Recently acquired bass. Seeking information.

[nicopiano]

It would be great to make a movie about your story and all the mystery around...

[Phil Rowan]

Originally Posted by Herbie 80's

..but the pics of the edge make it seem laminate.

X-ray vision, eh?

Looks to be carved, IMHO. Purfling doesn't necessarily mean it's carved though (case in point, the laminate back on my Lang hybrid has purfling). The one Kluson tuning peg has me thinking it was converted to a 5-stringer somewhere along the way, but who knows.

[Jmooncraft]

I'm pretty sure it was converted to 5 string. The one tuning peg is different and where the extra peg sits in the box is a little cramped and awkward like it wasn't meant to be there.

Also in the tailpiece there are four holes as normal for the strings. A fifth hole looks like it was added a bit lower between what would have been A and D string holes. I'm sorry I don't have a picture of that at the moment.

[mdcbass]

Henry Grimes and his green bass

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAEQq...ayer_embedded#!

[Jake deVilliers]

Originally Posted by Thumpie

Purfling. Not laminated.

FYI: Henry Grimes has a bass this color called "Olive Oil."

Not so fast, Grasshopper! Kay and Epiphone both used purfling on plywood tops and backs. Pfretschner and other German makers, too.

[Jmooncraft]

It's been suggested that it's a Bohemia. Possibly a Juzek. It looks like a Juzek but I doubt that it is.

Bohemia seems possible. I compared as many gamba Bohemian bass pictures as I could find and it all looks very similar. Even the wood grains which I can see through the paint.

[Thumpie]

Originally Posted by Jake deVilliers

Not so fast, Grasshopper! Kay and Epiphone both used purfling on plywood tops and backs. Pfretschner and other German makers, too.

Which Kays had purfling?

[jtlownds]

Originally Posted by Thumpie

Which Kays had purfling?

The S series, back in the 30's

[Thumpie]

Originally Posted by jtlownds

The S series, back in the 30's

Interesting! I just looked up some photos of this bass. Was this when Kay was trying to make an "uptown" model? Before they settled into their niche of making student instruments?

[Hqubed]

Originally Posted by Thumpie

Which Kays had purfling?

We have a 1951 - S51 with real purfling

[RSBBass]

My Pfretschner aluminum bass had painted on "purfuling. It is a solid top though

[Jake deVilliers]

Originally Posted by Thumpie

Which Kays had purfling?

The S-1, S-8, S-9 and S-51 all had purfling throughout the entire Kay production run. Plastic, so not 'real' purfling in that sense, but inlaid in a channel around the tables nonetheless.

Purfling's not a great idea on plywood because it leaves small pieces of the outermost laminate without much connection to the plates and they chip off pretty easily... I've restored a couple and the edges are very time consuming to replace.

[Jake deVilliers]

Originally Posted by Hqubed

We have a 1951 - S51 with real purfling

Exactly - and I have a '52 S-8 here currently and recently had a '53 S-8 in the shop. They made the various purfled models from 1939 - 1969.

[Violen]

I dont care what it is, i would love to have that bass!

[nukes_da_bass]

Now I'm thinking of having my Kay converted to a 5 string!

[Jeremy Darrow]

Originally Posted by nukes_da_bass

Now I'm thinking of having my Kay converted to a 5 string!

There are some 5-string Kays out there. Look for Chubby Jackson models.

[dkimbrobass]

Super cool...too bad it ain't orange..-dk