Vintage Guitar and Bass forum

Kalamazoo archtop acoustic

Kalamazoo archtop acoustic
« on: November 24, 2009, 11:44:05 PM »
About 5 years ago I inherited this guitar from my great-uncle whom I never knew even played.  It was under his bed in it's case and very dusty.  His wife said he never played this one.  I had to replace the tuning machines (with re-pop Klusen Deluxes, same screw holes) and clean it a lot.  I understand it to be late 30's or early 40's but nobody has told me for sure.  I e-mailed pics of it to Gibson's historical dept.  and the guy told me it had been refinished.  He said that none of them were blonde finish for this model.  I know that it has never been refinished.  My uncle was no craftsmen and would not have paid for it to be done by another.  It is a really neat guitar and plays nice.  It has very nice birdseye/flame wood grain on the sides and back.  Anybody else seen on like this?







I wanted to keep playing the guitar but was worried about the original brittle pickguard so I fashioned a new one out of faux tortoise blank.


jules

  • *****
  • 3068
    • View Profile
Kalamazoo
« Reply #1 on: November 25, 2009, 04:37:44 AM »
That's really nice. I like the binding especially.

Kalamazoo archtop acoustic
« Reply #2 on: November 25, 2009, 09:49:30 AM »
Thanks. Here's a shot of the back:


Kalamazoo archtop acoustic
« Reply #3 on: November 25, 2009, 01:31:33 PM »
Nice Guitar; Re date, although Kalamazoo started in the 30's as the cheapest range of Gibson guitars, I think this is more likely to be circa 1960.
That exact tailpiece was used on 1960 ES125s. "5927H" may indeed be the date, 1959, week 27.
It appears to be based on the ES125T electric series, and it doesn't look refinished to me. The top and back would have to be done; can't see any point anyone doing that, especially with the chequer binding which could be damaged easily in a refinish.
They are great looking guitars but not particularly valuable; if it was marked Gibson on the headstock it would be very desirable.
Hope you enjoy playing it; it should have a nice mellow tone. :)
Mike.
Retired Radio and Electronics Engineer residing in Cambridgeshire.

Kalamazoo archtop acoustic
« Reply #4 on: November 25, 2009, 09:12:49 PM »
According to the bible (Gruhn's Guide to Vintage Guitars) Gibson's budget brand Kalamazoo originally existed between 1937 and 1942.  It was later revived between 1965 and 1970.  However, all of these latter instruments (with the exception of one) were solidbody electrics.  The one exception was model KG-10, which was an all-mahogany flat-top acoustic.

The instrument pictured above dates to the first period of production (1937-42).  In 1940, Gibson introduced a line of guitars known as the Kalamazoo/Oriole models which featured a natural finish.  The above guitar would appear to be model KGN-32, the specs for which are as follows:

KGN-32: Oriole model, arched top and back, f-holes, L-50 size, 16" wide, spruce top, maple back and sides, adjustable bridge, trapeze tailpiece, single-bound pickguard, tortoise grain binding on top and back,unbound rosewood fingerboard, dot inlay, ebony nut, bird decal (Oriole)on peghead, natural finish.

The only feature I can't confirm from the photos is the existence of the bird decal, but this may have been removed anyway.

Heres an interesting link: http://www.folkwaymusic.com/instruments/archtopgallery.html

Scroll down until you get to 1941 Kalamazoo KG-32N.
« Last Edit: November 25, 2009, 09:57:12 PM by guitardunc »

Kalamazoo archtop acoustic
« Reply #5 on: November 25, 2009, 09:34:39 PM »
Further to my last post, the ink-stamped number (5927H) inside the guitar is the factory order number and letter (year) code.  According to Gruhn, the following letter codes apply:

Year Letter
1935   A
1936   B
1937   C
1938   D
1939   E
1940   F
1941   G

Gruhn does not specify a code for 1942.  This may be because production of guitars in the Gibson factory was largely suspended at this time in order to concentrate on the war effort.  However, it would be reasonable to surmise that the few guitars produced during 1942 would have an 'H' letter code.  That's just my guess, but I think it's the closest you'll get to the truth.  The guy at Gibson who told you they didn't make natural finished guitars at that time should do a bit more homework.

Kalamazoo archtop acoustic
« Reply #6 on: November 26, 2009, 04:43:36 PM »
thanks to  everyone for the help and interest!

 

Recent posts on vintage guitar and bass

1970 Rosetti Epiphone guitar catalogScan of 1970 Epiphone guitar catalogue produced by Rosetti for the UK market. Undated but most likely from mid-late 1970, this was the first UK catalogue to show the new range of Japanese (Matsumoku) Epiphone guitars. Interestingly, these pages show the Epiphone solid bodies with a single-sided Fender-style headstock layout - a feature quickly replaced with a typical two-sided Epiphone headstock almost immediately. Epiphone electric guitars: 9520, 9525; bass guitars: 9521, 9526; acoustic guitars: 6730, 6830, 6834
1971 A World of Guitars by Rosetti catalogueScan of 1971 Rosetti catalogue (UK) featuring guitars from from numerous manufacturers worldwide: guitars by Epiphone, Hagstrom, Levin, Hoyer, Egmond, Eros, Moridaira, Kiso-Suzuki, Schaller, and Tatra.
1971 Selmer guitar catalogueScan of 1971 Selmer guitar catalogue showing the range of electric and acoustic guitars distributed by the company: guitars by Gibson, Yamaha, Selmer, Hofner and Suzuki. 1960s Selmer had always placed Hofner at the front end of their catalogues, no doubt these were the better sellers - but into the 1970s Hofner were slipping somewhat and only appear at the tail end of this publication, pride of place going to Gibson, and to a lesser extent Yamaha. In fact this is the last Selmer catalogue to include the many Hofner hollow bodies (Committee, President, Senator etc) that had defined the companies output for so many years - to be replaced in the 1972 catalogue by generic solid body 'copies' of Gibson and Fender models. A number of new Gibson models are included for the first time: the SG-100 and SG-200 six string guitars and the SB-300 and SB-400 basses.
1968 Selmer guitar catalogueScan of 1968/1969 Selmer guitar catalogue (printed July 1968), showing the entire range of electric and acoustic guitars distributed by the company: guitars by Hofner, Gibson, Selmer and Giannini. Selmer were the exclusive United Kingdom distributors of Hofner and Gibson at the time, and this catalogue contains a total of 18 electric guitars, 7 bass guitars, 37 acoustics, and 2 Hawaiian guitars - all produced outside the UK and imported by Selmer, with UK prices included in guineas. This catalogue saw the (re-)introduction of the late sixties Gibson Les Paul Custom and Les Paul Standard (see page 69) and the short-lived Hofner Club 70. Other electric models include: HOFNER ELECTRICS: Committee, Verithin 66, Ambassador, President, Senator, Galaxie, HOFNER BASSES: Violin bass, Verithin bass, Senator bass, Professional bass GIBSON ELECTRICS: Barney Kessel, ES-330TD, ES-335TD, ES-345TD, ES-175D, ES-125CD, SG Standard, SG Junior, SG Special GIBSON BASSES: EB-0, EB-2, EB-3 - plus a LOT of acoustics branded Gibson, Hofner, Selmer and Giannini
1961 Hofner Colorama IHofner Colorama was the name UK distributor Selmer gave to a series of solid and semi-solid guitars built by Hofner for distribution in the UK. The construction and specifications of the guitars varied over the period of production, but by 1961 it was a totally solid, double cutaway instrument, with a set neck, translucent cherry finish, six-in-a-row headstock, and Hofner Diamond logo pickups. Available as a single or dual pickup guitar, this sngle pickup version would have been sold in mainland Europe as the Hofner 161.
1971 Commodore N25 (Matsumoku)Commodore was a brand applied to a series of guitars produced in Japan at the well-respected Matsumoku plant from the late 1960s to the mid 1970s - and sold primarily (perhaps exclusively?) in the United Kingdom. The models bearing the Commodore name were all guitars available from different distributors with different branding. Although there may have been some minor changes in appointments (specifically headstock branding) most had the same basic bodies, hardware and construction. Equivalent models to the Commodore N25 (and this is by no means an exhaustive list) include the Aria 5102T, Conrad 5102T(?), Electra 2221, Lyle 5102T, Ventura V-1001, Univox Coily - and most famously the Epiphone 5102T / Epiphone EA-250.
1960 Hofner Colorama IIThe Hofner Colorama was the name given by Selmer to a series of solid (and semi-solid) body Hofner guitars distributed in the United Kingdom between 1958 and 1965. The Colorama name actually applied to some quite different guitars over the period, but in 1960 it was a very light, semi-solid, set necked guitar with one (Colorama I) or two (Colorama II, as seen here) Toaster pickups. Although an entry-level guitar, it was very well-built, and a fine playing guitar; certainly a step up (at least in terms of craftsmanship) from many of the Colorama guitars that would follow, and a good deal of the guitars available in Britain circa 1960.
1971 Epiphone 1820 (ET-280) bassBy the end of the 1960s, a decision had been made to move Epiphone guitar production from the USA (at the Kalamazoo plant where Gibson guitars were made), to Matsumoto in Japan, creating a line of guitars and basses significantly less expensive than the USA-built models (actually less than half the price). The Matsumoku factory had been producing guitars for export for some time, but the 1820 bass (alongside a number of guitar models and the 5120 electric acoustic bass) were the first Epiphone models to be made there. These new Epiphones were based on existing Matsumoku guitars, sharing body shapes, and hardware, but the Epiphone line was somewhat upgraded, with inlaid logos and a 2x2 peghead configuration. Over the course of the 70s, the Japanese output improved dramatically, and in many ways these early 70s models are a low point for the brand. Having said this, there are a lot worse guitars out there, and as well as being historically important, the 1820 bass can certainly provide the goods when required.
1981 Gibson MarauderProduction of Bill Lawrence's Gibson Marauder began in 1974, with production peaking in 1978. But by 1980 the model was officially discontinued, though very small numbers slipped out as late as spring 1981. Over 7000 examples shipped between 1974 and 1979, and although no totals are available for 1980 and 1981, it is unlikely production reached three figures in either of these years. These final Marauders were all assembled at the Gibson Nashville plant, and had some nice features not available through the later years of production, such as a rosewood fretboard, and in this case, an opaque 'Devil Red' finish. It's a great looking and fine playing guitar!