How much does a lute cost?

As an avid gamer and aspiring real-life bard, I‘ve always wondered—how many gold pieces would I need to get my hands on a sweet loot? Well my comrades, a quality lute is going to cost you a pretty penny…or rather, around $1,500 to $15,000 gold pieces depending on your needs!

I‘ve played my way through countless RPGs and MMOs, collecting every in-game musical instrument I can get my hands on. But virtual lutes can only get you so far—every true bard yearns to strum the real thing!

So if you‘re looking to graduate from that out-of-tune tavern lute, read on for the down-low on real-world lute pricing. I‘ll cover everything from materials and craftsmanship to what separates noob lutes from legendary masterpieces worthy of a 30 Charisma musician!

What Impacts the Cost of a Lute?

Many factors come together to determine a lute‘s price tag. Let‘s break down what goes into setting that hefty gold piece cost for these iconic stringed instruments:

Materials

Just as in the games we play, rarer materials mean pricier loot! The specific choice of woods used in lute construction heavily impacts cost:

• Spruce ($): The quintessential budget wood offers balanced tone.
• Maple ($$): Harder than spruce, it brings out crisp high notes.
• Rosewood ($$$): A rare, reddish wood prized for its bass resonance.
• Aged Tonewoods ($$$$): 50-200-year-old wood with premium vibration. We‘re talking up to $5,000 more!

Beyond the wood body, other materials like tuning pegs, nut, and strings also contribute. Premium elements command premium prices!

Craftsmanship

You could have all the rare rosewood in the universe, but it takes true artistry to transform materials into an exceptional lute. Legendary luthiers invest months or years into a single lute, combining master woodworking with intricate decoration.

Revered makers like Larry Brown or Douglas Alton Smith command 5-year long waitlists and $15k+ price tags for their showstopper concert lutes etched with hand-carved inlays. Newbies need not apply!

Specs

Lutes range dramatically in size, strings, fret range and other vitals which all weigh on cost. Check out how beginner and pro lutes stack up:

Clearly those looking to mimic an elven bard or dwarven minstrel have some gold pieces to drop for ornate lutes built for kings!

Decorations

Don‘t you wish your in-game lute had that gilded hand-etched neck and shimmering mother-of-pearl inlay? IRL custom lutes offer all those sheer luxury touches to enhance both form and function. Special decorative elements like carved headstocks, meticulous purfling borders, and signature blocks signed by master makers differentiate the best of the best.

How Many Gold Coins For My First Lute?

So what will it cost to pick up your inaugural lute based on quality tier? Here‘s the price range rundown:

Noob Lutes ($1,500-$3k)

These affordable entry-level lutes work fine to grind that musical skill tree, but scream newb with laminate plywood bodies and factory construction. Strictly for dabblers!

Intermediate Lutes ($3k-$8k)

A level up for bards getting serious with gigs outside the tavern. Solid cedar and maple bodies bring better sound, while deco touches like wood bindings and fret markers add some flair.

Virtuoso Lutes ($8k-$15k)

Finally, instruments worthy of true legends like Saga Meadowbrook with concert-quality sound and visual bling to match! We‘re talking golden roses hand-etched into premium spruce soundboards and snakewood fingerboards with abalone glittering fretboard inlays.

For peacocks like the infamous Scanlan Shorthalt, only a showstopping lute encrusted in enough jewels to finance a castle will do!

To Summon the Perfect Lute, Prepare Your Coin Purse!

So there you have it friends, the real cost for those magical instruments we can only dream of looting in games. While beginner models are accessible to casual bards, the most ornate professional lutes demand a princely budget as lofty as their legendary sound and style.

For me, I‘ve got my eye on a $7k beauty handmade by revered halfling luthier Lin Clearspring said to channel the divine sound of Halimar himself with its crystalline high register and booming nymph-wooing bass. Just gotta grind a few more side quests to finance my dream!

Let me know what you think – what‘s a fair price to pay in the pursuit of becoming a true virtuoso legend across the land? Would you drop your whole inventory for that mythical lute of pure mountain gold rumored to halt armies and turn stone to dust with its earth-shaking song?

Stay tuned for my next update where I‘ll cover must-have bard gear beyond your main squeeze lute. We‘re talking the whole ensemble – Kord-approved capes, Dispater-worthy dagger boots, and feathered cavalier hats grand enough to invite the envy of Corellon himself!