help IDing a Gibson Kalamazoo archtop acoustic...

[jun3machina]

hi there, im a brand new poster, casual guitar player, instrument collector.

 

i just stumbled across a vintage gibson kalamazoo a few days ago...and got slightly obsessed. I've spent several days reading threads, history, etc on them....today I found out I won this beauty.

 

the guitar in question is a Gibson Kalamazoo archtop sunburst. I am thinking 1939???? I currently do not have the guitar in hand, but there is no stamping on the neck so i'm assuming the number is on the inside somewhere... the description was very vague...

 

can anyone help me with a possible year of production, more info at all and/or an estimate of what a decent price would be?? where would the number be located? on the interior??

 

thanks so much ahead of time....cant wait to read some replies on this...

[jun3machina]

a few more pictures:

 

 

 

 

[JimR56]

Initial impression... this looks like the kind of guitar that you should be more concerned about playing and enjoying, and less concerned about what it's worth. These were "budget" guitars to begin with, and unfortunately, this one is not in the best of shape cosmetically. Hopefully that crack in the top has already been repaired (hard to know for sure from the photos). It's what they call a "player's guitar".

 

Not sure how you came up with 1939 as a manufacturing date. That could be correct- I really don't know, but I'd be curious to know why you're suggesting 1939.

 

According to this site, instruments from 1938 to 1940 had serial numbers on the back of the head. Anyway, you may want to wait until you have the guitar in hand before trying to determine what year it was made. Hopefully there are numbers (model, serial and/or FON) inside the body.

[jun3machina]

^ thanks! yes, it was purchased to be a player for sure. value is not important, although i was just curious what they are worth, as im finding a variety of info online and it ranges greatly. i thought i had read that the kalamazoo plant was shut down in the early 40's and then they reissued the kalamazoo line of guitars later, but they had the gibson name on the neck stock, although I might have this wrong??

 

thanks so much for taking the time to chime in.

 

oh yes, and the 1939 thing was based on a few similar archtops i had found with the pickguard combo and also the tail piece. but i might be totally wrong too.

 

basically im trying to just piece together info i can gather online until I get the guitar in hand and then I can get more details...

[bmarr]

Your 1939 date sounds right. I believe Kalamazoo was Gibson's budget line from 1937-42. I have a Kalamazoo amp that looks identical to the Gibson 1937 EH-100, except that it has the Kalamazoo, rather than the Gibson logo on it.

Brian

[527]

Kalamazoo guitars were made before 1937.

 

Archtops are not in great demand, and that one looks like it is in rough shape. The tuners are changed, the top is cracked, the nut needs work, and the fretboard has heavy wear. Value might be a couple hundred bucks on this one, sorry to say.

[zombywoof]

Kalamazoo guitars were made before 1937.

 

 

As other posts have said, Kalamazoos were still being made through 1941.

[527]

I believe Kalamazoo was Gibson's budget line from 1937-42.

 

Just correcting this statement. I have seen KG-11's from as early as 1933/34.

[62burst]

Looks like you have a mid/late-thirties KG-21 or KG-31 (has the back got binding as well?), as it has the non-bound fretboard and non-bound pick guard. But consider

yourself lucky to have that cool old 'guard still with the guitar... many had been removed ages ago, as the sound

is less clacky as the raised p/g doesn't get struck by the fingers while playing. Also- correct or not, I like those

old Kluson Deluxe tuners yours came with: the buttons are beautifully aged, and the tuners look they've been on there

forever.

 

 

The archtops have the factory order number ending with a letter code for the year. You should be able to see it

through the treb-side f-hole, stamped into the back of the guitar.

 

CFH's labor of love website linked here has the info to decode the letter at the end of that f.o.n. (all the mentions of

peghead here refer to flat tops):

 

"1935-1941: Factory Order Numbers and Letter Codes. Now FONs contain a letter A to G, ink stamped on the inside back

or on the neck block (flattops), or on the label.

1938-1941: Factory Order Numbers beginning with the letter D to H pressed into the back of the peghead."

 

I hope you can enjoy it as-is, if there needs to be some work done on the fretboard & frets, so be it. It's a unique

sound to hear every so often, and that great old burst just looks so nice. Enjoy.

[jun3machina]

thanks for chiming in! just curious about the tuners now, were kluson delux later models then?? like late 40's? i love the thing, it sounds amazing and yes, much love to that pick-guard. i was shocked it was in such good shape after all these years. the front does have a crack, but there's no bend or warp to the soundboard, so i plan on leaving it for the time being as it feels structurally sound.

[jun3machina]

also found this:

http://antebelluminstruments.blogspot.com/2012/09/c1939-gibson-made-kalamazoo-kg-22.html

http://antebelluminstruments.blogspot.com/2012/10/c1939-kalamazoo-kg-22-archtop-guitar-2.html

 

but this one i have does not have any neck stamping # or interior number...i have literally gone over the thing 3-4 times with a high powered LED inside and took a few pictures too hoping maybe they'd find something i couldn't see..

[jun3machina]

Looks like you have a mid/late-thirties KG-21 or KG-31 (has the back got binding as well?), as it has the non-bound fretboard and non-bound pick guard. But consider

yourself lucky to have that cool old 'guard still with the guitar... many had been removed ages ago, as the sound

is less clacky as the raised p/g doesn't get struck by the fingers while playing. Also- correct or not, I like those

old Kluson Deluxe tuners yours came with: the buttons are beautifully aged, and the tuners look they've been on there

forever.

 

 

The archtops have the factory order number ending with a letter code for the year. You should be able to see it

through the treb-side f-hole, stamped into the back of the guitar.

 

CFH's labor of love website linked here has the info to decode the letter at the end of that f.o.n. (all the mentions of

peghead here refer to flat tops):

 

"1935-1941: Factory Order Numbers and Letter Codes. Now FONs contain a letter A to G, ink stamped on the inside back

or on the neck block (flattops), or on the label.

1938-1941: Factory Order Numbers beginning with the letter D to H pressed into the back of the peghead."

 

I hope you can enjoy it as-is, if there needs to be some work done on the fretboard & frets, so be it. It's a unique

sound to hear every so often, and that great old burst just looks so nice. Enjoy.

okay so this morning i decided to stick and old paintbrush through the f-hole to see if i could lift any of the dust in there...and look what i found!! thanks again for making me look a 5th time...otherwise i would have never found this. although im not sure about the year now based on this: