✅ SOLVED Guitar at Goodwill should I buy it?

[Bigcypresshunter]

Kalamazoo looks original.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I would recommend getting a good quality set of tuners, Golden Age makes some that should fit it perfectly, probably run you more than you paid for the guitar, maybe $50.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Gol...e&ie=UTF-8#q=Golden+Age+relic+tuners&tbm=shop

But these are the original tuners. Shouldnt I keep it all original? Only 3 of the plastic knobs are broken or rotted away. There are some pieces in the guitar case but broken. I figure I just replace the plastic knobs

 

[Oregon Viking]

Scroll down to set 305 click on the pic. If those are not the right tuners there are a lot more to check out.
Steven Kovacik-Luthier"
After seeing your pics....Set 331


Scroll down to the Kalamazoo section, ALOT of info!
Gibson-Made Brands

added new info ^^ set 331.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Here you go. I believe it is a 1939 KG-11, get out your tape measure!

KG-11 - Flat-top Guitar - 1933-1939
Small body: 14 ¾”W x 17 ½” L
Mahogany B&S and Spruce Top
Rosewood fingerboard & bridge
Flat peghead shape with Kalamazoo logo
14-fret mahogany neck
Early versions had "zipper" sound hole binding ('33-34)
Most had single ivoroid SH binding ('35-38)
Flat-topped peghead shape with Kalamazoo logo

14 ¾”W x 17 ½” L is correct

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I hate those disappearing pics. If you click on edit and back you should bring the photos back on the screen.

 

[austin]

Ok, Gibson made them and yes that is a 1939 model. Gibson's mid priced guitar was Epiphone and they wanted a cheaper guitar brand. So they created Kalamazoo. They are decent guitars and yours looks solid. $20 is a steal. Having said that, the guy on ebay is way off in price. They sell in the real world for between $500-$600 at most. There are a lot around and condition is everything. Check your bindings and the top for damage, the frets and especially the neck. I played guitar in a band on Fri. and Sat. nights and sometimes Sunday for 35 years. High school days, college nights and music to relax. You did well on your purchase and may even be able to get more for it. By the way, the crazing on the top doesn't affect the price...

 

[AU Seeker]

Yes all original would be nice but I don't think you can just replace the knobs and finding original tuners I think would be hard to find not to mention expensive. if we were talking about a $5000 or more guitar in excellent condition I would go with original tuners, but this is maybe a $800 to $1000 guitar in the condition I see on the finish from your photos and that's if the neck and frets are in good condition which I can't determine from the photos and I don't think after market quality tuners would hurt it's value.

At this point if I were you I would find a good Luthier to take a look at it to see what should or not be done to make it sellable and get the best price out of your investment.

The person who would buy this guitar would do so to play it not as a collectable piece. IMHO

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

yeah me too, haven't played in a band since I played with john isley and jack sonni

Truthfully I havent played since the 70s and Im not going to now. I purchased it simply for profit. Should I feel bad about profitting from a Goodwill store? They put the price on it, not I. ....I paid what they were asking.

Do you think this is the original case? I think its cardboard.

View attachment 1327635View attachment 1327636


Ill make a donation when I get a chance.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Ok, Gibson made them and yes that is a 1939 model. Gibson's mid priced guitar was Epiphone and they wanted a cheaper guitar brand. So they created Kalamazoo. They are decent guitars and yours looks solid. $20 is a steal. Having said that, the guy on ebay is way off in price. They sell in the real world for between $500-$600 at most. There are a lot around and condition is everything. Check your bindings and the top for damage, the frets and especially the neck. I played guitar in a band on Fri. and Sat. nights and sometimes Sunday for 35 years. High school days, college nights and music to relax. You did well on your purchase and may even be able to get more for it. By the way, the crazing on the top doesn't affect the price...

Yea the asking prices on eBay mean nothing. Im going to do a search of sold listings to see what the actual value is. Yea the crazing is fine. I would like to just replace the plastic knobs, if I can find replacements that fit. Shouldnt be too hard. Surely someone must make them? The frets look great. It appears the pre war/depression era Kalamazoos used good wood. The 60s guitars used cheaper material.

 

[AU Seeker]

Truthfully I havent played since the 70s and Im not going to now. I purchased it simply for profit. Should I feel bad about ripping off a Goodwill store? They put the price on it, not I. ....I paid what they were asking.

Do you think this is the original case?

View attachment 1327635View attachment 1327636

I wouldn't worry about the price you paid for it, as you say you paid what they priced it at, if you have trouble sleeping after selling it make a donated to make you sleep better.

 

[Oregon Viking]

Set 331: 1930s steel plate open gear strip tuners with black buttons, tuners like this were found on some Gibson L model guitars as well as some Kalamazoos, other brands as well. Look like they are probably made by Waverly but there’s no marking. The plates show corrosion but the tuners function fine, original buttons and gears, 12:1 ratio and 7/32” barrels. The bushings are of a type that was often used with this sort of tuner but they are not original to the set, the mounting screws are modern replacements.



I buy from Steven Kovacik because he usually has the original tuners I need. If the original tuners had floral engraving and ivory or bone buttons, like Martin and Gibson...I buy them. Makes the purists pocketbooks open easier.



Steven Kovacik-Luthier"

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Here you go. I believe it is a 1939 KG-11, get out your tape measure!

KG-11 - Flat-top Guitar - 1933-1939
Small body: 14 ¾”W x 17 ½” L
Mahogany B&S and Spruce Top
Rosewood fingerboard & bridge
Flat peghead shape with Kalamazoo logo
14-fret mahogany neck
Early versions had "zipper" sound hole binding ('33-34)
Most had single ivoroid SH binding ('35-38)
Flat-topped peghead shape with Kalamazoo logo

14 ¾”W x 17 ½” L is correct but I have more than 14 frets (the picture doesnt show them all). And the entire neck with frets is one solid piece of what looks like rosewood

View attachment 1327641View attachment 1327642

 

[Oregon Viking]

14 ¾”W x 17 ½” L is correct but I have more than 14 frets (the picture doesnt show them all). And the entire neck with frets is one solid piece of what looks like rosewood

View attachment 1327641View attachment 1327642

Then you need to research here....Gibson-Made Brands (scroll down) as will I.

After some reading the info in the link ^^is off! They list a few Kalamazoo's as having 14 frets....when you can count 19! What the...
I guess I need to drag out my guitar books...I don't know if I have a Kalamazoo book or not. Maby my vintage guitar blue books will provide some light.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Are my photos disappearing for anyone else? I hate that.


OK when I look again the fingerboard is lamanated on but its very hard to see because the neck and headstock are also very dark wood. I guess the neck could be mahoghany. Im counting 19 frets

 

[Oregon Viking]

Are my photos disappearing for anyone else? I hate that.

Yes!

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

They should have fixed that by now. Its been happening since day one.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Back to my original celphone photo. 19 frets right?

 

[Oregon Viking]

Yep the link I posted lists most of the Kalamazoo guitars as 14 fret!
I will go through my guitar books, I don't know if I have a Kalamazoo book or not. My vintage guitar blue books might shed some light also.
You can click on this pic 2 or 3 times and enlarge it.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I learned a lot more than when I picked it off the shelf. I still want to correctly ID it before selling. I found an old site that may be able to tell me the original owner from the factory number. Thanks


This Goodwill store has very high prices so I figure we are about even all the junk I bought thinking I could resale. But they priced this too low no doubt.

 

[austin]

Drop by any vintage guitar store and they can id it for you, will probably have a set of tuners at a great price and will consign it for you at top dollar. Depend on ebay? Never...
By the way, old original hardware is available cheap because many old guitars didn't make it and are parted out. Live offline and you youngsters may learn something...

 

[Oregon Viking]

Set 331: 1930s steel plate open gear strip tuners with black buttons, tuners like this were found on some Gibson L model guitars as well as some Kalamazoos, other brands as well. Look like they are probably made by Waverly but there’s no marking. The plates show corrosion but the tuners function fine, original buttons and gears, 12:1 ratio and 7/32” barrels. The bushings are of a type that was often used with this sort of tuner but they are not original to the set, the mounting screws are modern replacements.

View attachment 1327639

I buy from Steven Kovacik because he usually has the original tuners I need. If the original tuners had floral engraving and ivory or bone buttons, like Martin and Gibson...I buy them. Makes the purists pocketbooks open easier.



Steven Kovacik-Luthier"

I might have a vintage set of these tuners laying around...might. I restore/buy/sell mostly electrics now, so I don't really need them. Unless I find a Kalamazoo guitar at Goodwill for 20 bucks!