Found Old Kalamazoo Acoustic Guitar

AcousticWorship · #1 07-29-2014, 04:57 PM

Ok so me and my wife found this acoustic guitar in a trash can we drove by near our home. It's in rough shape. It's a "Kalamazoo" Acoustic guitar with "DK-3474" impressed into the back of the headstock. I can't find any info or a way to match the serial anywhere! Can anybody help or point me in the right direction?

Thanks everybody

ljguitar · #2 07-29-2014, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AcousticWorship

Ok so me and my wife found this acoustic guitar in a trash can we drove by near our home. It's in rough shape. It's a "Kalamazoo" Acoustic guitar with "DK-3474" impressed into the back of the headstock. I can't find any info or a way to match the serial anywhere! Can anybody help or point me in the right direction?

Thanks everybody

Hi AW...

First of all, Hello and Welcome to the Forum! Glad you joined and jumped in with a question.

Sorry I can't help with the question, just wanted to say "Hi".

Scootch · #3 07-29-2014, 05:03 PM

A picture would help

Kalamazoo was a brand of Gibsons back in the day.

You found a guitar made in 1938

Lucky you

Where do you do your trash picking?

Wade Hampton · #4 07-29-2014, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AcousticWorship

Ok so me and my wife found this acoustic guitar in a trash can we drove by near our home. It's in rough shape. It's a "Kalamazoo" Acoustic guitar with "DK-3474" impressed into the back of the headstock. I can't find any info or a way to match the serial anywhere! Can anybody help or point me in the right direction?

Thanks everybody

If you could post a photo we could tell you a lot more.

As Scootch mentioned, Kalamazoo was a Gibson brand, basically their bargain brand back before they bought Epiphone. Some Kalamazoos can be nice-sounding instruments.

Wade Hampton Miller

Dru Edwards · #5 07-29-2014, 05:56 PM

Hi Acoustic Worship, Welcome to the AGF. Hopefully you'll share some pics. If you're not sure how to post, you need to first upload your pics to a hosting site, such as photobucket (free) and then link them in here.

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=231872

HAMFIST · #6 07-29-2014, 07:36 PM

Those can be some great guitars.

There is actually a cottage industry around rebuilding them into modern masterpieces.

http://www.baxendaleguitar.com/harmony.html

AcousticWorship · #7 07-29-2014, 07:52 PM

Thanks guys! This is a cool tool and I've never been on a forum but it's been useful thus far. I found it down the road from my apartment complex here near Indy just sticking out of someone's trash can on the side of the road. It's how I found my Yamaha 12-string when I lived in Florida too! Haha. It's pretty beat up and has a pretty serious crack in the side if the body so I don't know if it's salable. I'll try and post pics ASAP. I just would love to be able to get it back to some sort of playing condition to have in my collection.

sachi · #8 07-29-2014, 08:11 PM

Oooh, looking forward to the pics!

Cracks can be fixed, so don't give up on it! If you post pics we should be able to give you advice you need.

HHP · #9 07-29-2014, 08:18 PM

I bought one at a flea market in Coldwater, MS many years ago. It was about 00 size, fan braced, very large neck, but a great sounding guitar for fingerstyle. I used to think the bass was "liquid" is that means anything to you.
In playable shape, they bring pretty good money so its worth some investment if needed. Of all the guitars I've owned, the Kalamazoo was the one everybody wanted to buy from me. I traded it to a dealer who gave me about 15X what I had in in.

Wade Hampton · #10 07-29-2014, 08:28 PM

I agree, getting it repaired and fully playable is a good idea. Kalamazoos have their own following, and even if you don't care for the sound once you get the guitar up and running, it's guaranteed that somebody else will.

whm

Jim Owen · #11 07-29-2014, 10:07 PM

Is it mahogany topped? The Kalamazoo line was resurrected in the 60s for budget small bodied guitars, very much like the Gibson B 15.

Pics will help us identify it for sure.

AcousticWorship · #12 07-31-2014, 01:56 PM

Sorry guys been swamped with work. Will get pictures tonight

Kip Carter · #13 07-31-2014, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AcousticWorship

Sorry guys been swamped with work. Will get pictures tonight

You'd better or we are coming over there!

Aidanunited · #14 10-14-2020, 07:07 AM

And wondered if i might use your knowledge?
HI all,
I have recently bought my first Archtop and love it but even after loads of research cannot nail the exact model.
I am hoping with the vast knowledge on here if you have time some might be able to help?
I believe (Maybe wrongly ) that its one of the Gibson 1930s budget range , the stripe up the fret board makes me think its a Cromwell but the head stock has no name engraved just tortoiseshell patterns. It also looks a lot like the Recorder king bar the neck.
It is all original nothing added to it , with Grover winders and inside the sticker is white with Gibson made in usa etc.
I would really love to know what it is and would be grateful for any help.
I will add some images once i work out how to do that as copy and paste doesnt seem to work
Added a video of it being played at my house last week.
I know some purists look down their nose , but i love the sound.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUCLYkCNvhs

Wade Hampton · #15 10-14-2020, 07:48 AM

It’s a very interesting guitar, I can tell you that much. The guitar body itself looks to be in excellent condition, but the neck and headstock are kind of a mismatch. From a visual standpoint, at least.

It’s almost certainly a house brand guitar, probably made for a large music store chain like Sorrentino’s.

Can I ask you where you found it? It would also be helpful to get a close up shot of the headstock; the shadow of the original logo that remains might help someone more knowledgeable than me to pinpoint what brand name it was marketed under.

In any event, it’s a great find.

Wade Hampton Miller