Though before ‘57 Kay had built a few quality guitars, most people remember them for entry level guitars made in the 50’s and 60’s. Kay made instruments for many companies under different names; “Old Kraftsman”, “Airline” and “Silvertone” were just a few of them used. The Gold “K”s can be easily identifiable by the huge reverse painted clear plastic Kelvinator looking logo on the headstock with 1963 marking the last of the Gold line with a Kelvinator to be released. The company was eventually sold to Valco in 1967 and two years later it was out of business. The name is still around today on asian built instruments. This site talks about the six Gold “K” electric guitars that were built between 1957 to 1963 as well as the Thin Twin and the Jose Silva Banjos.

Kay had got Barney Kessel, the top guitarist in the late 50’s, to endorse three models (Jazz Special, Artist, and Pro) of the series. This only lasted for three years then Kessel left to join Gibson. All of the Gold line are quality instruments using the same hardware found on the top guitars of that era. The main problem commonly found with Kays are neck joints needing reset. All the Gold models besides the bass had single coil pick-ups with a clear-silver plastic cover and adjustable pole pieces via a philips-head bolt. The Upbeat also came with an optional transparent-black plastic cover. These pick-ups appeared on many other Kay made instruments through to the late 60’s and are sometimes referred to as Kessel or Kleenex Box. The Jazz Special Bass has one single coil chrome pick-up. The 1950’s models generally had thick necks, but the Jazz II had a much slimmer neck.

Vintage 1962 Silvertone Kay Electric Guitar SWEET!!

Vintage 1960’s ORPHEUM Archtop Electric Guitar KAY AIRLINE

Here are todays listings on eBay – Place a bid on one you like.

VINTAGE 60'S KAY GALAXIE THIN GUITAR ROSEWOOD BRIDGE !! US $24.50 (4 Bids) End Date: Thursday Mar-11-2010 19:00:50 PST Add to watch list

HARMONY SILVERTONE USA ARCHTOP-USA JAZZBOX-KLUSON-L@@K! US $150.00 (1 Bid) End Date: Thursday Mar-11-2010 19:17:03 PST Add to watch list

~~~GEORGE STRAIT~~~STRAIT FROM THE HEART~~~NEW CD!!!! US $5.29 (1 Bid) End Date: Thursday Mar-11-2010 20:01:58 PST Add to watch list

Sling Blade Original Soundtrack CD (Daniel Lanois) US $1.99 (1 Bid) End Date: Thursday Mar-11-2010 20:27:44 PST Add to watch list

ELTON JOHN greatest hits rocket man Great CD classic US $0.99 (1 Bid) End Date: Thursday Mar-11-2010 20:51:29 PST Add to watch list

Kay Archtop revamp reborn hollowbody electric acoustic US $431.76 (24 Bids) End Date: Thursday Mar-11-2010 21:22:01 PST Add to watch list

Greatest Hits - Elton John (CD90) Your Song, Daniel US $1.99 (1 Bid) End Date: Thursday Mar-11-2010 21:40:50 PST Add to watch list

OTR YOURS TRULY JOHNNY DOLLAR ( 608 SHOWS ) MP3 DVD US $0.99 (1 Bid) End Date: Friday Mar-12-2010 7:00:27 PST Add to watch list

SILVERTONE DANELECTRO GUITAR & BASS LOGO *FREE SHIRT* US $16.95 (1 Bid) End Date: Friday Mar-12-2010 7:59:39 PST Add to watch list

~~~HANK WILLIAMS JR.~~~ALMERIA CLUB~~~NEW SEALED CD!!!! US $5.89 (2 Bids) End Date: Friday Mar-12-2010 11:25:53 PST Add to watch list

A RARE 60’s KAY TWIN PICK UP TEISCO GUITAR WITH TREMOLO US $167.68 (7 Bids) End Date: Friday Mar-12-2010 12:35:40 PST Add to watch list

1 CENT CD Tupelo Honey - Van Morrison US $0.13 (3 Bids) End Date: Friday Mar-12-2010 13:19:01 PST Add to watch list

1 CENT CD Boogie Woogie Christmas - Brian Setzer SEALED US $0.01 (1 Bid) End Date: Friday Mar-12-2010 13:20:01 PST Add to watch list

Vintage Kay Archtop - Accoustic Guitar -1960's CLEAN! US $125.00 (5 Bids) End Date: Friday Mar-12-2010 15:25:14 PST Add to watch list

1 CENT CD: Sylvan 'Force Of Gravity' prog rock 2009 US $5.60 (5 Bids) End Date: Friday Mar-12-2010 16:30:07 PST Add to watch list

VINTAGE KAY N-3 ARCHTOP ELECTRIC GUITAR W/ CASE ORIG US $238.00 (19 Bids) End Date: Friday Mar-12-2010 16:45:19 PST Add to watch list

Strait Out of the Box [Box] by George Strait (CD, Se... US $9.99 (1 Bid) End Date: Friday Mar-12-2010 16:55:14 PST Add to watch list

MARSHALL TUCKER BAND ----- STILL SMOKIN' ----- NEW CD US $2.99 (1 Bid) End Date: Friday Mar-12-2010 18:21:18 PST Add to watch list

Early 1960s Kay Galaxie Speed Demon guitar US $305.00 (6 Bids) End Date: Friday Mar-12-2010 18:23:42 PST Add to watch list

KAY GUITAR KAY ACOUSTIC GUITAR K18 US $58.77 (4 Bids) End Date: Friday Mar-12-2010 19:48:54 PST Add to watch list

Tenor Guitar Pickup P100 Humbucker, Mandolin Mandocello US $29.99 (1 Bid) End Date: Friday Mar-12-2010 20:00:53 PST Add to watch list

Airline Acoustic Archtop Guitar Late '50s US $112.50 (4 Bids) End Date: Saturday Mar-13-2010 8:00:48 PST Add to watch list

Marvin Gaye Classics Collection [4 CD Box] US $9.99 (1 Bid) End Date: Saturday Mar-13-2010 9:31:27 PST Add to watch list

Bloodshot Eyes: Best of Wynonie Harris EXCELLENT COND US $3.32 (3 Bids) End Date: Saturday Mar-13-2010 11:30:33 PST Add to watch list

VINTAGE KAY MANDOLIN! STOCK! WARM TONE! US $28.50 (15 Bids) End Date: Saturday Mar-13-2010 12:00:58 PST Add to watch list

KAY HOWLIN WOLF BASS THIN TWIN DEARMOND GUITAR PICKUP! US $96.00 (8 Bids) End Date: Saturday Mar-13-2010 13:03:35 PST Add to watch list

Ray Charles: Best of the Atlantic Years EXCELLENT COND US $0.99 (1 Bid) End Date: Saturday Mar-13-2010 13:32:17 PST Add to watch list

Godzilla: The Album by Original Soundtrack US $0.99 (1 Bid) End Date: Saturday Mar-13-2010 14:14:58 PST Add to watch list

Cheap Bass guitar neck Kay ? Harmony ? Project Parts US $62.23 (5 Bids) End Date: Saturday Mar-13-2010 15:00:23 PST Add to watch list

Vintage Harmony Rocket Hollowbody electric Guitar US $290.00 (19 Bids) End Date: Saturday Mar-13-2010 15:49:53 PST Add to watch list