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View Full Version : kalamazoo flat tops



John Rosett
Jul-19-2006, 9:47am
i've been thinking about trying out a flat top mandolin lately, and there are always a few kalamazoos for sale. they're really nice looking instruments, but it seems like most of them have tops that are caving in. anybody here play one? how do they compare to modern flat tops, like the webers, etc? anybody ever re-brace one?

Jul-19-2006, 10:16am
You don't need to buy one with a caved in top, they are available almost weekly on eBay in better shape than the one that is up now. Many will have a crack in the top near the pickguard. Mine was easily repaired, you have that big round hole to work through. The guy that I got mine from paid 157.00 on eBay (I traded a bass for it that I paid less for, this was a coup). The sound is sweet. My wife commented that it had a more angelic sound than my F5-G and she doesn't ususally notice things like that. I keep mine in my office to play during my lunch hour and breaks. It's a really nice little mandolin.