Kalamazoo KG 11 plans needed

[Yair Fine]

Hi
I have been looking for tracing/plan of the Kalamazoo KG 11 that I want to build.
did not find any. Maybe here someone will have it.
Thanks

[John Scime]

I don't know where you would could find plans for a KG11 - the pear-shape doesnt correspond to the shape of most Kalamazoo/Kel Kroyden/Cromwell flattops which used the same factory moulds as the Gibson L-00.

That said, you can learn a lot about 1930s era Gibson and Kalamazoo construction by watching Mark Stutman's videos on YouTube. Mark owns Folkway Music in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, and is a recognized expert regarding 1930s Gibson guitars. He's been working on old gibsons for over 20 years and has collected loads of data in his pursuit to understand why SOME Gibsons and Kalamazoos sound better than others. This includes data regarding top, back and side thicknesses, brace thickness, and height, bridge mass, bridge plate size, thickness and mass, fingerboard thickness, solid vs kerfed lining, neck profiles and much more. I've watched all of his videos and learned a terrific amount that I try to consider as I (slowly) build a 1933 Gibson L-00 clone.

You might even try contacting him through the video comments or by emailing or calling Folkway Music to see if he has measurements for KG-11. He's helped me out in the past with specific information and he may have exactly the info you need to determine things like upper and lower bout measurements, side depth, etc., and probably has a good idea whether bracing differed from other Kalamazoos of this era.

Another suggestion is to find one for sale online and ask, beg, barter or pay the owner to make you a paper tracing and do a few measurements! Nothing ventured, nothing gained, as they say.

Good luck. Js

[Matthew Lau]

Also, have you thought of building another model with readily available plans?

Why the Kalamazoo KG 11?
Personally, I'd much rather build Mark Swanson's fatboy first.

There's also the L-0 plans and the L-00 plans (used to be available on LMI, but they closed).
PM me if you want a copy of the L-O plan.

[Yair Fine]

I don't know where you would could find plans for a KG11 - the pear-shape doesnt correspond to the shape of most Kalamazoo/Kel Kroyden/Cromwell flattops which used the same factory moulds as the Gibson L-00.

That said, you can learn a lot about 1930s era Gibson and Kalamazoo construction by watching Mark Stutman's videos on YouTube. Mark owns Folkway Music in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, and is a recognized expert regarding 1930s Gibson guitars. He's been working on old gibsons for over 20 years and has collected loads of data in his pursuit to understand why SOME Gibsons and Kalamazoos sound better than others. This includes data regarding top, back and side thicknesses, brace thickness, and height, bridge mass, bridge plate size, thickness and mass, fingerboard thickness, solid vs kerfed lining, neck profiles and much more. I've watched all of his videos and learned a terrific amount that I try to consider as I (slowly) build a 1933 Gibson L-00 clone.

You might even try contacting him through the video comments or by emailing or calling Folkway Music to see if he has measurements for KG-11. He's helped me out in the past with specific information and he may have exactly the info you need to determine things like upper and lower bout measurements, side depth, etc., and probably has a good idea whether bracing differed from other Kalamazoos of this era.

Another suggestion is to find one for sale online and ask, beg, barter or pay the owner to make you a paper tracing and do a few measurements! Nothing ventured, nothing gained, as they say.

Good luck. Js

Thanks for the info John, will watch Mark Stutman's videos

[Yair Fine]

Also, have you thought of building another model with readily available plans?

Why the Kalamazoo KG 11?
Personally, I'd much rather build Mark Swanson's fatboy first.

There's also the L-0 plans and the L-00 plans (used to be available on LMI, but they closed).
PM me if you want a copy of the L-O plan.

Thanks Matthew,
I had the chance to play on a KG 14 and really liked it. very responsive and lightweight guitar.
I assume the KG 11 is even more lighter.
I also like the idea of ladder bracing

[Mark McLean]

It is an interesting looking body shape. You really don’t need a plan - you could make your own inspired by the photos you have seen. Get a good front-on photo of a KG-11 (the one in your post is not very square-to-camera, but there are plenty of others on the internet) and print it out to scale. There is information that the lower bout measurement is 14 and 3/4 inches, so just keep playing with it until you have a printed version with that one measurement correct and then you can just measure everything else off that. Then you can measure the placement of the sound hole, upper bout width etc, and you can make a body mould. You will need to find some reliable source for body depth at the tail and neck join (or make them up). The scale length is the usual Gibson 24.7” and the neck joint is at the 14th fret, so that will allow you to work out where the bridge/saddle will land. The bracing and bridge plate are not visible unless you can find an internal picture, but if you know it is ladder braced you could use a plan for a similar sized Stella or Harmony to work out a bracing scheme.