Gibson produced off-brand instruments based on several of its most well-known designs throughout the 1930s, which were marketed through catalogs such as Montgomery Ward. Due to the need for these more accessible, ladder-braced instruments—like the original Recording King guitars—Gibson launched the Kalamazoo brand, which served as their internal "budget" brand at the time.
This 1934 Kalamazoo KTG-11 Tenor is a fantastic example of a rare pre-war Kalamazoo Tenor guitar from the second year of production, and is one of the less common Kalamazoo models seen from this period. This Kalamazoo features a Spruce ladder braced top with mahogany back and sides. The ladder-braced design projects well with a tight, punchy sound that is perfect for fingerstyle playing and flat picking alike. The mahogany neck features a rosewood fretboard and a slim 'V' profile to the rear of the neck.
This tenor guitar is in good condition, with the obvious signs of play wear and patina to the body and rear of the neck that you would expect to see from an instrument of this age. The tuners have been replaced, although the original ivoroid buttons have been retained. This guitar has had a full service and appraisal by our luthiers at the Vintage Instrument Workshop and includes a 3-year warranty for any set-up or repair work with our luthiers.
