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KAY: VALUE LEADER 1963
1961

Kay model 1963 three pickups, tobaccoburst, semi-hollow body, electric guitar 1961 made in Chicago, IL USAThis is a Kay model 1963, triple pickup, electric guitar with a tobaccoburst finish. It was made in 1961 (the pots date to 1960) by Kay of Chicago Illinois. This lightweight guitar is extremely clean with very little wear. It's a real closet classic! It has a very nice range of tones in the blues, rock and country range from the low output pickups. So you can overdrive your amp with it like crazy! The original hard shell case is included and it's in very good condition. Inside the guitar was a corner from a matchbook cover that said "Better". I think that was a comment on the quality by the last person on the Kay factory floor that assembled it back in 1961...or possibly a message to the future!Description from VintageSilvertones.com

GENERAL INFO/CONDITION:
Single cutaway, tobaccoburst finish, fully bound body and painted black neck are in very clean condition with only minor wear. The body is laminated, crack-proof maple. The adjustable bridge is made of "rock maple". The chrome-plated pickguard has an etched checkerboard pattern. The tailpiece and pickups are both chrome-plated also. The bakelight brown knobs are in very good condition with etched "T" and "V". There's a plastic strap pin at the base of the guitar and a chrome-plated one on the upper bout. The guitar is 100% original right down to the two-tone case with black binding. The case is in good shape but the inside pocket only has one piece left. The case measures: 40 1/2" x 14" x 3.5"
Description from VintageSilvertones.com

TUNERS/HEADSTOCK:
Open-back 3x2 tuners with plastic tips on the keys, in proper working order. The headstock has a very cool embossed metal Kay logo. There is minor wear on the edge of the headstock. Plastic nut.

NECK:
Bolt-on, "rock" maple fretboard, straight, 18 brass frets in good shape with only minor wear, action is set medium-fast, translucent brown "Mother of Pearl" dot inlays for fret markers. The back of the neck is very clean and shows very little wear. The fret board has some wear but is in very good playing condition. The neck is reinforced and does not have an adjustable truss rod.

PICKUPS:
Three Kay-made pickups, a new design on this model in 1961
Neck: medium-loud, full, smooth Jazzy-sounding
Middle: medium-loud, slightly muted, with a slight bite but unique in tone, jazzy and ethereal
Bridge: medium-loud, somewhat muted, twangy, very surf or country sounding
All 3 on: mildly muted, fuller range of tones, medium-loud sounding

Overall, the pickups are in proper working order along with their tone and volume controls. Each pickup has a tone and volume control. Four position selector switch to choose between neck, middle, bridge, and all.

The Dimensions are:
    Overall length: 39 1/2"
    Body width: 13"Description from VintageSilvertones.com
    Body thickness: 1 3/4" with neck 2"
    Scale: 24 1/2" approx.
    Width of the nut: 1 5/8" (depth 7/8")
    String height at 12th fret: 1/16" (approximately)

1961 KAY CATALOG DESCRIPTION:

Kay Value Leader 1963
VALUE is a matter of getting the most for your money--whatever the price, You will find that though the Thinline Electrics range in price from $69.95 to $169.50--each gives you the best in tone and looks for the money: each is unbeatable for value.

#1963 has three powerful pickup units, each with its own separate tone and volume control. It is equipped with an instantaneous selector switch, which enables you to play each unit separately, or all three together. $99.95Description from VintageSilvertones.com

In the early 1950's, Kay pioneered the thin, semi-solid electric with the revolutionary--and very successful--"Thin Twin". Now, we feel we have perfected the semi-solid electric with the "THINLINE" ELECTRICS--instruments made expressly for today's people, to express today's music. In sound, they combine the pure, brilliant tone of the electric, with the rich undertones of the acoustical guitar. In looks, they're an eyecatching, beautifully proportioned design--lightweight and slim (18" long, 13 1/2" wide, 1 3/4" slim). In playing quality, they give you a new, short (24 5/8") pro scale, for faster-than-ever fingering...a cutaway shape that makes the high ones easy to reach....and the most responsive electrical equipment. In value, they are unbeatable.Description from VintageSilvertones.com

THE VALUE LEADER combines the best of our craftsman's skills, technicians' know-how and designer's flair that 50 years in the music business have taught us. Result: a superb instrument at the top-value price.Description from VintageSilvertones.com

The body is laminated, crack-proof maple, and the slim neck is reinforced. The fingerboard is made of hard "rock" maple, and the five large position markers are hand-inlaid. There are professional frets, and extra-wide white celluloid binding on the top and back edges, and the adjustable bridge is "rock" maple. There are a shiny, nickel-plated trapeze tailpiece, and fine electric guitar strings. The finish is dark brown, with a shining sunburst on top and back.

Magnetic pickup units, newly designed, give great power and truer-than-ever brilliant electric tone.Description from VintageSilvertones.com

The chrome-plated guardplate has an exclusive design. Covers of the pickup units are chrome-plated, and the knobs are a contrasting jet black.


Kay 1963 Item #: k2007 SOLD

Kay model 1963 three pickups, tobaccoburst, semi-hollow body, electric guitar 1961 made in Chicago, IL USA
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