c.1950 Kay Jumbo Archtop Guitar

Rockabilly? Swing jazz? Blues? You name it. This guitar is huge... and if you haven't yet figured out my passions... giant guitars of yesteryear is one of them. Like its cousins the flattop Kay jumbos I've posted about from time to time, and (click here) this sweet round-soundhole archtop, this is a 17" wide Kay-built jumbo archtop with a long 26" scale... meaning? Power, response, and big voice. Did I mention that the 26" scale on these old Kays means that this can be strung as a short-scale baritone guitar (B to B under E to E -- check out these strings at elderly to try this out as they're the right gauges)?

This guitar is terribly loud and will easily replace the need to carry any sort of amplification to a coffee house or barn dance gig... if your voice is loud enough to match, that is.

Work included a neck set, fret dress, cleaning, setup, etc. It's crack free throughout and sports flamed maple on the back and sides with a solid spruce top and maple neck. And a cool-as-heck cherry (well, darkened cherry) sunburst finish.

Had to install some new Klusons as the old ones were shot... but the rest is original, including bone nut, string ferrules, rosewood bridge, awesome tailpiece... oh, and the fretboard is bound & rosewood, too!

Big honking white celluloid fret dots... at least you won't get lost.



Cool checker purfling.



Very pretty maple back!



Ooh mama!