Kay bass guitars--who's playing them?

[Mastermold]

I picked up this '59 Kay Speed Demon last year after being impressed by the tone Lucinda William's bassist, David Sutton, gets out of his early 60's Kraftsman (same instrument, different name). Been really enjoying it. Just played it out again tonight--great thumpy hollow body tone, does exactly what I need it to do, easy to play too. Anyone else playing a Kay bass guitar, whether this model or another, vintage or reissue?

 

[Jeremy Darrow]

Todd Phillips has converted a Kay arch top guitar into an acoustic bass guitar. He made a new neck (or maybe converted one) for it with something closer to the radius of a double bass. He uses it for rehearsal and warm-ups when his upright is already on stage, or otherwise inaccessible. It's a pretty neat setup, I wish I had a picture to share.

 

[jd56hawk]

I'm dying to try this one out!
I realize it's not going to sound as good as my acoustic bass but it looks good and should be usable.

 

[Steven Ayres]

Is the question about Kay basses, or reissues/copies, or both?

 

[bholder]

Wasn't Michael Rhodes seen playing one recently? Not sure whether original or re-issue, but I think that was him.

 

[Mastermold]

Is the question about Kay basses, or reissues/copies, or both?

Both. I've played the reissues and they're well made, not exact replicas but very nice nevertheless.

 

[kodiakblair]

So does this count ?

 

[mongo2]

I have a late '50s Kay in my rotation. It's another of my favorite skinny neck basses.

 

[Mastermold]

I have a late '50s Kay in my rotation. It's another of my favorite skinny neck basses.

Got any photos?

 

[bluesblaster]

my first bass was a Kay, solid body with speed bump pickup .... mid 60's era

 

[mongo2]

Got any photos?

Sorry, I don't. But it looks just like other black/yellow 'burst "Truetone/Speed Demon" two on a side headstock, speedbump Kays on the 'net.

 

[St_G]

I looked hard at one of the recent reissues a few years ago when I was hankering for a hollow short scale with flats.

I ended up going with something else.

 

[Mastermold]

I looked hard at one of the recent reissues a few years ago when I was hankering for a hollow short scale with flats.

I ended up going with something else.

The company selling the reissues has their office about 5 minutes from mine and when I went there to pick up a case for my Speed Demon I played a reissue they brought out, really nice bass. I'm thinking about getting one.

 

[St_G]

You know, I think I'm wrong. I think what I played was a Harmony.

 

[EdwardofHuncote]

Todd Phillips has converted a Kay arch top guitar into an acoustic bass guitar. He made a new neck (or maybe converted one) for it with something closer to the radius of a double bass. He uses it for rehearsal and warm-ups when his upright is already on stage, or otherwise inaccessible. It's a pretty neat setup, I wish I had a picture to share.

Todd Phillips... now there's a name I wouldn't have expected to see on the BG side. Ons of my earliest bass heroes... who is he playing with these days?

(with apologies for the derail... all the Kay basses I had are uprights)

 

[hsech]

My first bass was a late 50's short scale bolt on Kay.

 

[mexicanyella]

Wow, love the photos in this thread. Love the wacko Kay headstocks too, with the "Kelvinator" plastic inlays.

I was pretty committed to a slighty modified Silvertone acoustic archtop guitar for several years, in my pre-bassplaying days...it was kind of the same vibe.

Always liked the Kay Barney Kessel Artist too; oh how I'd love to get my hands on one of those:

Redirect Notice

 

[JimmyM]

I wish I was playing one! I'd never pay what people want for them, but if I could find a reasonable deal on one, I'd be all over it.

 

[Thumpin6string]

My first bass when I was a kid was an early Kay hollow body with 2 lipstick pickups and action of about a 1/2 inch. It feedbacked a bunch and sounded like . Don't miss it and would never want to play one again. Glad you like yours though.

 

[Mastermold]

Here you get a nice sample of David Sutton's tone I mentioned above: