Moving to Bozeman, Montana in 1992 to work for Gibson, Kevin Kopp's talents quickly moved him into the Custom Shop, where he was able to hone his skills working with master luthiers such as John Walker and Ren Ferguson. After ten years of working in the Custom Shop, Kevin felt it was time to move on and Kopp Guitars was born! Handmade in Bozeman, Kopp Guitars are built off of Kevin's vast experience with vintage instruments.
In 1935, the Advanced Jumbo combined graceful slope shoulders with a longer 25.5" scale to deliver clarity, power, and balance in sound. This model was made to compete with Martin's dreadnoughts, and vintage examples have developed something of a legend. In the '30s, the Advanced Jumbo model was made with an Adirondack Red Spruce top and Brazilian Rosewood back and sides. This Kevin Kopp AJ Brazilian was made with those prewar beauties in mind.
This 2010 AJ Brazilian features an Adirondack Spruce top, finished with Kopp's stunning hand-rubbed sunburst. Its gorgeous Brazilian Rosewood back and sides are dark, and they show nice book-match. It has a prewar appropriate 25-1/2" scale length, and the bone nut measures 1-3/4". It has a pronounced V-shaped neck profile that is substantial, but it's comfortable and doesn't feel quite like a baseball bat. It's easy to play, especially with a Madagascar Rosewood fingerboard and abalone inlays marking the frets.
This 2010 AJ Brazilian has a repaired top seam separation that runs from the bridge to the end block. Other than that, it shows some superficial wear and signs of use (see photos- bumps around the edges of the headstock, two small scratches on bass side of top, finish crack on back, etc). It has an inviting, low setup, and true to Kopp's reputation, it shows substantial build quality throughout.
This 2010 Kopp AJ Brazilian produces a powerful, throaty voice that is articulate and detailed. It has powerful bass that is never over-powering. It feels open and responsive, much like a vintage guitar. We'll chalk that up to good materials, experienced voicing on the braces, and a little Montana mountain magic, too. This 2010 Kopp AJ Brazilian includes its original case.