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Kalamazoo one off? Prototype? very early model?

Kalamazoo one off? Prototype? very early model?
« on: May 04, 2013, 08:16:57 PM »
Hey guys, I recently got this guitar, it's a Gibson Kalamazoo, but the issue is that supposedly they were all MDF construction, this body is quite clearly not MDF and I was looking for some information on it. I am trying to date it and figure out exactly what I have here. Any Kalamazoo experts out there? Thanks for your help.


[ATTACH=CONFIG]2564[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]2565[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]2566[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]2567[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]2568[/ATTACH]

jules

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Kalamazoo one off? Prototype? very early model?
« Reply #1 on: May 05, 2013, 01:19:06 AM »
Hi, I've seen pictures online of a few seemingly wood Kalamazoo guitars and basses, SG styled ones at any rate. The pot codes might give a clue as to whether it's an early one. Is there a serial number?

Kalamazoo one off? Prototype? very early model?
« Reply #2 on: May 05, 2013, 08:36:56 PM »
The Serial number is 503694 and the pot codes are

1326535
BA811-3701
250K

and

1346530
BA811-3707
500K

looks like based on all three of those things it's a 65 Kalamazoo. Still that doesn't explain the wood body.

jules

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Kalamazoo one off? Prototype? very early model?
« Reply #3 on: May 08, 2013, 03:22:25 AM »
Ok, so definitely an early example - and interesting to see the slanted neck pickup too.

Kalamazoo one off? Prototype? very early model?
« Reply #4 on: February 15, 2014, 06:53:10 PM »
What makes you think that the 60s Kalamazoos were made out of MDF? That's news to me.

Kalamazoo one off? Prototype? very early model?
« Reply #5 on: February 19, 2014, 01:35:37 AM »
Quote from: GibbyNut;18124
What makes you think that the 60s Kalamazoos were made out of MDF? That's news to me.


From what I have read on the Wikipedia page as well as other places it's an MDF body

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gibson_Kalamazoo_Electric_Guitar

Kalamazoo one off? Prototype? very early model?
« Reply #6 on: February 26, 2014, 09:45:25 PM »
Wikipedia is notorious for having inaccurate information and this is no exception. The information is wrong and very incomplete.

jules

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Kalamazoo one off? Prototype? very early model?
« Reply #7 on: February 27, 2014, 02:37:12 PM »
I am not an expert on man-made wood composites - I am not sure precisely what constitutes mdf...

The Wikipedia page states "Over time, the word "MDF" has become a generic name for any dry process fiber board" - although I have been careful not to give it a specific name on vintageguitarandbass.com

But the 1960s Kalamazoo brand guitars and basses are generally (though it seems there are exceptions) not solid wood.

They were made by a manufacturer in Wisconsin, better known for making toilet seats etc, out of some kind of compressed wood composite. They were then completed with Gibson parts.

Whether it is technically correct to call this mdf I don't know - but the vast majority are certainly not solid wood, and not made by Gibson

if you take the scratchplate off and examine the screw holes/bridge posts holes etc there are unfinished areas that show the 'wood' underneath.

So what are you saying GibbyNut? that it is incorrect to call the body MDF, or further still that you don't believe the body is a man-made composite?

jules

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Kalamazoo one off? Prototype? very early model?
« Reply #8 on: March 10, 2014, 10:53:33 AM »
Here's a pic of the bare 'wood' - the jack area under the scratchplate was obviously too shallow, so they enlarged it, as shown


[ATTACH=CONFIG]2805[/ATTACH]

Kalamazoo one off? Prototype? very early model?
« Reply #9 on: November 01, 2014, 04:39:38 PM »
Yeah, that's MDF in that photo. Very different from what mine looks like

Quote from: jules;18149
Here's a pic of the bare 'wood' - the jack area under the scratchplate was obviously too shallow, so they enlarged it, as shown


[ATTACH=CONFIG]2805[/ATTACH]

 

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