jt Posted January 8, 2016 Author Share Posted January 8, 2016 Thanks, all! This announcement comes just in time for the January 23 opening of the 3-month long Kalamazoo Gals museum exhibit: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-1854Me Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 .... You all need to know that Henry has no knowledge of this whole event. He is an honorable person and would never tolerate this sort of behavior. Henry is a very busy man running a multi-national company with many divisions much bigger that the Montana Division. He doesn't involve himself in the day to day minutiae of these small divisions. Please keep this in perspective. The General Manager of Montana doesn't even know. 'Nuff said There certainly have been -- from all I've learned over the years, at least -- some wacky choices for GM in Montana, including the one seen in the pages of Fabulous Flattops. A more recent one was a poor choice too (again, based on what I've learned from various folks). At the end of the day, whoever hired / managed them would, from a simplistic perspective, be responsible for those choices, poor or otherwise. The balance between "love affair with guitars [or whatever the product is]" and "bottom-line-driven financial realities" is something that is driven and guided by the CEO, who I presume is Henry J, busy as he may be. At very least, it has been my experience that present- and recent-production Gibson acoustics are sounding and playing pretty good, interior glue-drops and other faux-pas aside! Fred Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 At very least, it has been my experience that present- and recent-production Gibson acoustics are sounding and playing pretty good, interior glue-drops and other faux-pas aside! Fred "Only a Gibson is glued enough", as they used to say. It's part of the tradition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt Posted January 9, 2016 Author Share Posted January 9, 2016 At very least, it has been my experience that present- and recent-production Gibson acoustics are sounding and playing pretty good... I agree, which is and should be the measure of the company as far as we players are concerned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 And we really think Henry J has no idea about all these goings on? Maybe somebody email him the facts? Though 10 reissues is probably not of any interest at all among 100,000 acoustics or whatever amount they make, he might get more interested in a run of 25,000 Gibson Kalamazoo Girl Southern Jumbos with nice label, extra hard scallops, thinner resonant tops and special finish with pearl, produced by newly employed Gibson workforce of women only in...err...of course Kalamazoo, for the Kali Girl guitars estimated future production of 225,000 over...xxxxxx?? Hope we don't need a war to get it going... BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt Posted January 9, 2016 Author Share Posted January 9, 2016 I'll take responsibility for this thread creeping away from its purpose, the discussion of the Fairbanks Kalamazoo Gals SJ project. I've edited my posts to remove content not relevant to the topic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 Great job jt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 I'll take responsibility for this thread creeping away from its purpose, the discussion of the Fairbanks Kalamazoo Gals SJ project. I've edited my posts to remove content not relevant to the topic. We're all guilty of thread creep. It's not your fault. Most of us really appreciate what you've done, and what you are doing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 We're all guilty of thread creep. But ya gotta admit, I kept it BRIEF....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt Posted January 9, 2016 Author Share Posted January 9, 2016 And, back to the topic ... I'll be talking about the project, the museum exhibit, and playing a tune or three on a Banner Gibson on January 22 on the Lori Moore TV show, aired on the Kalamazoo CBS affiliate. I'll post a link when one becomes available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountainpicker Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 I think in the end that Dale Fairbanks is a great choice to produce these guitars. They should turn out beautifully and have a great tone from the get go. Anthony Buckeridge gets my vote for the longest post I've ever seen on any guitar forum and for capitalizing more letters per sentence than anything ever written, whew! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobster Posted January 13, 2016 Share Posted January 13, 2016 I am lucky enough to own two of the guitars that came out of John's Kalamazoo Gal's project... ...The 42 Banner J-45 is my favorite guitar. It is my best friend and It will be the last one with me at the end. It's awesomeness is beyond words, and in truth I could almost live with it as one guitar because it covers 90% of the ground I cover these days. John, I hope you find gratification in knowing that there are people like me out there who cherish these instruments and see them becoming family heirlooms. The fact that Gibson dropped out of the Kal Girls reissues project is hugely disappointing on many levels... ...And, I was looking forward to a chance at obtaining one of the reissues, apparently very few of which were actually made. I wish JT and Kevin the best of luck with this new facet of the project. . Would love to know more about the fairbanks also including price and whether one or two might make there way to the UK? In terms of gibson I also own one of these reissues, namely the J-45. Its an incredible guitar and my exitement remains undiminshed well over a year later. I also own other great guitars (collings, Dave King, H&D etc) but the Gibson reissue with its fat neck just feels right, it feels old and has a lovely vintage tone. Its a fantastic guitar in drop tunings as well. I know it was supposed to be a run of 50 but does anyone know how many actually got made in the end? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt Posted January 13, 2016 Author Share Posted January 13, 2016 Would love to know more about the fairbanks also including price and whether one or two might make there way to the UK? At least one will go to The North American Guitar in London. I don't know anything about pricing (and have no financial interest in the project). I'd recommend contacting Dale Fairbanks directly. In terms of gibson I also own one of these reissues, namely the J-45. Its an incredible guitar and my exitement remains undiminshed well over a year later. I also own other great guitars (collings, Dave King, H&D etc) but the Gibson reissue with its fat neck just feels right, it feels old and has a lovely vintage tone. Its a fantastic guitar in drop tunings as well. I know it was supposed to be a run of 50 but does anyone know how many actually got made in the end? I don't know the actual production numbers. But, the original project plans clearly called for only 50 and dealers represented that only 50 were made. So, I'm fairly confident that you've got one of 50. Cool guitars! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fullmental Alpinist Posted January 13, 2016 Share Posted January 13, 2016 We're all guilty of thread creep. This is the first time I've ever seen you make a mistake, J45nick. Thread creep was booted off the forum several months ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fp Posted January 13, 2016 Share Posted January 13, 2016 I owned one each of the J45's and an SJ that were part of the project that John Thomas was involved in with Gibson. I've since sold them both to happy owners. I did prefer the sound of the J45 though. I'm going to contact Fairbanks and see if there's any way I can swing one of the SJ's he's making. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibby46 Posted January 14, 2016 Share Posted January 14, 2016 I called today and talked with Dale today about the guitars. Great guy, very informative and helpful. I have played his guitars at the podium in Minneapolis and he makes an awesome guitar. I do not post much so not sure if your allowed to say the price but it was $8,500. To me that's allot, but I'm sure they will be amazing. This put me on a search for the reissue guitars that JT did with Gibson and was able to locate the 1942 J-45 Reissue that never sold. I think that will be a more affordable approach for me. I loved the book JT did and the history of this. My Best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt Posted January 14, 2016 Author Share Posted January 14, 2016 Gibby, Thanks for the kind words and for the information! This put me on a search for the reissue guitars that JT did with Gibson and was able to locate the 1942 J-45 Reissue that never sold. I think that will be a more affordable approach for me.I loved the book JT did and the history of this. My Best. Cool guitars. Please post your thoughts and pics when you receive it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibby46 Posted January 14, 2016 Share Posted January 14, 2016 I will. I will compare and post pictures next to my 46. This is not meant to be a "high jack" of this thread but I really think your book has some cool potential to be a movie. It would be neat filming this as it was in the 1940's and showing pre-war factory life, during war factory and some of the struggles of life/work as men went off to war. The hiding of women work force as well as other discoveries you found, Love, ability to adapt in difficult circumstances, etc. You have a lot of good potential in that book to make a neat film. You already have some of the music done 😀. I'll move on but for some reason this book really touched me. Obviously Not the research part ( which was awesome) but the lives of the women and men at that time. All the Best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt Posted January 14, 2016 Author Share Posted January 14, 2016 I will. I will compare and post pictures next to my 46. This is not meant to be a "high jack" of this thread but I really think your book has some cool potential to be a movie. It would be neat filming this as it was in the 1940's and showing pre-war factory life, during war factory and some of the struggles of life/work as men went off to war. The hiding of women work force as well as other discoveries you found, Love, ability to adapt in difficult circumstances, etc. You have a lot of good potential in that book to make a neat film. You already have some of the music done 😀. I'll move on but for some reason this book really touched me. Obviously Not the research part ( which was awesome) but the lives of the women and men at that time. All the Best. Thanks so much for the kind words! I've had inquiries and some serious talks with one significant film production company. Nothing yet, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted January 15, 2016 Share Posted January 15, 2016 I won $5.70 in the Poweball, so the guitar at about $US8500 PLUS about 78% to get it here, making about $AU15,100, ain't coming! Better go pluck my lovely J45 instead. Good idea for a movie, isn't JT? (It might need some blood and a spy, all the pretty stars and a big fight somewhere, to get the attention of the general populace ) BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lars68 Posted January 15, 2016 Share Posted January 15, 2016 JT, when you get a cameo in the movie, you know what shirt to wear Lars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt Posted January 26, 2016 Author Share Posted January 26, 2016 I returned yesterday from Kalamazoo with some treasure in my suitcase: a couple of chunks of maple taken (with permission!) from the Gibson factory during WWII: The current plan is to slice it wafer thin to use for creating "Only a Kalamazoo Gal Is Good Enough" banners to be inlaid into the headstocks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
62burst Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 'Hope things went well for you in Kalamazoo, John. Did you happen by Parsons Street while out there? Seeing some outside photos would be great. And what is the status of . . . ? Is it still casting a shadow? Best wishes for the project with Mr. Fairbanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt Posted January 27, 2016 Author Share Posted January 27, 2016 Is it still casting a shadow? It's still standing! The community and property owner are working on raising funds for its restoration. Alas, the original occupant has shown no interest in supporting the cause. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 It's still standing! The community and property owner are working on raising funds for its restoration. Alas, the original occupant has shown no interest in supporting the cause. I hope they can save that smokestack. It's an icon of American manufacturing history. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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