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.

JAMIROQUAI - The Return of the Space Cowboy US $0.99 (1 Bid) End Date: Tuesday Mar-16-2010 15:27:21 PDT Add to watch list

STEPPENWOLF ALL TIME GREATEST HITS CD New/Sealed US $4.99 (1 Bid) End Date: Tuesday Mar-16-2010 16:38:20 PDT Add to watch list

c1950s OLD Estate KAY Archtop F Hole Acoustic Guitar US $255.00 (20 Bids) End Date: Tuesday Mar-16-2010 17:33:45 PDT Add to watch list

Tumbleweed Connection Elton John SACD New US $8.50 (3 Bids) End Date: Tuesday Mar-16-2010 18:05:04 PDT Add to watch list

Steppenwolf Slow Flux Hour of the Wolf Skullduggery US $6.55 (2 Bids) End Date: Tuesday Mar-16-2010 18:53:00 PDT Add to watch list

Rated Next [Clean] [Edited] by Next CD New Sealed US $2.99 (1 Bid) End Date: Tuesday Mar-16-2010 18:59:42 PDT Add to watch list

1960s Harmony Stratotone Sunburst Strat-O-Tone Kay US $250.00 (9 Bids) End Date: Tuesday Mar-16-2010 19:30:23 PDT Add to watch list

U2 ZOO TV 1992 PROMO PICTURE DISC VERY RARE LP US $31.00 (8 Bids) End Date: Tuesday Mar-16-2010 20:10:42 PDT Add to watch list

Elton John - Elton John SACD Ships Fast Brand NeW US $9.00 (1 Bid) End Date: Tuesday Mar-16-2010 20:22:38 PDT Add to watch list

1 CENT CD: AALIYAH - ONE IN A MILLION US $4.00 (5 Bids) End Date: Tuesday Mar-16-2010 20:24:52 PDT Add to watch list

1960s Kay Hard Chipboard Case US $26.00 (3 Bids) End Date: Tuesday Mar-16-2010 20:28:52 PDT Add to watch list

Ibanez Iceman Custom Color Blue 1982 US $499.99 (3 Bids) End Date: Tuesday Mar-16-2010 21:06:06 PDT Add to watch list

Elton John Greatest Hits CD US $0.99 (1 Bid) End Date: Tuesday Mar-16-2010 22:00:11 PDT Add to watch list

Lenny Kravitz - Lenny (CD 2001) US $1.49 (1 Bid) End Date: Tuesday Mar-16-2010 23:20:49 PDT Add to watch list

Propellerhead Reason 4 Rythm Combo Bundle US $25.00 (1 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Mar-17-2010 5:50:16 PDT Add to watch list

Rated Next [PA] by Next (CD, Sep-1997, Arista Record... US $0.99 (1 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Mar-17-2010 8:42:00 PDT Add to watch list

OLD KRAFTSMAN-KAY-BASS GUITAR-NEW CASE,GREAT PALYER-A-1 US $350.00 (1 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Mar-17-2010 9:57:07 PDT Add to watch list

Vintage 60's NORMA Electric Guitar / RARE / Japan !!! US $189.99 (1 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Mar-17-2010 12:53:14 PDT Add to watch list

Kay Tenor Banjo with Eagle on Back Resonator Nice US $49.99 (1 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Mar-17-2010 13:00:13 PDT Add to watch list

Serj Tankian / Elect the Dead Symphony US $0.99 (1 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Mar-17-2010 13:46:02 PDT Add to watch list

Life After Death PA by Notorious The Notorious Big US $5.50 (9 Bids) End Date: Wednesday Mar-17-2010 14:48:41 PDT Add to watch list

Kay Vanguard Guitar Early 60's vintage Modified US $76.00 (2 Bids) End Date: Wednesday Mar-17-2010 15:27:25 PDT Add to watch list

1 CENT CD: Colby O'Donis s/t RnB hip hop pop US $0.01 (1 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Mar-17-2010 15:47:08 PDT Add to watch list

~~~IRON BUTTERFLY~~~IN-A-GADDA-DA-VIDA~~~NEW CD!!!! US $5.29 (1 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Mar-17-2010 16:06:56 PDT Add to watch list

Greatest Hits by Elton John (CD, Oct-1990, Polygram ... US $0.01 (1 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Mar-17-2010 18:02:34 PDT Add to watch list

Peaceful: The Best of Kenny Rankin by Kenny Rankin (CD US $3.99 (1 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Mar-17-2010 18:30:13 PDT Add to watch list

1st year 1964 Fender Mustang Guitar Neck with Klusons US $207.50 (3 Bids) End Date: Wednesday Mar-17-2010 18:32:15 PDT Add to watch list

Peaceful: The Best of Kenny Rankin by Kenny Rankin RARE US $5.50 (6 Bids) End Date: Wednesday Mar-17-2010 18:47:41 PDT Add to watch list

Brother to Brother by Gino Vannelli (CD, Nov-1988, A... US $0.50 (1 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Mar-17-2010 19:06:23 PDT Add to watch list

Fretless Bass - Archtop Bass Guitar – Handmade – US $304.00 (2 Bids) End Date: Wednesday Mar-17-2010 21:00:48 PDT Add to watch list

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 25th, 2008 at 1:33 pm and is filed under Discounted Vintage Guitars, Vintage Guitars, Vintage Kay Guitars. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.