Vintage archtop guitars. Heck, archtop guitars in general. Nowhere else in the world of guitars is there more misunderstanding and confusion. Most guitar players even mistakenly call hollowbody electric guitars archtops. Archtop guitars are actually acoustic guitars that were the dominant style of guitar from the 1920s to the 1950s. Being the owner of a 1935 Kalamazoo (the one shown on the sides of my blog) archtop acoustic guitar for the past several years, I hope to shed a little light on the subject of at least budget level archtops. These still plentiful vintage lower end models are many people's first experience with the world of archtops, and knowing what to be concerned about (and what not to) can be a big help!
I first came across my old Kalamazoo totally by accident while visiting Elderly Instruments in Lansing, MI. At the time I was quite happily playing a Martin 000-15m, but a few minutes with the Kalamazoo had me thinking twice about the guitar I was playing. I was also getting more and more interested in the playing styles of the early jazz guitar masters that would eventually lead me to where I am today, and that Kalamazoo, man, did it have the tone my ears were craving! It was even far better sounding than some of the more expensive archtops they had there at the time. About a week later I went back and traded in my much nicer Martin for an old beat up guitar that would change and grow with me in the most tumultuous times of my jazz journey.
Before that time I had never owned a vintage guitar, let alone one that was nearly 80 years old! The oldest instrument I had owned up to that point was a 1971 Wurlitzer 200 electric piano (for those who care to know, its the keyboard heard on Pink Floyd's "Money" as well as many other classic rock tunes). I had such a terrible time getting that piano restored that I didn't think I'd ever go vintage again! The tone and mojo of that Kalamazoo guitar had me hooked though. Over time I've learned a few things about vintage guitars, especially the fact that they are not as delicate as one might assume!
One of my major concerns was the fact that this guitar had NO truss rod whatsoever! The neck did not even sport a non adjustable one as found in many later lower end models. The lack of a truss rod was not because they hadn't been invented yet, rather, it was a cost cutting measure by Gibson to be able to sell guitars as cheaply as possible during the depression era. The lack of a truss rod is made up for by having a VERY thick neck. This guitar's neck is the definition of "baseball bat" thick! It is one of those things you get used to though, and I never really had trouble adjusting to it. I've also never had trouble with neck bow, even using medium gauge (13-56) strings. This was my real fear with not having an adjustable truss rod, but the neck has not changed in the three years I have had the guitar!
Another concern for many players is whether or not a guitar is made of solid woods. Though some argue the Kalamazoos are not made with solid woods, I am here to destroy that rumor. My KG-31 is most certainly has a solid top. How do I know? Well, the top has a repaired crack! Laminated wood cannot crack due to drying out like solid wood does, obviously. I think the confusion arises because these guitars, keeping in line with Gibson's cost cutting, have PRESSED solid tops, rather than the hand carved tops and backs found on up-market vintage Gibsons and Epiphones. Many people seem to equate pressed with laminate, but that is certainly not always the case. Many mass market solid top archtop guitars today are made with pressed solid tops. One thing to look out for on ALL archtop guitars, though, is a sunken top. This happens when string pressure causes the top to bow under the bridge. It can cause issues like decreased volume, the wrong string angle, and more.
The only other area of concern with a guitar like this for me is hardware. My Kalamazoo came equipped with newer tuners as the old ones (which were included with the guitar) were worn out and the plastic buttons were rotted from age. I would think that replacing the original tuners on any vintage budget guitar like this would be a very common and useful upgrade. Another thing to be aware of with hardware is pickguards. Many vintage archtop guitars have ruined finishes due to off-gassing of their original pickguards, and should be replaced regardless. Many have no pickguard included at all. My Kalamazoo did not have this problem, but it had one that is nearly as bad. My guitar had a pickguard included but no hardware to attach it with. Due to the non-elevated neck on these old budget Gibsons, special hardware is required to attach the pickguard as normal archtop pickguard hardware will not work. Its simply holds the pickguard too high in relation to the strings. I am currently looking for a solution to this problem, and as of this writing have ordered a Les Paul style pickguard bracket to see if that works.
Buying a vintage guitar can be both a thrilling and frightening experience. I think a good frame of mind and perspective is a prerequisite to getting one. You cannot expect perfection on a guitar older (maybe several times older!) than you are. Look the guitar over well, and buy from a seller who knows a thing or two about archtop guitars. If you can overlook some flaws, these old Kalamazoo and other vintage budget archtops can be a great way to get into the archtop game without spending a ridiculous amount of money. Remember, too, that just because they are old does not mean they are fragile. When you do the kind of heavy playing I do on an 80 year old guitar with no issues, you know its a decently built instrument!
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