Kalamazoo KG-11 Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1935), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # 384 A (FON), sunburst top, dark back and sides finish, mahogany back, sides and neck,spruce top, rosewood fingerboard, original brown chipboard case.
A nice example of the smaller-bodied flat top model from Gibson's pre-WWII budget Kalamazoo line. The KG-11 has no equivalent Gibson model, it features a shorter body with a truncated upper bout compared to the KG-14 or Gibson's L-00. The KG-11 is built of the same quality materials as period Gibsons but is ladder braced and has no truss rod. The top is single-bound with a sunburst finish showing the small highlighted area typical of the mid-1930's, with a triple-bound soundhole and fire stripe celluloid pickguard.
The headstock is peaked on the top with a white screened Kalamazoo logo and black plastic button strip tuners. The neck has a typical Gibson "V" profile with 14 frets to the body. This guitar plays very well and is an excellent choice for finger-style or slide Blues playing; the ladder braced top results in a sound perhaps best described as halfway between a Gibson and an old Stella.
Overall length is 38 5/8 in. (98.1 cm.), 14 7/8 in. (37.8 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 1/8 in. (10.5 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/4 in. (44 mm.). Nice original condition; no finish alteration, the original bridge is intact and even the oft-missing original tuners are persent. A recent neck set, new original-style nut and fretwork make this an excellent player. Some finish wear but no cracks or major repairs; the lacquer on the back of the neck is a bit rough likely from exposure to moisture-this could be smoothed out if desired. A lovely and fairly early example of Gibson's classic low-budget guitar of the Depression era, still revered as a blues player's delight and a cool, comparatively affordable pre-WWII flat top. Very Good + Condition.
