Gagliano Model 701 Jumbo Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar, made by Kay (1950s), Chicago, serial # L8066-8196.
If you've ever wanted to Race With The Devil, here is your guitar! When Gene Vincent showed up with The Blue Caps at Owen Bradley's Nashville recording studios in May 1956 to record his first professional sides, the guitar slung over his shoulder was practically identical to this one. Whether Gene's Gagliano-brand guitar was actually played on these most seminal Rockabilly recordings is perhaps lost to history, but the instrument is in his hands in numerous photos taken at the sessions. His earliest Capitol-era publicity photos clearly show the same Gagliano, also seen on the cover of his first LP. While only the first of many guitars Vincent would be photographed with over the next decade, this obscure flat top is indisputably linked to his legend.
"Gagliano" was a brand name in use for decades by the Meisel Music company, originally a German firm that in the 19th century established a US operation in New York, later moved to New Jersey. Violin family instruments were their primary concern but the Gagliano brand was applied to many styles of guitars as well, mostly sourced from Germany. Much of the focus was on imported classical guitars, but in the 1950s they sourced both arch top and flat top steel strings from Kay in Chicago, of which this is a prime example. The name also appears in the 1950s and '60s on a number of Hofner and Framus guitars, both acoustic and electric.
This plain but imposing creation is essentially a cosmetically simplified version of the Kay K-22 flat top jumbo built in the mid-1950s. It is a BIG guitar, 17 1/2" wide at the lower bout with a 25 3/4" scale. The back and sides are laminated mahogany (this is Kay, after all) while the top is about an acre of spruce. The trim is tortoise celluloid around the edges (with contrasting layers on the top) and for the pickguard, which is screwed to the top. The bridge is an odd affair, a rosewood rectangle with the strings running through it from front to back then looped back up over the saddle. Two large securing bolts on the ends are topped with decorative pins. The internal ladder bracing is quite substantial.
The neck is a thick C-profile affair with a tortoise bound, dot inlaid rosewood fingerboard. The headstock is plain except for a nifty pinned-on "Gagliano" nameplate, fitted on the reverse with Kluson Deluxe tuners. While obviously a budget instrument by 1950s standards this is still a well built guitar, and better sounding than one might expect. While not offering much to a delicate player it responds well to a firm strum and is a powerful rhythm machine when pushed, exactly as Gene would have used it. All we can add is "Let's Rock Again Now!"
Overall length is 42 in. (106.7 cm.), 17 1/2 in. (44.4 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 1/8 in. (10.5 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 25 3/4 in. (654 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/4 in. (44 mm.).
This venerable Jumbo has recently received its 100,000 mile checkup with the neck reset and straightened, bridge reglued and frets crowned. It now plays better than it likely ever did. The finish is all original with checking, dings, dents and scuffs overall and a few tiny paint spatters here and there; it apparently has been hanging on a wall for much of the past 50 years. There is one top split repaired long ago off the beck edge, and another tiny one off the bass side of the fingerboard to the soundhole rim.
Everything on the guitar is original except for new buttons on the original Kluson tuners. The only notable differences from Gene Vincent's personal instrument (probably lost, stolen or destroyed in 1956!) is a lighter tortoise pickguard and this one looks to have never had a label under the soundhole. Within its limits this is a good playing and sounding guitar, but mostly just a very cool piece of playable Americana with an epic "cool cat" vibe. Unfortunately we do not currently have a case or bag that will fit this oversize instrument. Overall Very Good + Condition.
