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Thread: Interesting: Vintage 1937 Gibson/Kalamaz guitar-bodied Mandocello

  1. #1

    Default Interesting: Vintage 1937 Gibson/Kalamaz guitar-bodied Mandocello

    Ran across this curiosity at Retrofret. I'm a fan of octave mandolin and I perked up because I thought this was a vintage guitar-bodied octave mandolin. But no--it's a mandocello. Very interesting. A Kalamazoo body, branded Gibson, and at least marked for export. Sorry, having trouble inserting images, so just follow the link.

    https://www.retrofret.com/product.asp?ProductID=10151

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Interesting: Vintage 1937 Gibson/Kalamaz guitar-bodied Mandoc

    Players Vintage Instruments had one also. I see it has sold. But here's a link for pictures.

    www.vintageinstruments.com/mandolas.html

    As for vintage octave mandolins, if a Larson built one were to appear on the market, I might have to break the pledge I took a few years ago.

  3. #3

    Default Re: Interesting: Vintage 1937 Gibson/Kalamaz guitar-bodied Mandoc

    Probably, infinitely less expensive, to buy your own Cromwell or Kalamazoo archtop- a good one can be found for less than $1,000 and convert it yourself and save a small fortune.

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    Default Re: Interesting: Vintage 1937 Gibson/Kalamaz guitar-bodied Mandoc

    Hmmm.... I wonder what’s underneath the nameplate?

  5. #5

    Default Re: Interesting: Vintage 1937 Gibson/Kalamaz guitar-bodied Mandoc

    Quote Originally Posted by Ray(T) View Post
    Hmmm.... I wonder what’s underneath the nameplate?
    I bet "Kalamazoo!" A photo of the one at Players Vintage Instruments:

    Click image for larger version. 

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  7. #6
    Mando accumulator allenhopkins's Avatar
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    Default Re: Interesting: Vintage 1937 Gibson/Kalamaz guitar-bodied Mandoc

    Quote Originally Posted by Ray(T) View Post
    Hmmm.... I wonder what’s underneath the nameplate?
    Retrofret description says there's a "Kalamazoo" logo under the screwed-on "Gibson" nameplate. They also note that it's marked "Made in USA" so probably intended for export.
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    Default Re: Interesting: Vintage 1937 Gibson/Kalamaz guitar-bodied Mandoc

    So who screwed on the nameplate .........?

  9. #8
    Registered User Eric Platt's Avatar
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    Default Re: Interesting: Vintage 1937 Gibson/Kalamaz guitar-bodied Mandoc

    Quote Originally Posted by Ray(T) View Post
    So who screwed on the nameplate .........?
    Retrofret feels it was Gibson. Done for an export order when they didn't have a regular Gibson model available. The rarity/unique aspect makes it worth asking that much.

    FWIW, Retrofret has it listed as a Kalamazoo on the Reverb listing.
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  10. #9

    Default Re: Interesting: Vintage 1937 Gibson/Kalamaz guitar-bodied Mandoc

    I have seen a circa 1939 Cromwell archtop that was sold in the UK new. It has a large Gibson logo- much bigger than normal on the headstock and I have always thought it was done for the UK dealer after Gibson had stopped using the Cromwell name. The fact it was for sale outside the USA suggests Gibson was happy to oblige and the impressed Made in USA seen on this guitar was done for the UK and Canada.

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