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 Is my Kalamazoo guitar worth anything?
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| Author | Topic: Is my Kalamazoo guitar worth anything? |
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gplracer Member Posts: 4 From: Registered: Aug 2003 |
posted 08-31-2003 21:38
   
I have an old guitar that has been in the family since my dad was a young boy. He was born in 1942 and the guitar was given to him by an aunt. I believe it was already used at the time. It is a black Kalamazoo acoustic guitar with a sunburst on the front. The guitar has two small cracks in the back that need to be repaired. The neck has to be adjusted too because the string action is high. Unfortunately it does not have a truss rod in it. Can someone give me some information on this guitar and tell me if it has a value at all? I have some digital pictures of it. Thanks!!! IP: Logged |
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waxwing Member Posts: 1431 From: Oakland, CA Registered: Oct 2001 |
posted 08-31-2003 22:59
If, in fact, it did have a truss rod, it would be a Gibson, which is who made the guitar. Also, it is ladder braced, as opposed to X-braced, as all Gibsons and Martins and the like were since long before that era. The neck issue will greatly reduce the value of the guitar because most likely it will require a neck reset. The cracks are not such a big deal, but add a little to the cost of repair as well. If you were to have the work done yourself, probably with new frets and throw in a bone nut and saddle, if they're not already, you would have a very nice blues guitar. Ladder bracing is a relatively light construction and they have a very punchy but deep sound, brought out more by the bone. The only drawback is the 1 11/16 inch nut width, a little narrow for many fingerpickers. In this restored condition I've seen them on vintage dealer sites for about $900 to a grand, however recently the guitar market seems to be a little depressed, and I've seen them as low as, say, $6-700. The repairs would probably cost you in the realm of $400 to $500. Right now there are two on ebay, A KG-14, which is the more desirable, having the same body size as a Gibson L-00, and a KG-11, less desirable. Compare yours to the pictures to see which it is. The KG-14 has had essentially the rebuild I described above and the untouched opening bid is $750 with about 3 days to go and a $995 buy it now (good luck). The KG-11, also with a neck reset, with 6 days to go has a couple bids to about $100, but the reserve is not met. I haven't really been watching Kalas on ebay but you could search for instruments sold in the last 90 days. You could also look around to various online vintage dealers and see what's what. Buffalo Bros had one recently and their pricing is reasonable. The bad news is, without the neck reset, you're unlikely to get more than a couple hundred, if that, from a dealer or ebay. However, I may sound like it, but I'm no expert on pricing. Take it to a reputable repair shop for repair estimates and an evaluation. Good luck. It's definitely a guitar that deserves to be played. All for now. John C. IP: Logged |
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gplracer Member Posts: 4 From: Registered: Aug 2003 |
posted 09-01-2003 06:26
John I really appreciate the wealth of information that you have given. The guitar has been in the family for so long that it would hard to get rid of. I guess eventually I would like to have the neck repaired. It is bowed and makes playing difficult especially for a novice like myself. My ovation and my strat are much easier to play. IP: Logged |
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John B Member  Posts: 1387 From: Registered: May 2000 |
posted 09-01-2003 09:31
Time to learn some slide! I'm only half-joking. If the guitar has been in your family for so long, it makes sense to keep it around. I still have the violin I played in grade school and junior high. It was my grandfather's that he learned to play as a boy. I have a picture of him playing it as a boy of 8 or so. It turns out that the violin is a German "student" violin made around the turn of the century, not the "1837" date inside. As an instrument, it's not worth much. But I keep it in good repair in playable condition (biennial visits to the violin shop). I figure I owe that much to the violin, and to my grandfather. IP: Logged |
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Adrian Freed Member  Posts: 2360 From: Berkeley, CA, USA Registered: Oct 2000 |
posted 09-01-2003 14:21
Have you put light guage strings on it? IP: Logged |
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walter tore Member Posts: 392 From: granville ohio Registered: Jul 2003 |
posted 09-01-2003 14:39
I have an old Kalamazoo acoustic from the 30's. It is a great guitar, with low action. You can see it on this link. Is this similar to yours? It is the upper right corner of the Live at Alpine Hall cd. Walter http://www.spontobeat.com/cds.htm IP: Logged |
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gplracer Member Posts: 4 From: Registered: Aug 2003 |
posted 09-02-2003 19:52
My guitar looks just like that. I think mine is a KG-11. It is 14 3/4 inches wide. Atleast that is what someone told me. IP: Logged |
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walter tore Member Posts: 392 From: granville ohio Registered: Jul 2003 |
posted 09-02-2003 20:28
Does it have a v shaped neck on the backside) and a one piece back cover? These in fair shape are worth a couple of hundred dollars. I would never sell mine. It has a great mid tone that can mimic a resonator when you play slide on it. I use medium gauge strings and fingers only. Walter [This message has been edited by walter tore (edited September 02, 2003).] [This message has been edited by walter tore (edited September 02, 2003).] IP: Logged |
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gplracer Member Posts: 4 From: Registered: Aug 2003 |
posted 09-04-2003 20:26
It has a "v" shape on the back at the bottom of the headstock. The back is a one piece. IP: Logged |
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walter tore Member Posts: 392 From: granville ohio Registered: Jul 2003 |
posted 09-05-2003 07:23
I think we have the same model. I have seen them sell in decent shape for a few hundred dollars. I really am not up on this end of music. Walter IP: Logged |
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chasbo New Member Posts: 1 From: newark, de, usa Registered: Aug 2005 |
posted 08-12-2005 22:56
I also have an old Kalamazoo with a neck in need of resetting. While at an old time festival in Clifftop, WV last week someone in passing told me of a luthier presently making a business of removing the backs from Kalamazoos, replacing the ladder bracing with L-00 type bracing and resetting the necks. Unfortunately, I cannot find the piece I wrote the name on and can only remember the person recently moved his shop to South Carolina. When I find the name I'll post it. IP: Logged |
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Rhino Member Posts: 536 From: Southern Cal, USA Registered: May 2004 |
posted 08-13-2005 08:28
I've heard of this common practice of revamping the bracing to in effect turn it into an L-00. I have 2 30's KG-14's, the Kalamazoo version of the L-00. I think the ladder bracing is awesome sounding, and I wouldn't do such a conversion myself. There's probably threads about this somewhere, talking about how many (including Johnny Shines in an interview) think Robert Johnson played this type guitar often. In fact, in the photo booth/cigarette pic of RJ, his guitar has no dot marker at the 15th fret, just like the Kalamazoo, and unlike the Gibson in the pinstripe suit shot. It has a unique tone as is. I find it more RJ like than my L-00 tone. 1 of mine has already been gone thru, neck set, new fingerboard, truss rod installed. It's a great guitar I plan to keep a long time. The second I'm having the same procedure done you need, mainly a neck reset. It should cost me about $2-$250 and it'll be a great guitar when done. Get that thing repaired and keep it. The value should rise the cost of the repair, and more importantly, you'll have a great playing /sounding guitar that with the family connection should be priceless to you. good luck! IP: Logged |
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waxwing Member Posts: 1431 From: Oakland, CA Registered: Oct 2001 |
posted 08-13-2005 09:36
I strongly agree with Lenny. Don't make a fine ladderbraced guitar into just another X braced. It still won't be an L-00. If you play old blues you don't want all those sweet overtones, you want that sinewy punch. You're close to Annapolis, so I would recommend you contact Mike Hauver thru Neil Harpe's stellaguitars.com site. Mike repairs old Stellas and also builds new ladderbraced guitars based on the Stellas. He will be able to do your neck reset and tune up any other issues to get the best sound from the guitar as it was meant to be. Also, Neil is a good source of info as he is just as much a Gibson nut as he is a Stella nut. All for now. John C. IP: Logged |
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