Unlabeled Flat Top Acoustic Guitar, made by Kay , c. 1938
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Unlabeled Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar, made by Kay, c. 1938, made in Chicago, sunburst lacquer finish, laminated maple back and sides, spruce top; poplar neck with rosewood fingerboard, black hard shell case.
This unbranded Jumbo guitar is something of an oddball Chicago piece, made by Kay but not labeled by them or for any particular account. It is a 14-fret flat top Spanish guitar similar in size to some Jumbos Kay built for Cleveland-based Oahu but with an arched back and floating bridge/tailpiece set up instead of a pin bridge. It also features an archtop-style cantilevered fingerboard and elevated pickguard but a typical flat-top round soundhole. This all combines to give the instrument rather a hybrid feel, but it is a solid player nonetheless.
The back and sides are laminated maple, the top is spruce quite heavily ladder braced with a large flat Stella-like bridgeplate. The top and back are single bound, as is the soundhole edge. The neck has a slimmer-than-expected round-backed profile topped by an unbound, large-dot inlaid rosewood fingerboard. The headstock crown has an elaborate arched profile particular to Kay, also seen on the better Oahu guitars.
The original tuners are missing making the instrument difficult to date exactly but it rests in an original prewar-style case and we would estimate it was built towards the end of the 1930s. We can tell you where it was originally sold; there is a tag from McLellan's Musical Instruments in Buffalo NY on the original case. While obviously a fairly budget-minded instrument this is a fine playing and surprisingly good sounding guitar, not a subtle piece but offering a lot of volume especially if played with vigor.
Overall length is 41 1/4 in. (104.8 cm.), 15 7/8 in. (40.3 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 3/8 in. (8.6 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This guitar shows general wear overall but remains in good playing largely original condition. There is checking to the top and back with dings, dents, scuffs and scratches overall, a couple deep dings to the back and some pickwear to the face. The headstock has dings and dents but the back of the neck is relatively clean. The top is in very good shape with some minimal sinkage under the bridge. The tuners are modern repros of period strips, the rosewood floating bridge, trapeze tailpiece and pickguard are original. The guard has a couple of repaired cracks but is not showing overt signs of celluloid deterioration.
The neck has been reset; the heel has a couple of cracks that probably resulted from that process that are solidly sealed. What appear to be the original frets are in good shape with minimal wear. The neck is quite straight and the guitar plays very nicely with a very big sound; raw-boned perhaps, but a powerful sound all its own. It is complete with a rare fitted HSC suitable for storage at least with one hinge DOA. Very Good + Condition.
This unbranded Jumbo guitar is something of an oddball Chicago piece, made by Kay but not labeled by them or for any particular account. It is a 14-fret flat top Spanish guitar similar in size to some Jumbos Kay built for Cleveland-based Oahu but with an arched back and floating bridge/tailpiece set up instead of a pin bridge. It also features an archtop-style cantilevered fingerboard and elevated pickguard but a typical flat-top round soundhole. This all combines to give the instrument rather a hybrid feel, but it is a solid player nonetheless.
The back and sides are laminated maple, the top is spruce quite heavily ladder braced with a large flat Stella-like bridgeplate. The top and back are single bound, as is the soundhole edge. The neck has a slimmer-than-expected round-backed profile topped by an unbound, large-dot inlaid rosewood fingerboard. The headstock crown has an elaborate arched profile particular to Kay, also seen on the better Oahu guitars.
The original tuners are missing making the instrument difficult to date exactly but it rests in an original prewar-style case and we would estimate it was built towards the end of the 1930s. We can tell you where it was originally sold; there is a tag from McLellan's Musical Instruments in Buffalo NY on the original case. While obviously a fairly budget-minded instrument this is a fine playing and surprisingly good sounding guitar, not a subtle piece but offering a lot of volume especially if played with vigor.
Overall length is 41 1/4 in. (104.8 cm.), 15 7/8 in. (40.3 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 3/8 in. (8.6 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This guitar shows general wear overall but remains in good playing largely original condition. There is checking to the top and back with dings, dents, scuffs and scratches overall, a couple deep dings to the back and some pickwear to the face. The headstock has dings and dents but the back of the neck is relatively clean. The top is in very good shape with some minimal sinkage under the bridge. The tuners are modern repros of period strips, the rosewood floating bridge, trapeze tailpiece and pickguard are original. The guard has a couple of repaired cracks but is not showing overt signs of celluloid deterioration.
The neck has been reset; the heel has a couple of cracks that probably resulted from that process that are solidly sealed. What appear to be the original frets are in good shape with minimal wear. The neck is quite straight and the guitar plays very nicely with a very big sound; raw-boned perhaps, but a powerful sound all its own. It is complete with a rare fitted HSC suitable for storage at least with one hinge DOA. Very Good + Condition.