Kevin Kopp The Bird Sunburst Acoustic Guitar with Sitka Spruce and Honduran Mahogany

Case for Kevin Kopp The Bird Sunburst Acoustic Guitar with Sitka Spruce and Honduran Mahogany

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With its rich sunburst, broad shoulders, and luminous split parallelogram inlays, Kevin Kopp’s The Bird makes a beautiful first impression. Built with Sitka spruce and Honduran mahogany, it brings Kevin’s considerable experience to a design deeply rooted in the sound and style of classic American music. With Kevin nearing retirement, this is among the very last brand new Kopp guitars we will have available at Eddie’s Guitars, and a particularly handsome example of the work that has earned him such a devoted following.

Kevin’s career has given him an unusually intimate understanding of the instruments that inspire his own. After moving to Bozeman, Montana, in 1992 to join Gibson, he soon found himself in the Custom Shop working alongside Ren Ferguson and John Walker. He spent a decade there helping create exceptional custom guitars before pursuing his independent work. Vintage instrument repair and restoration further deepened that education, allowing him to study celebrated older guitars from the inside out. His instruments reflect those years at the bench, where an understanding of wood, structure, and sound develops through the patient work of building and listening.

The Bird takes its inspiration from the Gibson Hummingbird, with the familiar square shoulder dreadnought silhouette and inviting musical character that have made that tradition so enduring. Its appeal is especially strong for players who love the sound of a full chord ringing beneath a melody. There is a lovely sense of cohesion to this style of guitar, with individual strings blending into a broad, warm accompaniment. It is a natural home for country, folk, and acoustic rock, equally inviting for an unhurried strum or a gently picked introduction.

Sitka spruce and Honduran mahogany are a fitting foundation for that voice. Sitka brings the versatility to accommodate a delicate touch as well as a more spirited rhythm hand, while mahogany contributes the woody focus and clear fundamentals that make this pairing so useful behind a singer. Adirondack spruce braces complete the soundboard construction, bringing another classic material into Kevin’s carefully considered design. For the player who moves between picking, strumming, and singing, there is much to appreciate in this straightforward combination of woods.

The hand rubbed sunburst is particularly striking, with a glowing amber center shading into deep reddish brown around the perimeter. The spruce grain remains visible beneath the color, giving the finish a lovely depth. A generously shaped tortoise pickguard follows the guitar’s bold proportions, while grained ivoroid binding outlines both the body and fingerboard. The Honduran mahogany back and sides provide a warm, understated complement, allowing the sunburst and pearl work to take center stage.

Madagascar rosewood forms the fingerboard, bridge, and headstock veneer, its natural streaking adding another layer of visual interest. Mother of pearl split parallelogram inlays catch the light along the bound fingerboard, echoed by the bright Kopp script and decorative headstock inlay. Nickel Waverly tuning machines complete the traditional appointments. A 1 3/4 inch nut and 2 5/16 inch bridge spacing provide generous room for the hands, while the 14 fret neck joint offers familiar access to the upper register.

Weighing just 4 pounds, 2 ounces and accompanied by a hard case, The Bird is an inviting guitar to make part of everyday musical life. Its arrival is bittersweet as Kevin approaches retirement, but there is real pleasure in offering an instrument that carries so much of his experience into the years of music still ahead.

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