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Kalamazoo Oriole Guitar and Mandolin set

Estimated price for orientation: 2 100 $

Category: Mandolins
Class:











Description
Brand: Kalamazoo KGN-12 Dexterity: Right-Handed
Model: Kalamazoo Oriole String Configuration: 6 String
Body Type: Mini-jumbo UPC: Does not apply


Kalamazoo KGN-12 Guitar Oriole (ca. 1940)
scale; 24.9” width at nut: 1&11/16” width at lower bout: 14&5/8” overall length: 39.5”Dark blonde, wide grain spruce face had a small chip at the edge of the lower treble bout.  One piece, flat sawn cherry back showed a couple of hairline cracks.  Rosewood bridge was coming up and the bridge patch was a mess.  The frets were pretty worn and the tuners, nut, saddle and bridge pins were history.   Fixed all that and, following a hunch, fitted a couple of support braces on either side of the sound hole to correct a slight warp there, common in ladder-braced guitars, which also appreciably improved the sound quality and volume.  Yeah, it was a lot of work, but the bird got to me…and it was worth it. This is a very good guitar.Kalamazoo KMN-12 Mandolin (ca. ’40)
scale: 13&7/8”   width at nut: 1.25”   body width: 10.25”  overall length: 26.5”A twin to the guitar, not only in looks but in sound; it’s bright, balanced and loud.  The original finish had been oversprayed and a fine crack at the bass f-hole repaired and backed with veneer when I found this pretty spruce and maple item at the old Folk Shop in Tucson.  Along with some set-up, a new set of tuners and a rosewood spacer fitted between the head and foot of the adjustable bridge, I applied some colored epoxy resin to the original pick guard to stop decay from oxidation.Offered as a set with the Oriole mando, each with new hard shell cases for $2,100.