Kopf Blog

A cajon is a simple instrument by design. At its core, it is a box with a playing surface, internal voicing, and a relationship between wood, tension, and touch. There are limits to what can be paten …

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Most people think of mass production as a breakthrough that made life easier for consumers. And in many ways, it did. Before machinery and assembly lines, almost everything was made by hand. That mean …

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Every once in a while as a builder, I come across a tonewood that makes me slow down without even thinking about it. That happened to me this week when I picked up some Koa and Redwood burl panels for …

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When people talk about legendary instrument makers, they often look for their "secre"t. Some formula. Some measurement. Some recipe that explains why one builder’s work stands apart from the res …

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One of the first choices a cajon player faces is whether to use a string or snare system.At first glance, it seems simple — wires versus guitar strings. But the difference changes how the instru …

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Some woods draw attention before they make a sound. Pomelle Sapele is one of them. Its surface looks alive, a three-dimensional ripple that shifts with the light, almost like water caught in motion. T …

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