Kay is best known for their large production of student-grade, budget instruments but also built higher quality instruments that were used by professional artists of the time including a line of electric guitars endorsed by Barney Kessel.
Are old Kay guitars any good?
The vintage style of a Kay guitar is unparalleled, especially when it comes to looks. Kay is most famous for its acoustic line of guitars. They have a retro look that brings us back to the days of classic blues and country music.
Where are Kay guitars made?
Kay guitars are not currently in production. However, Kay also produced cellos and basses. Engelhardt-Link purchased the acoustic line of instruments from Kay. These are still being produced in Elk Grove Village, IL.
How can I find out how much my guitar is worth?
Orion Blue Book Online (at UsedPrice.com): The Orion Blue Book Online will help you determine how much nearly anything that you own is worth, including guitars.
What happened to Kay guitars?
Kay thrived through the booming guitar years of the 1960s and was sold to Valco in 1967. However, financial instability became prevalent and Valco/Kay went out of business in 1968.
Who made true tone guitars?
Truetone was a registered trademark for musical instruments owned by Western Auto Supply Company in Kansas City, Missouri since 1960s (or 1947?) until 1989. Kay Musical Instrument Company is known to have supplied its guitars to Western Auto.
Are Kay guitars solid wood?
Bodies. Kay guitars have a reputation for using laminated woods (as opposed to Harmony’s reputation for solid wood) and their instruments were advertised in catalogs as “crack proof”. However, this is not a strict rule and finding a Kay built with some solid wood is not nearly as uncommon as people think.
Where are airline guitars made?
The original Valco Airline guitars were made in the US; Eastwood Guitars’ Airline models are made in South Korea and China.
How much is a used guitar worth?
Second-hand acoustic guitars in excellent condition are roughly 15-30% cheaper than brand new versions. Acoustic guitars which cost upwards of $2000 when purchased brand new, are typically around $500-750 cheaper when purchased second-hand. With lower-end models (under $1000), expect around a $250 saving. What is this?
Can you look up a guitar by serial number?
Checking a guitar’s serial number is a good and easy way to validate a guitar. You can look up a serial number either in Gruhn’s Guide or run the number in the manufacturer’s database.
How do you tell what year a guitar was made?
For US instruments, the serial number will start with a letter. That letter indicates the decade. The second character will usually be a number. That number indicates the specific year.
What year is my Kay bass?
So find the first number on the chart that is higher than the serial number on your bass – your bass was made the year before that. Example 1: if your Kay Bass serial number is 25521, your bass was made in 1951. Example 2: if your Engelhardt Bass serial number is 88000, your bass was made in 2005.
