2012 Kevin Kopp Trail Boss Lefty
Serial # 0323012 Kevin Kopp cut his teeth working at Gibson's Montana Custom shop alongside John Walker and Ren Ferguson. In the ten years he spent there, Kopp became well-informed about vintage Gibsons, and incorporates that background knowledge and esthetic sense into his own creations. He is widely regarded as one of a small handful of luthiers who make quality modern interpretations of Gibson's vintage instruments.
Kopp's Trail Boss model is based on Gibson's J-200 body, and like the first SJ-200s made, it features a 12 fret body. Kopp adds a cut-away to offer access to those upper frets that are made inaccessible by the 12 fret neck joint. This left-handed example features a scalloped-braced quarter-sawn Lutz spruce top, and exquisitely figured sugar maple back and sides. The sunburst finish is hand-rubbed to every surface of the guitar, like Gibson's rubbed finishes from prior to 1930, which highlights the natural beauty of the wood.
The guitar features a small rectangle bridge and fingerboard of Madagascar rosewood, bone nut and compensated saddle, two-piece figured maple neck with ebony center strip, gold Waverly tuners, and K+K Pure Mini pickup.
The neck is built with a fairly substantial Banner-era like carve, with a nut-width of 1-3/4", and a hefty deep D profile. The string spacing widens to a 1930's-like 2-3/8 width at the saddle. There's lots of room to move around, and it's a very comfortable set-up for both flatpicking and fingerstyle. Scale length is 25.5"
A very lightly built guitar, the Trail Boss has a surprisingly lively, responsive, and resonant tone. There's plenty of bass thanks to that 17" body, but the guitar's mid-range punch and treble fatness is what will get you. The instrument is very well balanced, and useable for all kinds of music. It's altogether fun in drop tunings -- responding as if it had a big V8 under the hood.
In excellent condition, the guitar is nearly blemish free. Frets show very light wear in the first position. Set-up by our shop.
With a robin-egg-blue Calton hard shell case
Kopp's Trail Boss model is based on Gibson's J-200 body, and like the first SJ-200s made, it features a 12 fret body. Kopp adds a cut-away to offer access to those upper frets that are made inaccessible by the 12 fret neck joint. This left-handed example features a scalloped-braced quarter-sawn Lutz spruce top, and exquisitely figured sugar maple back and sides. The sunburst finish is hand-rubbed to every surface of the guitar, like Gibson's rubbed finishes from prior to 1930, which highlights the natural beauty of the wood.
The guitar features a small rectangle bridge and fingerboard of Madagascar rosewood, bone nut and compensated saddle, two-piece figured maple neck with ebony center strip, gold Waverly tuners, and K+K Pure Mini pickup.
The neck is built with a fairly substantial Banner-era like carve, with a nut-width of 1-3/4", and a hefty deep D profile. The string spacing widens to a 1930's-like 2-3/8 width at the saddle. There's lots of room to move around, and it's a very comfortable set-up for both flatpicking and fingerstyle. Scale length is 25.5"
A very lightly built guitar, the Trail Boss has a surprisingly lively, responsive, and resonant tone. There's plenty of bass thanks to that 17" body, but the guitar's mid-range punch and treble fatness is what will get you. The instrument is very well balanced, and useable for all kinds of music. It's altogether fun in drop tunings -- responding as if it had a big V8 under the hood.
In excellent condition, the guitar is nearly blemish free. Frets show very light wear in the first position. Set-up by our shop.
With a robin-egg-blue Calton hard shell case