Peter Hopkins interview: The Red Tessa Nova
A few weeks ago, I was blessed by the arrival of a new guitar from Master Luthier Peter Hopkins. The Red Tessa Nova was the latest guitar to enter my Red Guitar Collection.
This is guitar is amazing in many ways.
And this interview is my way of putting more light on Peter Hopkins, an amazing cratman and a great human being.
J-A What was your reaction to my Red Guitar project?
P.H. I first heard about your idea for the red collection from my friend and colleague Mario Beauregard. Of course Scott Chinery’s blue collection has had an incredible impact on archtop makers and enthusiasts, and I thought it would be an exciting and timely project. I had no idea I would be asked to participate!
J-A Red? What was your reaction to this being the only request for the project?
P.H. I thought it allowed the builder tremendous latitude in their design. And of course the colour red just begs to be used in bold and creative ways.
J-A This is a «red» version of your Tessa Nova. Other then the color, is there something special about this guitar?
P.H. This guitar is the result of refinements made from the prototype for the Tessa Nova I first exhibited at MGS 2008. I liked the visual aesthetics, but had to make some changes in soundhole size and placement, and bracing thickness to achieve the sound I was after. The result is an even sleeker looking guitar that has great acoustic properties. It is also my 50th guitar, and the first to bear my new logo. So it’s special in several ways.
J-A We have this image of the archtop being a bulky instrument... I was quite surprised by the feather weight of the guitar and the fact that it is quite «alive». How did you acheive this? And doest this mean that the guitar is fragile?
P.H. A lighter guitar will be better acoustically, but there are several important elements. The structural architecture must be there to begin with. Then, by using well seasoned woods and rock solid joinery, the box can be carved quite delicately without compromising structural integrity. Think of how light the shell of an airplane must be, and how strong the frame.
J-A Another thing that I like about this guitar is the fact that you gave it a modern feel without perverting the essence of the good «old fashion» archtop. Can you tell us what you brought to the archtop design, visually, design wise and sonically, that makes it a Hopkins?
P.H. I have been building traditional archtops from the beginning, always striving for a rich acoustic response. I think that is what the player enjoys most. As I gained confidence in my knowledge and abilities, and became exposed to other designs, both current and historical, I began to consider how I could distill all I had learned into their simplest forms, still have a guitar that pays tribute to it’s origins, both visually and sonically, and yet is uniquely my own interpretation. The Red Tessa Nova is the result. I wanted to create an archtop that was visually pleasing without being over-embellished, that allowed the eye to move over it without interruption. The placement and shape of the soundholes, the curved pickup, pickguard and tailpiece, along with the softened unbound edges all work together to give the guitar a seamless visual flow. Sonically, I like to think of a resilient top, and a compliant back when I am bracing and carving. This allows me to achieve the crisp, lush acoustic sound my guitars are noted for.
The making
The final result!
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