1938 Kalamazoo KG14 – £1849

NEW ARRIVAL  There are few acoustic guitars more wrapped up in music history than the Kalamazoo KG14. It’s the model that Robert Johnson played in his first studio session in November 1936 before getting arrested for a bar room brawl and losing his guitar. When he returned to the studio without a guitar, he was given the studio’s Gibson L-1, a guitar Johnson could never have afforded. There is a quality to the Kalamazoo that equivalent Gibsons don’t have – a rawness which produces a real bark, like a honky tonk tone – and it makes them a real playing experience. This example has all the hallmark sounds that hark back to those history making 30’s recordings, and it feels like you’re stepping back in time – a real treat for any blues player. It’s in good condition, with just a couple of repaired top cracks and back cracks, all tight. The chunky neck feels quite substantial in the left hand, allowing the tone to really resonate, and single notes to ring beautifully. This is a seriously cool guitar, and far more affordable than an equivalent Gibson L-1. It has a transducer pickup fitted, and comes in a non original hard case.