Double Bass is this a kay?

[DonnySaar]

this was my great great uncles. he sold it to a local guy 30 years ago. and i got to talking to this guy so on so on. long story short i now own it and its back in the family. he claims that it is a 1926 kay. but i am a banjo player and dont know a whole lot about basses. i can put more pics up if needed. any info is wanted thanks

 

[fdeck]

A side pic of the peg box might help with the ID. Also, there should be a label inside, that you can see through the bass side f-hole.

Whatcha clamping together? Looks like a bunch of spool clamps around the bottom of a guitar.

Welcome to TalkBass, and congrats on the bass!

 

[bassfiddlerman]

Kay started making Basses sometime in 1937. So, while it may be a Kay, it's not a 1926 model Kay. Look inside the body for the label and if it says Kay, you can track the serial number here-
Invalid Link Removed

 

[Steve Swan]

It's been a while since I've seen one of those crazy old pickups located under the bridge. They weigh a ton!

 

[DonnySaar]

yeah there isnt any labels anywhere i already looked. and i also have my great grandfathers guitar and is am restorring it thats whats on the spool clamps haha but heres a pic of the scroll not like most ive normaly seen. keep in mind this bass was converted to a 5 string at one time and then 30 years ago put back into a 4

 

[fdeck]

Wow, never seen a scroll like that. The plot thickens.

 

[DonnySaar]

hmmm no idea wat it may be?

 

[Gearhead43]

Looks like a early year Kay to me. Some of the earliest ones had hatpeg tuners and the early ones did have carved scrolls rather than the later glue-on volutes.

 

[drurb]

Among other things, the f-holes look all wrong to me for a Kay.

 

[DonnySaar]

well do you have any ideas of what it may be? since its obviously not a kay?

 

[DonnySaar]

i might just take it to the fiddle shop down the road and see what they think

 

[tomshepp]

The scroll looks a lot like my old Kay. Not the tuners, just the shape of the scroll. Of course, I'm no expert.

 

[DonnySaar]

thanks alot im kinda hoping its a kay. i mean it sounds great

 

[Gearhead43]

thanks alot im kinda hoping its a kay. i mean it sounds great

Post some better pictures - I think it's a Kay, (possibly a blonde orchestra model or maybe a refinished bass) and I've seen alot of them, and played alot of them, and have many friends who own them. I have a gamba Engel now (same design) and the f-holes look the same to me. The scroll is odd - but who's to say it's even original? I know the early year ones had carved scrolls though.

Does it have the word "Kay" stamped or branded into the back of the pegbox? It could be very very faint by now- try doing a paper/pencil rubbing there to see. You could also look for a stamped number inside rather than a paper label.

Does it have a "flat" neck profile? (ie: a "skinny" neck?) Kays do.

Do check out the kaybass.com site for info.

 

[TroyK]

Whatever it is, congratulations.

A word about these old basses. It matters and it doesn't. As a point of curiosity, it's fun to try to track down their history, but in the end, it's just your bass. This one has a family history for you and if it is or can be a good player, then just love it and put it to good use.

Congrats,

Troy

 

[DonnySaar]

here is some pics

 

[DonnySaar]

heres some more

 

[DonnySaar]

and one last pic

 

[DonnySaar]

Whatever it is, congratulations.

A word about these old basses. It matters and it doesn't. As a point of curiosity, it's fun to try to track down their history, but in the end, it's just your bass. This one has a family history for you and if it is or can be a good player, then just love it and put it to good use.

Congrats,

Troy

its going to played by me and loved by me very much. shes going to be the power ehind some bluegrass. now that i have this i can go with another bluegrass band and not have to play banjo all the time not that i dont like my banjohaha

 

[DonnySaar]

Post some better pictures - I think it's a Kay, (possibly a blonde orchestra model or maybe a refinished bass) and I've seen alot of them, and played alot of them, and have many friends who own them. I have a gamba Engel now (same design) and the f-holes look the same to me. The scroll is odd - but who's to say it's even original? I know the early year ones had carved scrolls though.

Does it have the word "Kay" stamped or branded into the back of the pegbox? It could be very very faint by now- try doing a paper/pencil rubbing there to see. You could also look for a stamped number inside rather than a paper label.

Does it have a "flat" neck profile? (ie: a "skinny" neck?) Kays do.

Do check out the kaybass.com site for info.

like i said before no markings anywhere. and as for the neck i wasnt sure what you meant so i put some pics up that may help you. but i keep on looking.