Double Bass Kay Tailpiece needed

[Norbie]

Hi~ I just bought an old Kay bass that needs a tailpiece. The luthier from the shop said that we could make one, but I would love to find an original. I think we will make one in the meantime, just so I can start playing it. But I didn't have any luck on e-bay looking for such a part. Does anyone know where I might find such a thing?

I haven't finished researching the bass yet, in order to know the exact year/model~ but it is supposedly from the 1930s. It has some sort of number on it, and I found a good website to research models, so hopefully I will be able to narrow down the estimated age (hopefully exactly so!).

It needs work, but that's going to be half the fun. So, any suggestions on where to find parts? I may not need more than the tailpiece, but you never know.

Thanks,

Kim

 

[Fat.Mike]

Those seem to pop up on ebay on a regular basis. Save a search on your account and it will e-mail you when one is listed.

 

[MT Spaces]

Hi~ I just bought an old Kay bass that needs a tailpiece. The luthier from the shop said that we could make one, but I would love to find an original. I think we will make one in the meantime, just so I can start playing it. But I didn't have any luck on e-bay looking for such a part. Does anyone know where I might find such a thing? ....

Hello Norbie ..... I think the quickest way to get your Kay "up and running" would be to get an Englehardt tailpiece. Englehardt-Link Company bought the original Kay Bass production facilities so I think the tailpieces would be very similar to the vintage one. You may have a hard time finding an original rosewood (or ebony) 1930's Kay tailpiece. You could "antique / distress" the Englehardt tailpiece to make it look vintage I guess.

Roger Stower's Kay Bass website Invalid Link Removed also has Kay tailpiece emblems for sale but they are too shiney to be appropriate for an older Kay and are more from the '50's / 60's Kay era than the '30s / '40s. My 1940 Kay O-1 was missing the stick-on Kay emblem (although I could see the adhesive residue where it was supposed to be). I decided to just steel wool, clean up, and Watco oil the nice rosewood and blow off worrying about the emblem if I couldn't find the "right era" design.

Check out your serial and model number (looking through the f-hole) and then consult the website. Report back what year and model Kay you have. I'm always curious about the Kay plywood beaters . I also have a '64 Kay S-1. Hope you get 'er put back together and have some fun! Good Luck.

 

[Norbie]

Thanks for the great suggestions you guys...I'm going to follow up on all of this, and when I find out more I'll post back again here to let you know~ for instance the exact year, etc. Also, maybe I can post some pictures somewhere. I want to take some photos every step of the way as it is worked on.

Luckily we just happen to live near this awesome luthier's shop and my husband will be doing all this work over there.

Thanks again, and hopefully, I'll be talking to y'all again soon with some more details.

Kim

 

[bassfass]

Bob Gollihur has a great store online, out of New Jersey. He gives lots of good advice has good prices, free shipping, answers the phone himself when you call.

Link Removed

 

[Norbie]

Hi again y'all,

I still haven't been back to the shop! It's killing me because I'm like a kid waiting for Christmas...but I need to go back to find out the serial number and all so that I know what to search for on ebay; and to ask Bob from NJ, and to check out that other website for more info....

All of your suggestions are awesome~ I didn't want you to think that I didn't appreciate them since I don't have any more news yet. I'm afraid that it will still take me a while more because our schedule is just killer lately. Besides my day job, and music, I am also a wildlife rehabber, and it is baby season so I am an insane lunatic at the moment. But I guess this bass has waited for me since the late 30s, so a few more days/weeks shouldn't make that big a difference in the long run.

So thanks again for the helpful suggestions, and I will post again once there is really something to catch you up on!

Kim