Any old Kay Archtop experts around?

**adamrhowe** · 03-09-2022, 09:09 AM

Came across this late 30s Kay for sale. Headstock has the name 'Marveltone'. Ladder braced 17" archtop with oval sound hole! Can any Kay experts tell me anything about it? Was this likely a high-end model? Were Kays of this period any good? Thanks!

**AllanAllen** · 03-09-2022, 10:29 AM

Jack White only played the electrics, so acoustic junk guitars are still junk.

No truss rod, questionable construction, any repairs will absolutely cost more than the instrument.

**adamrhowe** · 03-09-2022, 10:35 AM

Originally Posted by AllanAllen

Jack White only played the electrics, so acoustic junk guitars are still junk.

No truss rod, questionable construction, any repairs will absolutely cost more than the instrument.

From my research, pre-war Kays are different beasts to post-war (such as electrics) which were mostly garbage.

**AllanAllen** · 03-09-2022, 10:40 AM

Did you play it? If the neck is bowed, or the action is too high. The only fix is a neck reset which is very expensive. Especially for a $75 guitar. Which is what you’ll have to convince everyone it’s not when you try to sell it.

**adamrhowe** · 03-09-2022, 10:49 AM

Originally Posted by AllanAllen

Did you play it? If the neck is bowed, or the action is too high. The only fix is a neck reset which is very expensive. Especially for a $75 guitar. Which is what you’ll have to convince everyone it’s not when you try to sell it.

No, I've not played it but it's had a refret and the seller says the action is low so I assume the neck is okay. I think you're probably right about it being cheap. Just found out Marveltone was a brand name sold by Targ & Dinner instrument distributor. So yeah likely generic cheap garbage. Thanks.

**AllanAllen** · 03-09-2022, 11:38 AM

Sorry to be a party pooper.

**adamrhowe** · 03-09-2022, 11:53 AM

Originally Posted by AllanAllen

Sorry to be a party pooper.

Sometimes the truth hurts

**xavierbarcelo** · 03-09-2022, 12:32 PM

It’s funny how quickly people dismiss stuff they haven’t even come close to. Not that I know anything about Kay, just an observation.

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**Doctor Jeff** · 03-09-2022, 12:50 PM

I think that looks pretty cool--throwback archtop design with an oval soundhole, trapeze and archtop bridge. I bet it sounds loud. I've got a 1956 Kay that is a pretty sweet guitar--neck like a baseball bat.

How much are they asking for it? If the neck is indeed reasonably straight and it's only a hundred or 2, I'd be on this like a fly on stink.

If nothing else will look super cool hanging on the wall in the music room.

**xavierbarcelo** · 03-09-2022, 12:56 PM

Kay was not a department store guitar company. Get your facts right, at least: Kay Vintage Reissue - Kool Kay Klassics!

They did produce for catalogues, that’s true.

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**adamrhowe** · 03-09-2022, 12:58 PM

Originally Posted by Doctor Jeff

How much are they asking for it? If the neck is indeed reasonably straight and it's only a hundred or 2, I'd be on this like a fly on stink.

They are asking £900 for it!

**adamrhowe** · 03-09-2022, 12:59 PM

Originally Posted by xavierbarcelo

Kay was not a department store guitar company. Get your facts right, at least: Kay Vintage Reissue - Kool Kay Klassics!

They did produce for catalogues, that’s true.

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I don't think anybody said they were a department store guitar company?

**xavierbarcelo** · 03-09-2022, 01:00 PM

Originally Posted by adamrhowe

I don't think anybody said they were a department store guitar company?

I should have quoted the guy, saying it. It lasted seconds after I posted this.

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**John A.** · 03-09-2022, 01:03 PM

Kays and Harmonies are tricky. Most (of any vintage) were built (poorly) as bargain instruments and are not good guitars, but a handful were actually pretty nice, and at one time were bargains. However, all of them have acquired a certain bad-is-good retro-cool collectability (the way Danelectro did earlier on). So, whether you're looking for one of the good ones to use as a good guitar (which this one looks to be), or one of the bad ones to use as a bad-but-cool guitar, you're going to pay a collector's premium. I just googled the model you're asking about, and it seems to go for around $1200. For that money, if I'd look elsewhere.

**pingu** · 03-09-2022, 02:58 PM

I’m a Kay archtop expert ....

but I’m quite young ....

**AllanAllen** · 03-09-2022, 03:10 PM

Originally Posted by xavierbarcelo

Kay was not a department store guitar company. Get your facts right, at least: Kay Vintage Reissue - Kool Kay Klassics!

They did produce for catalogues, that’s true.

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Catalog, department store, same thing. Cheaply made to be cheaply sold, surely not worth whatever it costs now. Which I think was $1,200. You could buy an awful lot of Gretsch Jim Dandy’s for that.