Robert Johnson - Where Did He Get His Gibson Kalamazoo Guitar? 

I happen to be friends with RJ's grand-kids, and I'm sure they would be proud of your efforts in pin-pointing the location of where he, and Johnny Shines bought those guitars after that fire. -Great Video!

I have a friend who used to buy and sell vintage Gibsons. About 20 years go he brought an ancient, small bodied Kalamazoo to our workplace. I played it every day for a week. I don't have the best ear or the best way to describe sound, but It had a beautiful 'full' tone, I think he wanted 800 bucks for it. I didn't have the money, but if I would have known Robert Johnson's Gibson was the cheaper Kalamazoo 'brand' I might have found the money somehow.

To find Robert Johnsons guitar would be something!

Thank you for creating context and history around this man and indelibly linked guitar ! Impressive

Cool video. I have a 1938 natural finish with original white pick guard Gibson L5 "G.U.T." guitar.

Or, Robert Johnson could have gotten his guitar from another guitar friend??? Since there isn't any notes on where he got it. Lots of not so wealthy guitar players buy them from either pawn shops or from someone they know.

Maybe i shouldn’t admit it, but I don’t think I knew Gibson guitars were made in Kalamazoo. I grew up in Battle Creek… 20 minutes away. 😊

Very nice!

Very cool

Add my special thanks for everything! Very cool.

What an incredible video! I love stuff like this... a fantastic mix of history, research, and music. Well done!

In an 1989 interview, Johnny Shines said that Robert really preferred a Kalamazoo archtop, & they also played Polish (polka) music for Polish people. "I had a Kalamazoo like Robert had. The Kalamazoo had f-holes in it".

The jeweller’s newspaper ad includes info on Elgin watches. Walkin’ Blues contains the line ‘She got an Elgin movement…’

Cool Research👍Gibson started crafting Kalamazoo’s in the Early 30s. I’d say shines recollection is true. Likely it was purchased at that Jewelry/Pawn. No doubt There were pre-owned Kalamazoo’s floating around at that time. I picked up my first Zoo around 1983’ a KG-11. At that time they were kinda under the Radar. And most weren’t familiar with the Gibson Budget Brands. -Of Note: John Fogerty in one of Credence Rivals late 1960s songs mentions/sings about a Kalamazoo! I think it was Willie & poor Boy’s.

Enjoyed this alot , thank you ! Very nicely done and good detective work ! I would be willing to bet that KG14 is still in the family . Robert supposedly gave it to his mother while on his deathbed in Greenwood MS . Or perhaps it's in an antique shop somewhere in the delta waiting to pick out it's new owner. As with Robert Johnson , everything is a mystery . Take care !

Great video indeed sir and a lot of well versed research and effort gone into thos, too. From my understanding of what I have learned about Robert's life, the guitar that Robert lost in the fire at the hotel, was probably the guitar that he got from Ile Zinneman. Ike was known to be the best guitarist in the deep south and Robert lived with Ike and his family for about 8 months before returning to Robinsonville, but I have read from a few articles that Ike had given Robert his guitar to take and play with. I have heard a clip of Son House claiming that when Robert returned to Robinsonville after living and learning from Ike, the guitar had 7 strings on it instead of the traditional 6 strings. How much of Son House's claims to be true or not is a shot in the dark given that Son House also claimed that Robert wasn't any good on the guitar before meeting Ike and yet, it is known that Robert was already an average guitarist and was already playing some jook joints and hiuse parties for about 2 years before Son House moved to Robinsonville. It would be nice if it was possible to have a time machine and be able to go back and just observe what happened and have some way to record it on video so that it would help at least answer so many of the questions and mysteries about Robert's life. I do wonder if Robert may have been on the autism spectrum although being what's known as 'High Functioning' because there is clear evidence from Johnny Shines and others that account for Robert's Savant level ability to hear any piece of music just once and be able to play it on his guitar, while playing the guitar in a way that is more like a piano and not as a guitar would usually be played, plus Robert although was capable of having a regular conversation, but if he didn't like someone or didn't feel comfortable with them, he would tend to be quiet and just keep to himself. I can't help wonder that given that mental health in those days was barely known or talked about at all and there certainly wasn't as much known about mental health conditions as there are nowadays. Either way, it doesn't take anything away from how great Robert was as a musician, artist, composer and as a man, may he always be resting in eternal heaven 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

it is written by Roberts step sister "Annye", in her book...that Roberts brother "Son" pawned his guitar in Memphis.a few years after Roberts death..there are quite a number of prewar Kalamazoo guitars still around...maybe someone still has it, unaware of its "Holy Grail" origins

More importantly - where did it go? I own one myself and often wonder - could it be the one?

Great documentary. I can picture Robert Johnson walking through the front door (where you show the foundations). I hope you also ‘walked in’, following his footsteps? Do you think the jeweller told them off for playing Smoke on the water or Stairway to heaven whilst trying out the new instruments?!😎

Just came across your channel! Great work on this. One note, a maybe... The address for the jeweler is 308 1/2 most likely a second floor, or in the rear. Not wanting to be robbed, maybe not a big sign on the front. So the one you have from the 20s could still be while the store was there. Just a thought. Thanks for all the leg work.

Nope it is a Gibson L-1. The binding around the sound hole is not correct to a Kalamazoo, sorry. And the pickguard- L-1 does not have one.

love the background music

This is great!!

Incredible video!

this is top notch the bomb I know many appreciate your work here man! jah give thanks you dun know amazing g!

Here's what I think is an essential question: why would Shines and Johnson hitchhike all the way to Steele from Memphis when there must have been plenty of guitars in that city?

Hi John! That was a nice piece of guitar history video. Maybe you should continue with those sorts of videos. I liked the background music. Was it yours, of Robert Johnsons? Cheers my friend.

Great video! congrats!

Great😊

Did he take this guitar to the crossroads?

According to the recent book by Bruce Conforth and Gayle Dean Wardlow, "Up Jumped The Devil : The Real Life of Robert Johnson ", Johnson bought a Kalamazoo KG-14 for $14.99 and Shines purchased a Stella guitar for $9.99 in Steele, Missouri.

When I met Johnny Shines I asked him what type of guitar Robert Johnson played he told me that Robert played an "f" holed guitar.

Why play Blind Willie Johnson songs on a Robert Johnson story?

The guitars a prop in photo studio who doesn't know that

I bet you have a brick... 🤔

ролик очень интересный! как будто оказался в тех временах... роберт джонсон постепенно занимает место в моем сердце...🙂