Julian Templeman
2003-12-21 20:00:25 UTC
Andy's here in London have a 1975 Hopf "J.P. Professional" for sale. I
first saw a review of one of these about '75 in the long-dead
International Musician magazine (IIRC), and was always interested in
them, but this is the first one I've ever seen in the flesh.
It's a very interesting six-string steel string with a lot of
classical guitar features, which isn't surprising as Dieter Hopf is an
internationally renowned builder of classical instruments. These steel
strings were inspired by Mr.Pearse, hence the name.
The instrument has a slotted headstock with a typically ornate
classical-style look, a pinless bridge that owes more than a little to
classical designs, and a fingerboard way wider than we're used to on
steel strings. I'm not too hot on woods, but it looked to me like a
rosewood fingerboard, spruce top, and some sort of rosewood b&s... oh,
and a wooden pickguard, too. No idea about bracing patterns or
anything like that...
It sounded bright and resonant, definitely well played-in, but I'd
have a problem playing anything with a fingerboard that wide. No way
could I get my thumb around the bottom E for the ragtime pieces...
If I hadn't already bought a guitar this month, I'd be very tempted to
lay out 875UKP for a piece of guitar history...
jt
in london
Templeman Consulting Ltd.
London and North Wales
first saw a review of one of these about '75 in the long-dead
International Musician magazine (IIRC), and was always interested in
them, but this is the first one I've ever seen in the flesh.
It's a very interesting six-string steel string with a lot of
classical guitar features, which isn't surprising as Dieter Hopf is an
internationally renowned builder of classical instruments. These steel
strings were inspired by Mr.Pearse, hence the name.
The instrument has a slotted headstock with a typically ornate
classical-style look, a pinless bridge that owes more than a little to
classical designs, and a fingerboard way wider than we're used to on
steel strings. I'm not too hot on woods, but it looked to me like a
rosewood fingerboard, spruce top, and some sort of rosewood b&s... oh,
and a wooden pickguard, too. No idea about bracing patterns or
anything like that...
It sounded bright and resonant, definitely well played-in, but I'd
have a problem playing anything with a fingerboard that wide. No way
could I get my thumb around the bottom E for the ragtime pieces...
If I hadn't already bought a guitar this month, I'd be very tempted to
lay out 875UKP for a piece of guitar history...
jt
in london
Templeman Consulting Ltd.
London and North Wales