Kay Musical Instrument Company was a US musical instrument manufacturer of the United States, in operation from 1890. Kay was established in 1931 in Chicago, Illinois, by Henry 'Kay' Kuhrmeyer, from the assets of the former Stromberg-Voisinet (founded as 'Groeschel Mandolin Company' in 1890). Kay guitars are just plain cool! From the world-famous and instantly recognizable 'Kelvonator' headstock all the way down to the 'Blade' and 'Kleenex Box' pickups, Kay guitars pay homage to an 'art-deco' era where sophistication and style were just as important as sound and playability. The perfect place to find a deal, our Kay catalogs are available seasonally just in time for the holidays. Fender Serial Dating. First, narrow it down by the country of origin. Serial dating is easiest for instruments made in the USA or Mexico, but is also possible for those made in Japan, Korea, China, and Indonesia. For US instruments, the serial number will start with a letter. That letter indicates the decade. S for 1970s; E for 1980s; N for.
Vintage Guitars Info's
Other Vintage Guitar Makers:
Kay, D'Angelico, Stromberg, Hofner.
Contact the Vintage Guitar Info Guy.1958 Kay Barney Kessel Pro
- Picture Gallery, Other makers
There are lots of other cool makes of instruments out there. But theseare the 'big' ones that I have some information on. Note the Hofnersection has been greatly updated and moved to its own section, and removed from here.
Model Information for:
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Kay.
- Kay primarily manufactured 'department store' style, inexpensive guitars from the 1930's to the 1960's. But they also made some hi-end, qualityarchtop guitars. The most collectable Kays are any model with the 'Kelvinator'plastic headstock overlay with art deco patterns. Used from 1957 to 1960, this headstock was named after the brand of refrigerator that looked quite similar.This overlay was injection molded with clear acrylic plastic and thenback-painted either white or black, with gold highlights in the crestand gold dots outside of the crest. Starting in late 1960, Kay switched to a less expensive 'half' Kelvinator that used just the triangle Kay crest from the full Kelvinator, screwed to a simple black plastic headstockveneer. This 'half' Kelvinator dropped the black or white back-painted acyrlic 'lunchcountertop' surround with gold dots. This design only lasted till the end of 1961 when the Kelvinator headstock was completely dropped.
1957-1960 Kay full
'Kelvinator' Headstock
- Note that Kay also made guitar with other brand names on theheadstock. These are still Kay's, just they are made for department storetype companies. This includes Spiegel ('Old Kraftsmen'), Montgomery Ward('Sherwood Deluxe'), Sears and Roebuck ('Silvertone'), and Orpheum through the 1950's and 1960's. The most common name (other than 'Kay') isby far 'Old Kraftsmen'.
Kays are notorious for having bad neck sets and broken truss rod systems.Usually, this can be corrected by a good repair person for around$150 to $200.
- Barney Kessel Artist.
- Single cutaway archtop, 15 1/2' wide, veneer maple body, spruce top, bound F-holes, 1 or 2 single coil 'Gold K' pickups, block fingerboard inlays starting at the 1st fret, rosewood fingerboard, 'Barney Kessel' signature on the silver colored acrylic pickguard, 'Kelvinator' peghead, chrome Melita bridge, nickel Grover tuners, sunburst or blond finish. Available 1957 to 1961. In 1960, Barney Kessel's signaturewas removed from the pickguard.
- Barney Kessel Jazz Special.
- Completed with the Gibson L-5CES. Single cutaway archtop, 17' wide, veneer maple body, spruce top, bound F-holes, 1 or 2 singlecoil 'Gold K' pickups, split-block fingerboard inlays, ebony fingerboard, 'Barney Kessel' signature on the silver colored acrylic pickguard, 'Kelvinator' peghead, chrome Melita bridge, chrome Grover Imperial tuners, sunburst or blond finish. Available 1957 to 1961. In 1960, Barney Kessel's signaturewas removed from the pickguard.
- The Upbeat.
- Kay's less expensive alternative to the Barney Kessel Jazz Special. Singlecutaway archtop, 17' wide, veneer maple body, rosewood fingerboard with pearloid block inlays starting at the 3rd fret, rosewood bridge, closedback individual Kluson tuners with metal buttons, large scalloped pickguardsometimes with silver sparkle, sunburst, blond or black finish. Available with 1 or 2 'Gold K' single coil pickup from 1957 to 1959.In late 1959, 3 pickup 'ES-5' type model available. Made from 1957 to 1961.Full Kelvinator headstock from 1957 to 1960, half Kelvinator headstock in 1961.
- 15' wide, single cutaway, flat top semi-hollow maple body, blond top andsunburst back and sides, 1 or 2 blade pickups, block fingerboard inlaysstarting at the 3rd fret, rosewood fingerboard, trapeze tailpiece,rosewood bridge fixed to top. Available 1952 to 1960. Tortoise shell pickguard from 1952 to 1957, black pickguard from 1958 to 1960.
pre-1958 K-161
- Jazz II.
- 15 1/4' wide, double cutaway fully hollow 2' thick veneer maple body (likean ES-330), rosewood fingerboard with 'shark fin' inlays starting at the3rd fret, two 'Gold K' single coil pickups, bolt-on maple neck, Bigsbyvibrato and aluminum bridge, silver painted scalloped acrylic pickguard,half Kelvinator headstock, nickel Grover tuners, bound top, back and fingerboard, blond or sunburst finish. Available 1961 to ?.
- K-11 acoustic archtop.
- Completed with the Gibson L-7C, Single custaway acoustic archtop, 17' wide veneer maple body, spruce top, rosewood fingerboard, block or 'shark fin' fingerboard inlays starting at the 3rd fret, large scalloped pickguard, closed back individual Klusontuners with metal buttons, trapeze tailpiece, blond or sunburst finish. Available 1953 to 1959. Starting in 1958 came with a full Kelvinator headstock.
1961 Kay Jazz II with semi-Kelvinator
- K-27 Flattop.
- Same size as a Gibson J-200. 17' wide veneer maple body, spruce top withX-bracing, ebonyfingerboard, pearl block inlays starting at the 1st fret, small screwed-onpickguard, belly bridge. Available 1952 to 1963. Starting in 1958 came with a full Kelvinator headstock. By 1961, a half Kalventor headstock was used.
- K-23 Flattop.
- Same size as a Gibson J-200. 17' wide veneer maple body, spruce top with X-bracing, rosewoodfingerboard, pearloid block inlays starting at the 3rd fret, small screwed-onpickguard, rectangle bridge. Available 1952 to 1963. Starting in 1958 came with a full Kelvinator headstock. By 1961, a half Kalventor headstock was used.
- Kay Professional Cutaway Flattop.
- Same size as a Gibson J-200. 17' wide veneer maple body with cutaway, spruce top with X-bracing, rosewood fingerboard, pearloid block inlays starting at the 3rd fret, small screwed-onpickguard, belly bridge. Available 1955 to 1959.
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Harmony Guitars.
I do *not* collect Harmony guitars, and franklydon't know a lot about them. But I get constant questionson them. This is all I know, so please do not email mewith any Harmony questions.Harmony was THE department store guitar until theearly 1970s for cheap flat top and arch top guitars. Usually the stores would re-brand theguitar to their store guitar name (like Silvertone or Catalina, etc.)But I am constantly asked when they are made.Inside there are usually some ink-stamped numbers,as seen in the picture below. In this picture, thedark numbers (0129H929) represent the Harmony guitarmodel. In this case model Harmony ('H') H929. The light blue number(f-70) represents Fall 1970, which was when thisguitar was made. Harmony used this type of markingsfrom the 1950s to the 1970s.
Internal Harmony marking for model H929
made in the Fall of 1970 (F-70).
Kay Acoustic Guitar Value
Hofner Archtop Guitars.
- See the new and updated Hofner section by clickinghere.
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1954 D'Angelico Excel
D'Angelico.
- Players and collectors consider D'Angelico Excel and New Yorker models tobe amoung the finest archtop guitars ever made. They are extremelycollectable. Note that John D'Angelico died in 1964, and his apprenticeD'Aquisto finished his last few models that were 'work in progress'.
Serial Numbers 1932 to 1964.
- D'Angelico serial numbers are not strictly chronological. Some overlapsin date ranges occur.
Kay Archtop Guitar Serial Numbers
- Style B:
- 16 5/8' wide, parallel bracing (possibly a few with 'X' bracing afterWWII), unbound F-holes, peghead with broken-scroll pediment framing ornamental cupola (button), pointed angels on scroll. Available 1936 to 1948.
- Excel:
- Available in late 1934, the first Excels were 16 5/8' wide, had'straight' f-holes, and engraved fingerboard inlays. Then in late1937 the body changed to 17' wide and curved single bound f-holes.All models have multiple bound top and back, block inlays, peghead with broken scroll pediment framing ornamental cupola (button), rounded angles on scroll, and in 1943 stairstep tailpiece. It is thought that hestarted using 'X' bracing just after WWII. Available 1934 to 1964.
- New Yorker:
- 18' wide, X-braced top, triple bound F-holes, black bindinglines on body sides and side of fingerboard, split-block fingerboard inlays, gold plated parts, skyscraper peghead logo. Some examples withpeghead with broken scroll pediment framing ornamental cupola (button) androunded angles on scroll). Available 1936 to 1964.
- Excel Special:
- 17' wide, New Yorker trimmed Excel. Available 1943 to 1964.
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1953 Stromberg Master 400
Stromberg.
- Stromberg's workmanship is generally considered amoung the best, thoughnot quite as good as D'Angelico archtops. Stromberg's late model guitarsfrom the 1950's have great sound that makes them quite collectable. The early models with multiple top braces do not sound as good, but are collectable because of the Stromberg's reputation.
- G-1:
- tailpiece with 2 horizontal plates and 4 vertical tubes, triplebound top and back, bound pickguard, notched-diamond or 4-point fingerboardinlays, bound peghead, nickel plated parts.
- Deluxe and Deluxe Cutaway:
- 17 3/8' wide, tailpiece with 3 cutouts and Y-shaped center section,bound pickguard with stairstep treble side, bound F-holes, bound ebonyfingerboard with pointed end, 'Deluxe' on peghead, natural or sunburstfinish, gold plated parts.
- Master 300:
- 19' wide, bound stairstep pickguard, block inlay.
- Master 400:
- 19' wide, heavy tailpiece with 5 cutouts, bound pickguard withstairstep treble side, bound F-holes, pointed end ebony fingerboard withslashed-block inlays, celluloid peghead veneer with '400' engraved, goldplated parts, sunburst or natural finish. Cutaway models very rare.
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