Guitar
guitarz.blogspot.com:
Thanks for your email and photographs. Although your Kay guitar does look familiar I am afraid that I can't identify the model for you. It does look like maybe it was supposed to be a (crude) copy of the Gibson L6S rather than a Les Paul. It does have a similar "pot belly" shape to it.
Quality on 1970s/1980s Kay guitars does vary considerably from one model to the next. This would be because they originated with a number of different manufacturers. I recently played on a friend's Kay branded acoustic. It was obviously quite a cheaply made instrument, but the action and playability were surprisingly good. Also the semi-famed K45 travel guitar (marketed in the US as the Austin Hatchet) was a quality instrument and so solid and sturdy you could have knocked a brick wall down with it.
If anyone has any more info on the above guitar, please contact us in the usual way via the comments below.
G L Wilson
© 2015, Guitarz - The Original Guitar Blog - the blog that goes all the way to 11!
Please read our photo and content policy.
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Guitar
Info wanted on singlecut Kay electric guitar, probably 1970s
guitarz.blogspot.com:
Dear Mr. Wilson,
I have been following your amazing and entertaining Guitarz blog for some years. I am writing you as I just got a Kay guitar (for almost no money, to ease any guilt trip in such a risky decision... I am aware of Kay's reputation). There is no identification label on it and I could not find it in any online catalogue.
I attach a few pics (unfortunately their quality is as good as I could do with my old camera, I am the worst photographer in the world). Before I decide what to do with it I thought your website would be the good one to tell me something about it, as I had never seen such a model: sort of Les Paul-like, but with the typical Kay single coils. It is pretty much a mess, besides the cosmetic wear. The paint job is really questionable, part of the headstock broke and after the (bad) repair someone switched the two 3+3 pegs, the wiring was falling apart, the string retainer was missing and I just replaced it with a quickly-made metal block using the original holes to see if the guitar plays... In the end it does, and I am still curious to identify it because I find some attractive weirdness in it.
I would be really happy if anyone could give me some clues. Thanks in advance for your kind attention.
Best regards
Giancarlo
Quality on 1970s/1980s Kay guitars does vary considerably from one model to the next. This would be because they originated with a number of different manufacturers. I recently played on a friend's Kay branded acoustic. It was obviously quite a cheaply made instrument, but the action and playability were surprisingly good. Also the semi-famed K45 travel guitar (marketed in the US as the Austin Hatchet) was a quality instrument and so solid and sturdy you could have knocked a brick wall down with it.
If anyone has any more info on the above guitar, please contact us in the usual way via the comments below.
G L Wilson
© 2015, Guitarz - The Original Guitar Blog - the blog that goes all the way to 11!
Please read our photo and content policy.
- Peavey T-40 Bass - Vintage American-made Coolness
guitarz.blogspot.com: In more recent times you could pick up one of these all American-made high quality 1970s Peavey guitars or basses for a mere song. I mean why buy a Squier if you can get something as well-made and playable as this, often for less...
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