Topic: Kalamazoo KG-14

[Mr.OMuck]

Ladder braced is the holy grail for a lot of folks on this forum Mr. Vintage. 

[fox-guitars]

Another new guy here. Keep in mind that all the Gibson-made Kalamazoo flat-tops have ladder-braced tops vs. their X-braced Gibson cousins. Some have a preference for one or the other, but for sure they do not sound the same.

I've seen many KGs going for $1800 & up, and it really surprises me how much they are. I agree that they should be less than half the value of a Gibson.

I restored a ladder-braced 1940 Kal KGN-12 "Oriole" and re-braced the top with Gibson X-brace & I thought it improved the tone quite a bit. More info at: http://www.fox-guitars.com/Repair___Restoration.html

 

[slimchancer]

A nice idea, and we would all love one, but the reality is - they are all pretty instable now and prone to failure over the coming years ? unless you are looking for a charming vintage piece to sit at the back of the dinning room. I?ve been searching for a decent Kalamazoo for years, but am beginning to face the facts of time.

[Mr.OMuck]

Art & Lutherie spruce & Cherry Ami for $260.
Blueridge solid spruce & rosewood guitars for $650.
Really people....THIS IS the golden age of cheap guitars, many likely better than Kalamazoos ever were.

[Parlor Picker]

Guild GAD-30R in sitka/EIR for ?550 in my local guitar shop. Impeccable workmanship, easy-to-play and a wonderful sound.

However, I have heard they are not all consistent - but the same is true of some high-end names as well. After all, each acoustic guitar is highly individual.

[slideaway]

at least the boring era of the dreadnought dominance is over, not that i dont like a nice dread, YAY for variety! at least just being short scales is half the authentic sound IMO

[Mr.OMuck]

MHO, one will not get true depression era sound out of At and Who or any other present day cheap guitar. Period.

Wow! Would I ever love to do a blind listening test and have you try to pick the vintage instrument! No time for such silliness however.

[Mr.OMuck]

When I can afford one.
I've never paid more than $325. for a guitar and if I wasn't lucky enough to own the ones I do, I would consider it completely insane to spend thousands on one now when so many good cheap alternatives exist.
On tuesday I played a$25,000. custom Ray Whitley Brazilian rosewood J-200. Drop dead gorgeous.
I also played a $650. Blueridge Indian rosewood guitar.....really apart from those characteristics attributable to body size & shape , about equivalent in terms of sound quality. I also played a $20,000. Froggy Bottom that was one of the best things I've ever played including any great vintage guitar you can name, but was it $18,000 better than the Blueridge? No way.