Sources of Knowledge
On this page, I will try to gather a good set of places to seek further information about music, musicians, instruments, etc.
The page will be updated, expanded, changed, and rearranged as and when I see fit.
Some of the links I refer to may be of a more or less clear commercial nature, and some may contain wrong information or be “orphaned”, meaning left alone and never updated. So, please use whatever information you find with caution – and better check several places if you need to know something for sure.
Most websites and books will be in English, but other languages can be included as well.
I will also put links to some businesses, as these can be useful for seeking answers to many types of questions.
Instructions and tuning
Fretexperts.com – A website by the Author Tobe A. Richards, who has written many books with overviews of chords for various instruments. The website is in English and offers information about the books but also many articles about the different instruments – how to tune them, which strings to use, etc.
Muted.io – Large collection of different information and online tools, useful for tuning, creating chords, and many other things related to music theory. In English.
Tuner-online.com – Online guitar tuner, easy to use. In English.
Wikipedia – Stringed instruments tuning – Good overview of many stringed instruments and their typical tunings, plus general information on how to read a description of tunings. In English.
Instruments
General
Atlas of Plucked Instruments – Very many instruments from all over the world described. They are from a private collection, but a large one, so they cover quite many of the instruments you could run into – if they have strings and aren’t meant to be played with a bow. In English.
Instruments of the World – A database of 200 instruments, different kinds, and information on what they look like, where they are used, etc., in English.
Stringed Instrument Database – A brief description of a large number of instruments with stringed, including both picked and bowed instruments. In English and Esperanto.
Wikipedia – List of musical instruments – A long list of instruments with a bit of information about each, and links to individual articles. In English and 25 other languages.
Specific
Cavaquinho Museum Cultural Association – A website about the cavaquinho instrument, with history, chords and tuning, and a lot more, including a large selection of photos of different cavaquinho models. The page is in English and Portuguese.
Verdes Anos – Fado of Coimbra – The homepage of a fado group, with interesting information about fado music, the Portuguese guitar, and other topics from that sphere. The site is in English and Portuguese.
Instrument makers
Brands
Only selected brands are mentioned, mainly those with (possibly) some own design and/or production or with a significant role in history.
Current
Hagstrom Guitars – Originally a Swedish manufacturer of accordions, guitars, and other instruments, now a brand for electric, acoustic, and bass guitars.
Historical
Levin – Was a Swedish manufacturer of guitars, mandolins, banjos, lutes, and other stringed instruments, with a large production during many years, so, many instruments exist on the second hand market. The factory opened in 1900 and closed in 1979, but the brand was afterward purchased by Svensk Musik AB, later renamed to Svenska Levin AB, and has been used until recently for China-made instruments.
The shop Oscar Guitar’s overview of Levin's history and instruments
Documentary on Youtube by Andreas Brink
Manufacturers
Alhambra Guitarras – Spanish manufacturer of classical and flamenco guitars, as well as Spanish lauds (lutes). Site in English, Spanish, Italian, French, and German. Check their page at Jedistar for info on how to get details about a specific (used) instrument.
APC Musical Instruments – Portuguese manufacturer of musical instrument, mostly a large selection of traditional Portuguese instruments, but also several world instruments, guitars, and other stringed instruments. The website is in English, Portuguese and French.
Hora Instruments – Romanian manufacturer of musical instruments, both traditional types like violins, and many world instruments of various kinds. The site is in English and Romanian.
Matsikas – Greek manufacturer of traditional Greek instruments. The site is in Greek with some English headlines, etc.
Overviews
Jedistar – Lists of makers of guitars, violins and bows, along with luthierie schools. Various amounts of information about each item, but often with photos and user comments. In English.
Notes and tabs
Classcleff.com – Notes, tabs, MIDI and other formats of music for download, all for the guitar. Many different styles and composers, and also technique lessons and similar. Downloading seems to be for free. In English.
Resellers
FolkReps – Portugal-based reseller of APC instruments, shipping worldwide. Site in English.
Gear4music – International webshop, UK-based, with many Chinese produced instruments carrying one of several own brands, plus a large selection of common brands. Site in English and most other common languages.
Philippos Nakas – Greece-based reseller and online shop, selling worldwide. A selection of basically all kinds of instrument, including many, that are specific for Greece. In English and Greek.
Reverb – Online marketplace for musical instruments and equipment. In English.
Salão Musical de Lisboa / Lisbon Music Shop – A physical music shop in Portugal with two webshops (European / worldwide sales), selling all the traditional instruments as well as Portuguese instruments. Sites in English and Portuguese.
Thomann – Germany-based distributor and reseller of musical instruments, all kinds, a large selection of common brands, available in most countries of the world. Rebranding many instruments under their own brand names, plus operating several own brands, produced for them. A good source for European instruments. All languages.