1930s Cromwell G-4 (Gibson Kalamazoo KG-32) Archtop Guitar

Overview: While branded Cromwell, this is yet another Gibson-made, Kalamazoo-brand alteration and it's essentially a Kalamazoo KG-32 with a different name on the headstock. It's overall in good order and plays and sounds a treat, now, but it does have a big old, hastily-repaired, back crack that we've ameliorated somewhat. These handle and perform in a way very similar to Gibson's carved-top L-48 and L-50 models of the same time, though the top end is a little less full and more "snappy." The payoff is that the bass on these is usually a little warmer and woodier, so they make really good backing-up guitars if you like to chomp-chomp-chomp behind fiddles and banjos and whatnot.

Interesting features: Thankfully, it's entirely original throughout its hardware. It has the cool firestripe pickguard, early-on, better-quality tailpiece, adjustable rosewood bridge, and stark sunburst finish that we all like to see. These have press-arched tops and backs rather than carved.

Repairs included: I gave it a neck reset, tidied-up the cruddy old crack repair on the back, and Jose, as I recall, did the level/dress and setup work. It's playing spot-on and is ready to serve.

• Weight: 4 lbs 3 oz
• Scale length: 24 3/4"
• Nut width: 1 3/4"
• Neck shape: medium soft V/C
• Board radius: 10"
• Depth at first fret: 1 1/32"
• Depth at seventh fret: 1 1/8"
• Body width: 16 1/8"
• Body depth: 3 1/4"
• Top wood: solid spruce
• Back & sides wood: solid mahogany
• Bracing type: hybrid x/fan
• Bridge: rosewood adjustable
• Fretboard: rosewood
• Neck wood: mahogany
• Action height at 12th fret: 3/32” bass 1/16” treble (fast, spot-on)
• String gauges: 54w-12 lights
• Neck relief: straight
• Fret style: low/small

Condition notes: As mentioned several times, there's a big back crack that was repaired (foolishly) with a lot of dropped-on epoxy at some point. As this would be incredibly time-consuming to repair correctly (and it's secure), we left it and instead filled around the bad looks a bit. There was also, of course, a cruddily-reglued back brace in the same area, but it's also luckily-secure. Other than that, the rest of the guitar is in overall good shape, save the usual plethora of small scratches, nicks, and dings from use and handling. This one probably dates from 1935-1936 or so judging by the features. The company only used these "Gibson-style" tailpieces for the first year or two of production as far as I know.

It comes with: Sorry, no case.

Consignor tag: MULK