Taskin 1769

FF-f3; 2x8',1x4', buff; at A=415 but transposable to 440 or 392. 92" long.

A strong concert-stage instrument with a richly-colored sound, reedy without being thin.

My French doubles are known for their largesse of sound and the strength of their basses.

The Taskin usually has a Swiss pine soundboard, and has walnut bridges and nuts, and a basswood case.

$28,000.

Stehlin 1760

FF-f3; 2x8', 1x4', buff; at A=415 but transposable to 440 or 392, retaining f3 at 440. 92" long.

A design with deep plucking points and large soundboard area, sweeter than the Taskin and just as full-sounding.

Basswood case, walnut bridges and nuts, usually a Sitka spruce soundboard.

$28,000.

Flemish double

GG-d3; 2x8', 1x4', buff; at A=415 but transposable to 440 or 392, retaining d3 in the 400 position. 88" long.

Not after any original in particular, but the result of my knowledge of ravalement instruments. A smaller, dryer instrument than the French: clearer speaking, with a simple strength.

Basswood case, pear bridges and nuts, usually a Swiss pine soundboard.

$25,500.

Joze (Jose) Calisto 1780, Portugal

GG-g3; 2x8' in brass, buff on the front 8'; at A=415 but transposable to 440 or 392. FF, is also possible. 104" long.

Despite looking like a large Italian this is not a dry isntrument: it has enough after-ring for the French music and to fill out the two-part writing of Scarlatti, while having the clarity of attack to handle Bach's counterpoint, and a differentiation between a dark bass and a bright treble to create shading in Frescobaldi or turn Scarlatti's repeated phrases into statements and replies.

Englemann spruce case, walnut bridge and nut, Swiss pine or cedar soundboard.

$20,500.

Carlo Grimaldi, 1703, Italian

This is a lightweight, inner-case style Italian, with maple  case walls for sturdiness and for contrast with the shadow lines of  the moldings. This design has a sweet, singing treble, and a clear-speaking  s.a.t.b.

 GG-c3 as on the original, or to d3; chromatic bass.  2x8',  strung in brass.  Maple case and moldings, with maple or cedar  soundboard, and walnut bridge and trim.  At 415 but transposable to  392 or 440, retaining the same range.  Length, 89", give or take.

 $18,000.