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Thread: Kay mandolin ID help needed

  1. #1

    Default Kay mandolin ID help needed

    I have a mandolin that I am looking to sell online but before I do I’d like to learn more about it. This came from an estate I am helping liquidate so I don’t know much about the original owner. Attached are some photos of the instrument and any info this community can provide are much appreciated.

    Thank you,

    Rob Hoover III
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  2. #2

    Default Re: Kay mandolin ID help needed

    It looks like an early 1950s Kay-64. This is a fairly low level Kay model and features painted binding and an all laminate wood body. Kay made mandolins over a fair few price points and this one is the entry level archtop model. Yours has lost its pickguard and it is showing the typical shedding of its buttons on the Kluson tuners. I cannot comment on other aspects like the neck profile but Kay mandolins are known for the necks pulling away from the body and the necks also have a tendency to bend. The blurb says it is all maple but with a walnut finish and sunburst top and back. If it was strung up and played okay, it would still probably be a sub $100 instrument on eBay. Obviously, to string it up and tune it demands either new buttons or new tuner units. I am currently wishing to do this job myself on exactly the same model tuners but do not wish to cough up the price of 8 buttons from StewMac- and probably a couple more for if I mess some up in the process!
    Here is a link where you can see the 1954 range of mandolins featured. Scroll down to page 13 from 14: http://www.kayvintagereissue.com/pdf/1954catalog.pdf

  3. #3
    two t's and one hyphen fatt-dad's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Richmond, Virginia
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    7,635

    Default Re: Kay mandolin ID help needed

    my first mandolin - c. 1968. Still have it, but neck joint's gacked. It hangs on the wall and reminds me of days long ago. . .

    Loved NickR's link!

    f-d
    ¡papá gordo ain’t no madre flaca!

    '20 A3, '30 L-1, '97 914, 2012 Cohen A5, 2012 Muth A5, '14 OM28A

  4. #4
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
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    Howell, NJ
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    26,875

    Default Re: Kay mandolin ID help needed

    If the neck joint is still solid that's a plus. It's not going to bring a whole lot of money.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
    --J. Garber

  5. #5

    Default Re: Kay mandolin ID help needed

    In bought an old Kay years ago. It never stayed in tune and was a bear to play. It will hang on the wall as a decoration.

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