At Last -- I FOUND MY WHITE WHALE!

[Lowbrow]

Any time I see a TB thread along the lines of "What bass do you most regret selling?," I chime in about my long-lamented Kay K-5923. I bought one at Waldo's on Sunset in LA maybe 1987, and sold it in about 1995.

Well after 30 LONG YEARS of diligent searching I opened Reverb on Sunday morning and THERE IT WAS! This one is a little worse than my old one in terms of playability (ski jump neck), and has permanent mung where it looks like a foam mute was attached for god knows how long -- but hey -- it's a 60-year-old cheapie and I'll take it!

No doubt some will be quick to report that the string alignment is off. Thanks, I'm well aware. This is due to the little wooden bridge that was notched poorly when first produced, and when I'm feeling ambitious I may seek out a fix. But it plays fine for what it is and sounds GREAT. The 'speedbump' pickup is throaty but clear and has loads of character. I am one delighted Lowbrow!

 

[UntitledProject]

Congratulations on finding what was once lost. What a great feeling it must be.

 

[Lowbrow]

Congratulations on finding what was once lost. What a great feeling it must be.

Thanks! I’m downright elated!

 

[GretschWretch]

I revel in your joy. Sometimes second chances can be wonderful, especially with white whales. Just don't start to blubber over it.

 

[bholder]

There's nothing like your first... Well, I mean... my "first" was my brother's '54 P, which I indeed loved, but it was never mine. The first one that was mine was my Epi EA-260, a crappy lightweight thing that I grew to adore. But I sold it 5 years later to fund a better bass (my first Peavey T-40, in fact). But I always missed my "old girl". So I also ended up replacing my first - thrice over! hehe

 

[Ric Vice]

Great looking bass, what a find. I've never seen that one. What a unique headstock. Compared to my first bass ( a Zim Gar) the Kay
is a work of art.

 

[jbl71004]

Congrats, dude!

 

[zubrycky]

I'm so happy for you, OP!

 

[Pdaddy1978]

What was once...is once more.
Cheers! ☝

 

[MVE]

Cool looking machine.

 

[Pauly 4001]

Congrats! It's a beauty but remember finding your white whale might not always end well

 

[Lowbrow]

There's nothing like your first... Well, I mean... my "first" was my brother's '54 P, which I indeed loved, but it was never mine. The first one that was mine was my Epi EA-260, a crappy lightweight thing that I grew to adore. But I sold it 5 years later to fund a better bass (my first Peavey T-40, in fact). But I always missed my "old girl". So I also ended up replacing my first - thrice over! hehe

Thanks everyone for sharing the joy. I’ve had it apart (neck/body) a bunch already and it’s a simple, solid if somewhat lightly made instrument. A semi solid chambered body. Skinny baseball bat neck. Tiny little tuners that hold just great. All askew and wrong but comes together right. Oh - far from my first, but a beloved oddball I was foolish to part with. It’s just like I remember, too!

 

[Jaycat]

Cool looking bass. But man, those are some teeny tiny tuners!

 

[Fender_Bender]

That headstock looks like it’s an inch thick . I guess you’ve already seen if you can move the bridge over a bit I suppose.

 

[bobba66]

Call me Ishmael...

 

[Dust2Dust]

Freakin awesome! I'm glad you found it

 

[Gunga Din]

Thanks! I’m downright elated!

Like when I recovered my Steiny XL2A after ten years in the wilderness.

 

[Lowbrow]

Great looking bass, what a find. I've never seen that one. What a unique headstock. Compared to my first bass ( a Zim Gar) the Kay
is a work of art.

I think the headstock design is great—I tried to satisfy myself with one of those hockey stick Kays but couldn’t get past how oogly it was. There’s a Kay 5924 on Reverb right now. It’s the two- pickup version and the output jack is on the back of the body!

 

[Hot Rats]

Mmmm....funky.

 

[Prodigus Filius]

Very nice aesthetic