Help with vintage silvertone!!!

[Sross63]

Just like details on instrument ….ie year built, maker, quality (my first mandolin)

It have Kluson deluxe tuners. L1322 464 inside

[Jeff Mando]

Appears to be a Kay-made (Chicago) mandolin made for Sears. The tuners would date it mid to late 50's.

[Sross63]

Nice - thank you for info. Good stuff! Played guitar for a long time, this should be a good one to start out on.

[NickR]

In my experience, the Kay adjustable bridge is quite tall even at its lowest setting. This may not be a problem on your mandolin but the bridge is often removed or cut down. Obviously, if you are happy with the action then leave it alone but this old Kay (sold as an Old Kraftsman) which arrived with no bridge and I bought for parts, when I decided to salvage it, I did not use one of my Kay bridges- I used a single piece bridge and it plays very well. It has the earlier Kay Kraft originated headstock shape and its Kluson tuners date it to the late 40s very early 50s.

[Sross63]

Thank you for that. I do have the action all they way down already. It plays well, but yes maybe action could be lower. I was thinking I could remove the bridge adjustment wheels to get it a bit lower …. Or like you say use a different bridge! Like the headstock on yours

[NickR]

Yes, taking the thumb wheels off is a good way to lower the bridge and avoiding buying a new one and having to get it fitting well is a chore worth avoiding. I was lucky enough to buy a Kay 72- the top level Kay and I know some might consider that a bit of a contradiction but it is a great instrument and when new in the early 50s cost nearly as much as a Gibson A-40. It had lost all its original parts- tuners, pickguard, tailpiece and bridge but despite getting all of those pieces, I have not swapped the bridge for the reasons I mentioned in my earlier post- it does not have the thumb wheels- and it also has a pick up in it. The headstock on the Old Kraftsman was the Kay Kraft style which debuted on many of the instrument types but was only used on mandolins from the late 30s until it was finally phased out in the early 50s. Here is the Kay-72 which has a fabulous woody tone. These old Kays often sound better than one might think- but they have to be playable!

[Sross63]

Well tried without thumb adjustments and unfortunately a little too low. Okay at open chords but too much buzz up the neck.

I think i can gently sand the underneath and top of two parts that join on the bridge to give it a bit lower action. The wheels will go back and allow it to go a little lower.

Sound good?

[NickR]

Yes, you can sand a little as you suggest- it's just a bit of a process- loosening the strings to remove the bridge and doing a little and then seeing how it is- and if need be repeating the process but it is better to do a little rather than go wild although the thumb wheels allow you to raise the top saddle part if you did sand away too much!
This 1939 Kay 70 I have has a replacement top part to the bridge and a very low action and is a joy to play. All being well, it will be my last Kay mandolin purchase!

[Sross63]

Thanks you for the help/advise. I will sand a little to optimize action!

[Bruce Clausen]

Appears to be a Kay-made (Chicago) mandolin made for Sears. The tuners would date it mid to late 50's.

Yep, that sounds right. Your mandolin looks exactly like my second guitar, a Silvertone I got around 1959. Price was just under $20, and I was thrilled.

Hope the mandolin plays easier than the guitar did.

[CarlM]

When sanding the bottom of the bridge it is important that it be fitted to the top so it mates perfectly. A piece of paper should not slip between it and the top anywhere on the two bridge feet. This will make a significant difference in the quality of sound of your mandolin.

The bridges are fit to the top by taking a piece of sandpaper and laying it on the top in the correct position and sliding the bridge over it. I usually use 220 grit because coarser grits do not seem to conform to the top contours well enough. I also use a thin strip of wood or a line of tape at the proper bridge location to keep it lined up exactly as I sand. When shortening the bridge you should pay attention to this.

I am assuming you know how to locate the bridge properly so the fretted note at the 12th fret matches the open string note allowing it to play in tune up the neck.

[Richard500]

Well tried without thumb adjustments and unfortunately a little too low. Okay at open chords but too much buzz up the neck.

I think i can gently sand the underneath and top of two parts that join on the bridge to give it a bit lower action. The wheels will go back and allow it to go a little lower.

Sound good?

Exactly. Don’t sand the very bottom at all unless the contact is bad. I like to either scribe or ink a line on front and back of the part to be sanded to gauge progress without tedious refitting or measurement; also keeps things square. When assembling, make sure the adjustment screws don’t stand a chance of getting to the top. Sometimes the lower holes go all the way through the bridge.