I have a Hohner 'lute' strung as a guitar. (No you can't have it and anyway it's here in NZ.)
They were made in the late 50s, early 60s I believe and later they made them with flat backs but mine has a lovely clinker-built sort of back.
Anyway, if you could locate one of those it would be perfect - it looks the part but you don't need to learn new tunings unless you want to.
Cheers,
Robyn