Sitka Spruce (top) and Curly Pear (back, neck and sides).  Curly Maple tail piece, fingerboard, and hand carved pegs, tipped with ebony. This viol has five playing strings, tuned like a violin plus a low C, and six sympathetic strings.

Price:  $4000.  Pine case for viol d’amore: $1800

Gwen Potter photo © Russ Bishop

The Viol (or Viola) d’Amore is a bowed string instrument of the Baroque period, with four to seven playing strings, and four to fourteen sympathetic or resonating strings. It is shaped like a viol, but played like a violin or viola held under the chin.

The instrument above is owned by Gwen Potter, who plays in various folk bands including Tethera and Colonial Advocate.