Build Thread: Fairbanks SJ Kalamazoo Gals

[jt1]

As promised, my video comparison of the Fairbanks "Kalamazoo Gal" models and the original WWII-era Gibson that insoired them:

[justonwo]

Originally Posted by jt1

As promised, my video comparison of the Fairbanks "Kalamazoo Gal" models and the original WWII-era Gibson that insoired them:

Thanks for doing this! So cool. The SJ will be shipping to me tomorrow.

[justonwo]

It all started with a video about a Mediocre Ditty®.



So I'm posting my own sound clip of the Mediocre Ditty®, though I will confess I've never in the many years I've owned my Zoom H4n figured out how to get it to be reasonably loud without clipping.

http://jus-tone.com/misc/fairbanks/mediocre_ditty.wav

I received the Fairbanks on Thursday and have spent a few hours playing it. The sound pretty much matches the sound in my mind's eye . . . dry, clear, and loud. I envisioned the guitar would have the kind of clarity and fundamental focus that I value for my relatively old-timey playing style and, not surprisingly, it does. It's a percussive sound, almost staccato at this point, with an emphasis on the attack and a quick decay, with most of the picking energy going into the attack.

My experience with most new guitars is that this strong attack-and-decay response tends to mellow over time and you're left with an attack that's pleasantly compressed and leaves a little sustain and overtone content. I expect this guitar will be no different, though I imagine it will stay pretty well focused on attack and fundamental.

The bass of Gibsons has been described to me as "thuddy." I don't hear that in this guitar. Like the trebles, the bass has a sharp peak (though not as sharp as the trebles), but it's not muffled and dark, which is a characteristic I would associate with thuddy.

As I would expect for a mahogany guitar, the mids are strong and clear, which makes it ideally suited to the stuff I play. Overall, the guitar doesn't sound deep and cavernous the way a Martin dreadnought might sound. The bass is big, but there's so much OM-like mids and treble that it sounds more like an enlarged OM (forgive my Martin-focused background). Not surprisingly, it also has enough headroom to handle just about the hardest attack I can put into it. If one of these days I ever decide to start strumming my acoustics, this would probably be the one I'd go to.

I'm excited to see how things develop as I put 20-30 hours into it.

The workmanship is flawless. It's a beautiful instrument, for sure. And the Kalamazoo banner is extra cool. The Hoffee case is a great fit. It didn't turn out avocado green, but the mint green is still retro and still more fun than the usual black case.

[justonwo]

[iim7V7IM7]

Congrats...

[srick]

So glad your gal arrived safely! Having played several of Dale’s guitars (but not yours), I would call the tone, “just right”!

[BrunoBlack]

Outstanding guitar!

[ataylor]

Great to see this one made it safe and sound as well! As I mentioned in the other Fairbanks thread, I’ve enjoyed seeing these guitars come together here and in Dale’s Instagram posts.

It turned out great. Looks fantastic and sounds equally wonderful — I enjoyed the recording!

I really like the mint green case with gold lining contrasted with the beautiful sunburst — in a backwards sort of way it reminds me of a vintage car-color Stratocaster sitting inside one of those brown/gold or tweed G&G cases. Super classy!

Enjoy the guitar!

[jt1]

A wonderful guitar!

Cool hearing the same tune on your guitar as I played on those vintage SJs! Alas, that Mediocre Ditty® doesn't sound mediocre in your hands.

[CoolerKing]

Excellent!

[colins]

It's a stunner Juston; that sunburst has to be my favourite of all time!

[Deft Tungsman]

Holy moly! I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more beautiful sunburst! Love all the details, and the case looks like a big pistachio ice cream cake. Congratulations!

Just one suggestion : pick up that flatpick, warm up them vocal chords, channel your inner West Virginian twang child and strum away. You’ll see, the future is brighter in the past!

[amohr]

Wow what a fantastic journey, Keeping history alive.

[wezzywest]

Beautiful guitar, thanks for uploading all the images along the way. And to Dale for taking the time to document the build. Enjoy in good health.

[jt1]

Thanks, again, Juston, for sharing the build and final result with us!

A few words about that tune. Years ago, I lifted the opening 12 bars of this tune from Stefan Grossman's "Stompin' On The Tappahannock." I've since mangled the tune and added bits and pieces to render it unrecognizable. Hence, "Mediocre Ditty®."

Juston motivated me to sit down for a quick take on the tune this morning (as we in the Northeast hunker down during a winter story - hence the occasional sound of driving freezing rain battering the windows).