sheep guts, the glue for many instruments (classic guitar, for example) contains bone or fish meal, and even the German flute (is this really the english word for this instrument?) potentially contains some fish skin (I can't imagine but I read it somewhere on the net). I know that everybody has to make his own decisions but if you really dream about playing an instrument, what would you do? (The only way I could imagine would be to ask somebody to build you such an instrument but this would be really expensive (if possible at all).) Regards, GoW

All people I asked in the meantime answer something like: "Don't care for others" or "Only because you are not as big as other guys this does not mean you may not scream your ass off." It's a question of what kind your gym is: In pure fitness oriented studios I would definitely get a problem as one guy told me from his personal experience: After the first set and letting the bells drop he was asked to leave the studio because "people like him" were not wanted there. But the gym I am training at is definitely not only fitness but has also a kind of hardcore influence so it's just normal that some people are almost dying during their workouts . I should just keep an eye on new customers that are just watching the gym, was his advice.

Wow, this is what I call enthusiasm. These guys really love what they do. And look at that crowd... they almost demolish the whole house. This seems to me like from another world. Very interesting!

I think I will show him my deadly kung fu:

Wow, thanks to every one of you for your answer! I think this will be the most practical way. Perhaps it would be enough to train one hour later. I think I should mention that I was approached at my last two workouts in succession: First one of the gym staff asked me to gear down a little bit in case of there are new customers looking around in the gym and last workout the other guy as I already described. I was approached earlier by other gym members but always in a positive and supportive way: "Yeah, this is the right way: SCREAM!!!" and kinda stuff or: "Hey, is it possible you are listening too much Death Metal?" My girlfriend agreed with me not to care about it. If she would train she would also scream to "unleash" more power. I've thought about this today and I've come to the conclusion that there is not much I can do (apart from veggieprincess' suggestion): If anyone is feeling disturbed by me, I will kindly tell him that I'm sorry but this is the way it works best for me (as some of you recommended). If this would result in that I have to leave the gym (in worst case) - like this guy: Outrageous - so be it!

Hi Board, I'm getting into a serious problem: Since some workouts I seem to scream/grunt as much that people talk to me to "gear down" (<- don't know if this is the correct english term) a little bit. This is kinda blocking me in my intensity: Instead of concentrating on my excercise I am diverted by thinking about if anybody is getting disturbed by me. There are also other people in my gym that also grunt/scream/whatever and push you to "just scream it out". Today I was asked why I was screaming and if I was screaming at so less weight I must do something wrong. He said I would disturb him in his concentration and myself in my concentration. I would have more strength without screaming. I answered that I don't know why I scream, it's just coming during exercise and that I can do more reps this way. I was/am very irritated by this since I'm the last one who is looking for how much he can lift at an exercise (there is not much that is interesting me less than how much weight I am lifting). In my opinion weight is always relative: Some people can legpress a lot, others are weak at benchpress etc. This guy always made a proper impression to me (impressive physique, not yapping). Don't know what I shall do: Of course I don't want to disturb anybody during his workout but this seems to be the way things work best for me. Perhaps some of you have a tip for me or can share their experiences. Regards! P.S.: My first post. Introduction will follow...