1938 Recording King Model K (Gibson Kalamazoo KHG-14) 00-Size Guitar

I've worked on a number of old Gibson-made Kalamazoo KHG-14 models -- they're the Hawaiian guitar variant of the KG-14 and are 12-fretters to boot -- but this is the first with Recording King Carson Robison branding that's passed the bench. What's nice is that they're "roundneck" from the factory and so convert pretty-easily into "Spanish" guitars for normal playing.

This one arrived in decent shape but had a tailpiece and floating bridge on it in the past. It needed the usual work to make it happy but now that the repairs are done it plays spot-on, quick and fast. The neck is larger than average for an old '30s Gibson as it's wider for Hawaiian string spacing, but fingerpickers will adore that. It also sounds glorious for fingerpicking -- especially country-blues or old-timey stylings -- so that's a bonus as well.

The 12-fret body and slightly heavier-duty bracing on these Hawaiian-version models gives them a more "modern" response -- meaning, '50s, heh heh. You can lean into them a bit more than the "normal" Kalamazoo flattops and so heavy-handed pickers will really enjoy that. I know I do -- I can push them hard and not get a compressed "flap" sound when I want to get more volume out of it. It's also got a warmer, rounder tone, though -- let's be up-front about this -- these guitars are pretty punchy and forward and focused on the mids and highs.

Repairs included: a neck reset, fret level/dress, new rosewood bridge, new bone saddle, new ebony bridge pins and endpin, side dots install, cleaning, and setup.

Top wood: solid spruce

Back & sides wood: solid mahogany

Bracing type: ladder

Bridge: rosewood

Fretboard: rosewood

Neck wood: mahogany

Action height at 12th fret: 3/32” bass 1/16” treble (fast, spot-on)
String gauges: 52w-11 (54w-12 fine, too)

Neck shape: medium-bigger V

Board radius: 10"

Neck relief: straight

Fret style: low/small

Scale length: 24 3/4"

Nut width: 1 7/8"

Body width: 14 3/4"

Body depth: 4 3/8"

Weight: 3 lbs 3 oz

Condition notes: it's in good order with only one small hairline crack on the back-lower-bout (pictured), one tiny one at the soundhole's top edge, and a "pickguard crack" under the high E string path. All are repaired. The bridge, saddle, and all pins are replacements. Otherwise it's original throughout. Side dots have been added and the original bone nut has been cut down from tall Hawaiian to normal (Spanish) use. There's weather-check to the finish throughout and a variety of longer scratches and nicks on the back. The sides are fairly clean and the top shows mild playwear and scratching throughout. There are two filled tailpiece-mount screwholes near the endpin. The frets had only a little wear to them so are almost full-height after the level/dress job which -- because they're Gibson frets from the '30s -- means low and small but perfectly functional. Players who like big frets will want it refretted, though. There's also a little "ghosting" on the pickguard right where it meets the soundhole -- mositure-related, I'm guessing.

It comes with: an old, slightly oversize, hard case.