Kay acoustic from the 60's
Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2012 10:13 pm
Well my neighbor/friend today bequeathed me a Kay guitar that her parents bought for her in the store at the Lemoore Naval Air Base when she was 16 years old, which would make it 1966. I have tried to do some research on this particular model, but since there is no model number (at least visible) on the thing, I have not found an identical guitar on the internet. This is similar I think to the 00 body style? 15" across the lower bout, 14 frets at the body. It has what they called the "Kelvenator" head plate treatment, which is actuall very thin aluminum. This company made guitars for Sears, Wards, etc...remember the "Silvertone"? They made it!
As you can see it has a brownish sunburst painted body. It appears to have Tortise binding and the pick guard is red tortise. The grain shows through on the back pretty well and looks like mahogany. The bridge and fretboard are either BRW or perhaps a walnut (I've read both treatments were used on these). The bridge is pinless and the string feeds through the front of the bridge and then wraps up and over the back to the saddle. Never seen that before.
It is in pretty good condition. I don't see any cracks. The neck is bowed up and from this a slight fretboard hump is created at the body. It looks like the nut and saddle are plastic and are still in serviceable condition. I have not yet removed the truss rod cover on the headstock, but I assume there must be a truss rod in there. The action is of course high, but if the neck can be straightened out some with the truss rod, and the bridge shaved a little bit and the saddle brought down a little, it should be playable. I am kind of anxious to give it a whirl.
I had my first guitar in 1966, something someone gave me and can't remember what brand it was. I purchased my first guitar in 1969, a "Ventura" Dred made in Japan. My next guitar purchased in 1972 was a Hohner "Contessa" Dred made in Germany. How'd I get off on that?? A bit of remenicing I guess.
Anyway, my thoughts are to try and make this guitar playable and leave it as is, totally original if possible. I think even the tuners might be okay, but there is a screw in the back missing. Interesting....the posts come through holes in the front of the headstock and there are no bushings, nuts...nothing on top, and this seems to be original.
Kevin
As you can see it has a brownish sunburst painted body. It appears to have Tortise binding and the pick guard is red tortise. The grain shows through on the back pretty well and looks like mahogany. The bridge and fretboard are either BRW or perhaps a walnut (I've read both treatments were used on these). The bridge is pinless and the string feeds through the front of the bridge and then wraps up and over the back to the saddle. Never seen that before.
It is in pretty good condition. I don't see any cracks. The neck is bowed up and from this a slight fretboard hump is created at the body. It looks like the nut and saddle are plastic and are still in serviceable condition. I have not yet removed the truss rod cover on the headstock, but I assume there must be a truss rod in there. The action is of course high, but if the neck can be straightened out some with the truss rod, and the bridge shaved a little bit and the saddle brought down a little, it should be playable. I am kind of anxious to give it a whirl.
I had my first guitar in 1966, something someone gave me and can't remember what brand it was. I purchased my first guitar in 1969, a "Ventura" Dred made in Japan. My next guitar purchased in 1972 was a Hohner "Contessa" Dred made in Germany. How'd I get off on that?? A bit of remenicing I guess.
Anyway, my thoughts are to try and make this guitar playable and leave it as is, totally original if possible. I think even the tuners might be okay, but there is a screw in the back missing. Interesting....the posts come through holes in the front of the headstock and there are no bushings, nuts...nothing on top, and this seems to be original.
Kevin