Author Archives: Jan van Cappelle (Javaca)

Moving on

Posted on February 2, 2021 by Jan van Cappelle (Javaca)

I do realize that I have been neglecting the blog for some time. Over the last months life has been a rollercoaster. Not just because of the world wide Covid pandemic, but for other reasons. Since September I have been … Continue reading →

Posted in Events, Projects, Workshop | 3 Comments

New plans! A 19th C. Stauffer-style guitar by Ries

Posted on September 18, 2020 by Jan van Cappelle (Javaca)

One of the perks of my job is that people bring in unusual and interesting instruments to work on. Some of them are so interesting that I document them to share with others in the form of building plans. A … Continue reading →

Posted in Guitar, Guitar Plans, History, Projects, Research, Restorations | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Renaissance and Baroque Lutes

Posted on August 3, 2020 by Jan van Cappelle (Javaca)

It might seem that I am on a plan drawing frenzy at the moment. That’s true, but I am also finishing up a lot of things I made in the past. Two years ago a couple of my students at … Continue reading →

Posted in Guitar Plans, History, Lute, Projects, Research, Uncategorized, Woodworking | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

A beautiful Baritone Ukulele

Posted on July 27, 2020 by Jan van Cappelle (Javaca)

“The Gift of Music Lasts a Lifetime” that’s how the musical instrument page of the 1952 “Christmas Catalog” of Sears & Roebuck opens. On the page there is the crème de la crème of 1952 teenage dreams: accordeons, three guitars, … Continue reading →

Posted in Guitar, Guitar Plans, Uncategorized, Woodworking | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

At the roots of the guitar; The Carolingian CYTHARA.

Posted on July 21, 2020 by Jan van Cappelle (Javaca)

Perhaps you have already caught a glimpse of my research project of last year. It slipped in on some photos and social media postings. But I haven’t had the possibility to write too much about it earlier. The reason? Like … Continue reading →

Posted in Cythara, Events, Guitar Plans, Lectures, Living history, Lute, Music, Projects, Re-enactment, Research, Uncategorized, Woodworking, Year of the Psalter | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The year of the Psalter

Posted on June 27, 2020 by Jan van Cappelle (Javaca)

My focus of research has lately been drawn to instruments in early medieval psalters. With the main focus on the Utrecht and Stuttgart examples. So much that I themed this year the “Year of the Psalter” Both are masterpieces of … Continue reading →

Posted in Documentary, History, Living history, lyre, Projects, Re-enactment, Research, Uncategorized, Year of the Psalter | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

To hang our Lyres up to the Willows…

Posted on June 25, 2020 by Jan van Cappelle (Javaca)

“By the waters of Babylon,     there we sat down and wept,     when we remembered Zion. On the willows there     we hung up our lyres.” Psalm 137:1-2 (ESV) o you probably have heard these verses? They are fairly well known. The people … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Living history, lyre, Music, Projects, Re-enactment, Research, Think different, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A new, updated Sutton Hoo lyre

Posted on June 23, 2020 by Jan van Cappelle (Javaca)

Let’s go back in history… To long forgotten times, when life was simple. Times of dreams, of joy and laughter with large gatherings of people. When social distancing was something you only did with weird relatives. The times of free … Continue reading →

Posted in Guitar Plans, Living history, lyre, Projects, Research, Think different, Uncategorized, Woodworking | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Early Medieval Iron Making

Posted on March 3, 2020 by Jan van Cappelle (Javaca)

This movie is the first thing I ever saw about early iron production. And it fascinated me completely. Literally combining the four elements in the process to make something. Earth + water make cobb Air dries the oven Fire breaks … Continue reading →

Posted in Documentary, History, Living history, Movies, Re-enactment, Research, Think different, Tools, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Voboam: Guitars fit for a king

Posted on February 4, 2020 by Jan van Cappelle (Javaca)

It’s probably the most well known name when it comes to baroque guitars: Voboam. Rather than a single maker, there is a whole dynasty of luthiers, spanning almost a century. It started with pater familias René Voboam, whose 1641 guitar … Continue reading →

Posted in Guitar, Guitar Plans, History, Research, Think different, Uncategorized, Woodworking | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment