Fairbanks Kalamazoo Gal Southern Jumbo

[jheath]

This might be a bit of a lark, but I would REALLY like to get my hands on a Fairbanks Kalamazoo Gal Southern Jumbo.  If anyone has one, knows someone that has one or has seen one recently for sale / in a shop, etc., I would love if you could reach out and pass along the details.  I have spoken to Dale about making me one, which he is happy to do, but would be really cool to get one of the original run.  I also messaged John Thomas to see if he had an eye on one anywhere.   I have recently added a Fairbanks F-20 (based on a '33 14 fret L-00) and it is a superb guitar and without a doubt the best new guitar I've owned, so thinking the SJ would make a great addition.  

[zombywoof]

I play a 2013 Fairbanks F30 Smeck which I picked up about three years ago.  I can also safely say it is the best newish guitar I own.  Then again it is the only newish guitar I own so it is not like it had a whole lot of competition in that area.  What it did have to do was find a comfy place between a 1932 12 fret L1 and 1942 J50 which sound like home to me.  And that it did.

[Holiday Hoser]

I don't even buy socks new.

[jheath]

13 hours ago, zombywoof said:

I play a 2013 Fairbanks F30 Smeck which I picked up about three years ago.  I can also safely say it is the best newish guitar I own.  Then again it is the only newish guitar I own so it is not like it had a whole lot of competition in that area.  What it did have to do was find a comfy place between a 1932 12 fret L1 and 1942 J50 which sound like home to me.  And that it did.

Sounds like it's in some good company there.  I gravitate to vintage guitars and / or new guitars that replicate old ones.  My F-20 keeps company with my '48 J-45, my '57 D-18 and a bunch of new stuff.   Certainly don't need another one but sure would like one of those Kalamazoo Gals SJ's.  

[zombywoof]

2 hours ago, jheath said:

Sounds like it's in some good company there.  I gravitate to vintage guitars and / or new guitars that replicate old ones.  My F-20 keeps company with my '48 J-45, my '57 D-18 and a bunch of new stuff.   Certainly don't need another one but sure would like one of those Kalamazoo Gals SJ's.  

After talking with Dale, I came away with the feeling I would be better off going a custom built version of the Kal Gal SJ than one from the original run because I prefer a bit more generous specs when it comes to the neck and the string spacing at the bridge.  Plus, the idea of a 13 fretter (which Dales has offered in an SJ) was if nothing else intriguing.   In the end though, that Fairbanks was the last guitar I ever bought.  I just reached that point where I no longer get emotional about the things and can walk out of any vintage or high dollar shop without one twinge of regret about having left empty handed.   Even the phone calls from the small shops I used to frequent telling me they have this or that guitar in have stopped.  This is how I got the Banner as well as my wife's 1960 J200 (and other 1940s and 1950s Gibsons and Martins which I no longer own).  In the case of the L1, even though I was now several states away, the owner figured a 12 fretter was something I might fall head over heels on love with so actually shipped it to me to try out with the only caveat being if I did not want it, I would pay the return shipping and insurance.  Admittedly, while it was not uncommon for me to be able to take something home for a bit before buying, it certainly helped that the shop was in a market where the L1 would have sat until the owner brought it to sell at the Philly or Dallas guitar shows.  

Edited January 14, 2023 by zombywoof