Tag Archives: Lutherie

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

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

New plans: Gosewyn Spyker – a guitar from 1760…

Posted on November 23, 2019 by Jan van Cappelle (Javaca)

Today I will give a lecture for the Dutch Lute Society about the oldest surviving guitar from the Netherlands. Made in 1760 in Amsterdam by Gosewyn Spyker. This guitar was preserved in the collection of Duivenvoorde Castle, where it was … Continue reading →

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

Digital Guitar and Lute Plans

Posted on April 24, 2019 by Jan van Cappelle (Javaca)

You probably know my guitar and lute drawings. They’re quite (in)famous in the lutherie community. I’ve made them for a couple of years now, and literally hundreds of instruments have been constructed after them. Anything from Stradivari reconstructions to Danelectro … Continue reading →

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

The Ace of Spades

Posted on February 14, 2019 by Jan van Cappelle (Javaca)

If you like to gamble, I tell you I’m your man, You win some, lose some, it’s all the same to me, The pleasure is to play, makes no difference what you say, I don’t share your greed, the only … Continue reading →

Posted in Lute, Uncategorized, Workshop | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

FREE Vihuela plans!

Posted on August 2, 2018 by Jan van Cappelle (Javaca)

Yes you read it correctly. As a summer surprise I’m giving away one of my plans for free… A year ago some of my students at the Bouwerskontakt lutherie course asked whether they could make some historical instruments. A baroque … Continue reading →

Posted in Guitar, Guitar Plans, Lute, Music, Projects, Research, Uncategorized, Woodworking, Workshop | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

A special parlor: The Grunewald “Harp-Guitar”

Posted on July 4, 2018 by Jan van Cappelle (Javaca)

One of the perks of guitar making are the special guitars that sometimes pass the shop. And being a somewhat quirky person I somehow manage get some of the oddest pieces of guitar history. Like this 10-string “Harp-Guitar” made by … Continue reading →

Posted in Guitar, Guitar Plans, History, Movies, Music, Projects, Restorations, Uncategorized, Woodworking, Workshop | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

King David and his pretty little lyres

Posted on June 20, 2018 by Jan van Cappelle (Javaca)

When researching the old European lyres there are two pictures that always keep surfacing: The Vespasian Lyre Probably the most famous is the one of King David in the Vespasian Psalter (Southern England, 2nd or 3rd quarter of the 8th … Continue reading →

Posted in History, lyre, Music, Projects, Re-enactment, Research, Think different, Uncategorized, Woodworking, Workshop | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

A Dutch Tool Chest

Posted on May 13, 2018 by Jan van Cappelle (Javaca)

During the days at the Batavia Shipyard it became clear to me that I want two new toolboxes, destined for the re-enactment events. The reason is that some of my tools are simply too dear to me to expose them … Continue reading →

Posted in Projects, Re-enactment, Tools, Uncategorized, Woodworking, Workshop | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment