✅ SOLVED Guitar at Goodwill should I buy it?

[Bigcypresshunter]

Kalamazoo looks original.

 

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[Oregon Viking]

KG-14 - Flat-top Guitar - 1936-1939Gibson Kalamazoo KG-14 guitar
Body: 14 ¾” x 19 1/2” (similar to Gibson L-00)
Brown mahogany B&S, sunburst spruce top
Rosewood FB & bridge with black pins
14-fret neck & 3-on-plate style tuners with black buttons
Glued on celluloid pickguard
"Roof peak” peghead shape with Kalamazoo logo

Process of elimination...

 

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[Bigcypresshunter]

KG-14 - Flat-top Guitar - 1936-1939Gibson Kalamazoo KG-14 guitar
Body: 14 ¾” x 19 1/2” (similar to Gibson L-00)
Brown mahogany B&S, sunburst spruce top
Rosewood FB & bridge with black pins
14-fret neck & 3-on-plate style tuners with black buttons
Glued on celluloid pickguard
"Roof peak” peghead shape with Kalamazoo logo

Process of elimination...

Nope mine is only 14 ¾”W x 17 ½” L

 

[Oregon Viking]

Could I have the Kalamazoo Sport Model? I cant read the dimensions in the flyer. Looks like it says 18-1/2 inch something.

View attachment 1330976

KG -3/4 - 3/4 Size Flat-top Guitar - 1937-1939 (shown at top)
Small body: 12 3/4"W x 17 1/4"L (same as 1920s Gibson tenor guitar)
Brown mahogany back and sides, sunburst spruce top
Rosewood fingerboard with 19 frets
Rosewood bridge with black pins
Smaller narrower 14-fret mahogany neck
3-on-plate tuners with black buttons
Ivoroid binding on top only
Glued on celluloid pickguard
"Roof peak" peghead shape with Kalamazoo logo

Kalamazoo Sport - 3/4 Size Flat-top Guitar – 1937-1943
(Shown at the top of this section)
Same as KG 3/4 except
"Roof peak” peg head shape with "Sport Model" printed diagonally below
Kalamazoo logo

Note: KG 3/4 and Kalamazoo Sport introduced at the same time, but KG 3/4 marketed as a "guitar for children" and Kalamazoo Sport designed for adults, even though they were basically the same design.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Nope nope nope. It cant be either of those because remember my body is 14 ¾”W x 17 ½” L. I think it just proves that there are some variations. The 1939 Gibson records list it as a KG-11. The only part that doesnt match is the peghead and thats where the FON factory number is, so its gotta be original!

I wish I knew what it says here:

 

[SkaBa]

I haven't gone back and re read all of the posts, so can't remember if anybody has brought this up yet.

Does anybody know if Gibson made CUSTOM guitars? This was obviously set up to play lap steel (Hawaiian) and since it is not easily found as you would expect a commercially made guitar, might it not be custom built?

 

[jadocs]

I wish I knew what it says here: View attachment 1330985

"Smaller.............. and fingerboard for small hands........19 frets....... fingerboard.....18 3/4 in long"

"Smaller body.....12 3/4 in wide....17 1/4 in long"

That's all I think I can make out.

 

[jamey]

i think you got a great buy,no guitar is great on its own.you have too make it great

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I haven't gone back and re read all of the posts, so can't remember if anybody has brought this up yet.

Does anybody know if Gibson made CUSTOM guitars? This was obviously set up to play lap steel (Hawaiian) and since it is not easily found as you would expect a commercially made guitar, might it not be custom built?

Nobody has brought it up and maybe its a special order custom made for Bellson Sr.


I did find that extension thing in the case to raise the strings at the nut, http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/what/506776-what.html but other than that, why do you say its obviously set up to play lap steel? I dont see any reason to believe that. It doesnt match the 12 fret KGH-11 Hawaiian. http://www.fox-guitars.com/Gibson-Made_Brands.html The strings are 1/4 inch off the fret near the sound hole but the bridge can be lowered..



Thanks.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

"Smaller.............. and fingerboard for small hands........19 frets....... fingerboard.....18 3/4 in long"

"Smaller body.....12 3/4 in wide....17 1/4 in long"

That's all I think I can make out.

Thanks. My body is 14 ¾”W x 17 ½” L so it has the KG-11 body. I either have 14 frets or 19 depending how you count them. How do I measure the fingerboard? The 18 3/4 measurement doesnt seem to fit anywhere.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

i think you got a great buy,no guitar is great on its own.you have too make it great

My brother still plays and he is pretty good and has shown great interest in this guitar so I have pretty much decided to give it to him at a family discount for some cash and a new laptop.

 

[SkaBa]

Nobody has brought it up and maybe its a special order custom made for Bellson Sr.


I did find that extension thing in the case to raise the strings at the nut, http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/what/506776-what.html but other than that, why do you say its obviously set up to play lap steel? I dont see any reason to believe that.

I totally apologize. According to WIKI...

Lap slide guitars, the first developed, which use a similar sound box to a Spanish guitar. These were originally called Hawaiian guitars and included versions that had a factory raised nut, but also include Spanish guitars with a nut extender (a device that fits over the nut to raise the strings).

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Nobody has brought it up and maybe its a special order custom made for Bellson Sr.


I did find that extension thing in the case to raise the strings at the nut, http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/what/506776-what.html but other than that, why do you say its obviously set up to play lap steel? I dont see any reason to believe that.

I totally apologize. According to WIKI...

Lap slide guitars, the first developed, which use a similar sound box to a Spanish guitar. These were originally called Hawaiian guitars and included versions that had a factory raised nut, but also include Spanish guitars with a nut extender (a device that fits over the nut to raise the strings).

No need to apologize for your opinion. I think the extender was used to raise the strings on an acoustic guitar which I think this is. I never played a lap slide but I just dont this it is. It has no factory raised nut. If it was a lap side, my brother will know and he wont want it. But it looks like a normal guitar to me.


Someone may have raised the nut with an extender and tried to play it as a lap slide.

 

[Oregon Viking]

If it is the Hawaiian version of the KG-11....it had higher strings, and that was about it for "lap steel" mods.
See my above post about the "Hawaiian" version.
And using your measurements, look at ALL the Kalamazoo guitars on this site. You will figure it out.
I have bought/sold/repaired/restored guitars for years. Some like harmony, Stella, Airline, are hard to date and/or determine a model, year etc.
The Gibson's, Martins and Nationals have a lot of information as they are so desirable. Thanks to the internet.....deals are hard to find in this day and age. I stick to electrics now. Jackson/Charvel, kramer Ibanez....I made my "pre war" guitar money and have moved on.

Gibson-Made Brands

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

If it is the Hawaiian version of the KG-11....it had higher strings, and that was about it for "lap steel" mods.
See my above post about the "Hawaiian" version.
And using your measurements, look at ALL the Kalamazoo guitars on this site. You will figure it out.
I have bought/sold/repaired/restored guitars for years. Some like harmony, Stella, Airline, are hard to date and/or determine a model, year etc.
The Gibson's, Martins and Nationals have a lot of information as they are so desirable. Thanks to the internet.....deals are hard to find in this day and age. I stick to electrics now. Jackson/Charvel, kramer Ibanez....I made my "pre war" guitar money and have moved on.

Gibson-Made Brands

Everything matches the KG-11 except the peghead. The Gibson records say EK-1335 was a 1939 KG-11. The Hawaiian KHG-11 has only 12 frets besides the raised strings. This is not a factory Hawaiian guitar. Someone left a raised nut extender thingy in the case so someone may have been experimenting but all signs point to a KG-11. Only difference is this peghead is the roof top style.. I dont know why.

Im gonna mark it solved. I think this is about as far as Im gonna get. If I find out anymore I will add it later. The moderator tells me that all websites have disappearing images (which I disagree) but what can I do? So I guess nothing will be done to fix that issue. I went back through this thread and re-posted my images twice (at the mods suggestion) and that trick was able to bring them back in view. But Im not going back over 5 years correcting disappearing images. In the future I need to try to keep my editing to a minimum. But im a stickler for details and im always correcting spelling, adding or rearranging some text, seconds after i write it and the text editing is what causes the disappearing images.


Thanks everybody this one is SOLVED. Joe Spann, author of Spann's Guide To Gibson 1902-1941 tells me the "EK-1335 was a Kalamazoo model KG-11 which shipped on August 10, 1939 to Bellson Music in Moline, Illinois." Bellson Music of 1711 5th Ave., Moline Illinois was owned by Louis Bellson Sr., his son the famous jazz drummer Louie Bellson who grew up learning to play in the Bellson store.. Louis Sr. gave music lessons in his store but I was unable to prove this was the actual guitar used.


1939 KG-11 Kalamazoo with a "roof top" peghead FON #1335.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Update: Something I didn't notice about the neck when I delivered it to the new owner. He says its the V shape neck which I am told may be for the Hawaiian Guitar. I haven't found a link supporting this (that V necks were only made on Hawaiian) but here is a diagram of neck shapes. Mine appears to be hard V. The bridge, which is easily replaced, also appears a bit high. Considering the old nut extender in the box, it appears that someone set it up for Lap Steel.

But the question is did this come Hawaiian from the factory? Or is this a variation? Does anyone know if this V shaped neck was made only on Hawaiian guitars in 1939? It would seem a factory Hawaiian guitar to be a possibility, considering the roof top peghead shape but the Gibson records, according to Joe Spann, says this is a KG-11 (not KHG-11 Hawaiian). And this guitar has 14 frets not 12 like on the Hawaiian version..


Vintage Gibson Nut Width and Neck Profiles | True Vintage Guitar

1930s: Usually 1 3/4″ (44.5 mm) wide nut. Many V neck profiles although round is common as well.

 

[SkaBa]

Update: Something I didn't notice about the neck when I delivered it to the new owner. He says its the V shape neck which I am told may be for the Hawaiian Guitar. I haven't found a link supporting this (that V necks were only made on Hawaiian) but here is a diagram of neck shapes. Mine appears to be hard V. The bridge, which is easily replaced, also appears a bit high. Considering the old nut extender in the box, it appears that someone set it up for Lap Steel.

But the question is did this come Hawaiian from the factory? Or is this a variation? Does anyone know if this V shaped neck was made only on Hawaiian guitars in 1939? It would seem a factory Hawaiian guitar to be a possibility, considering the roof top peghead shape but the Gibson records, according to Joe Spann, says this is a KG-11 (not KHG-11 Hawaiian). And this guitar has 14 frets not 12 like on the Hawaiian version..


Vintage Gibson Nut Width and Neck Profiles | True Vintage Guitar

View attachment 1334552 View attachment 1334555

Told you, OBVIOUSLY set up for lap steel.

 

[aka da Prof]

profiting from Goodwill= sure!!! rumor has it the underpay their staff--http://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2013/07/30/does-goodwill-industries-exploit-disabled-workers/#20e96c0e3d3b

 

[aka da Prof]

and good you scored!! I have always felt regret on passing up on a 'Chet Atkins' Gretch (with tube amp) I was offered back in the '80's but then $400 was quite a bit of money- still, they could go for 2 grand + these days. - I did score my best treasure in an antique shop back in '73-- I play an 1899 Martin Mandolin, as seen in profile pic--(scored for $75)---'Treasure is where you find it"

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Told you, OBVIOUSLY set up for lap steel.

Ska Ba you are obviously just guessing because of the nut extender found in the case. The Gibson factory number says this is not a Hawaiian model. Show me something besides what you read on Wiki. The question is did this come from the factory as a lap steel guitar? Did Gibson put V necks on KG-11 models? Sorry for the editing I'm on a celphon.

 

[releventchair]

Update: Something I didn't notice about the neck when I delivered it to the new owner. He says its the V shape neck which I am told may be for the Hawaiian Guitar. I haven't found a link supporting this (that V necks were only made on Hawaiian) but here is a diagram of neck shapes. Mine appears to be hard V. The bridge, which is easily replaced, also appears a bit high. Considering the old nut extender in the box, it appears that someone set it up for Lap Steel.

But the question is did this come Hawaiian from the factory? Or is this a variation? Does anyone know if this V shaped neck was made only on Hawaiian guitars in 1939? It would seem a factory Hawaiian guitar to be a possibility, considering the roof top peghead shape but the Gibson records, according to Joe Spann, says this is a KG-11 (not KHG-11 Hawaiian). And this guitar has 14 frets not 12 like on the Hawaiian version..


Vintage Gibson Nut Width and Neck Profiles | True Vintage Guitar

View attachment 1334552 View attachment 1334555

Huh.
Wondering if they did custom orders or had leeway to to build whims ,or use up mixed stock.
Custom seems more likely.
Neat find.!