Born in 1644 and active in the city of Saluzzo, on the western edge of Piedmont, Goffredo Cappa was one of the earliest and most skilled imitators of the Amati style outside Cremona. This meant that many of his instruments were mistaken for such already quite close to their making, thus making it more difficult to date his work.
It is believed that Cappa learned the first rudiments of his profession from Enrico Catenar and Andrea Gatto, who used a method, very common in northern Europe, that did not involve the use of a mould but rather used to insert the ribs in a specially made channel carved on the inside of the back. In later years, Cappa's methods tend to adopt techniques that are more typically Italian. Based on models derived from those of the Amatis, the instruments made by Cappa are elegantly worked and adopt a slanted f-hole positioning that is quite characteristic. Without reaching the refinement of his Cremonese predecessors, Cappa's violins are highly appreciated for their sound, because of their well-designed arching which is not excessively hollowed towards the edges. The heads are also very elegantly shaped, with a rather open throat at the top and a deeply carved volute.
