1950s Kay 2-Point Electric Mandolin

This Kay electric mandolin has the same load-out as the more-common A-style K-95 model, but features the dressed-up, 2-point "KayKraft" body design and knobs on the lower bout rather than the side. Judging by the script logo and details, I'd say this has to be a '50s model, though it does have design elements I expect to see more in late-'40s instruments.

The "Thin Twin" single-coil pickup sounds glorious, as you'd expect, and takes in a lot of microphonic "body sensitivity." It actually makes it much more of an almost acoustic-electric instrument, really, because while the overall "sound" is a mag-pickup electric voice, it has enough of the body in the sound that it handles more like an acoustic instrument when plugged-in.

While it arrived here at the shop in good shape, it did have some weirdnesses. The neck had been previously reset to what appears to be the factory angle, but it was much too steep for the pickup to be cranked close-enough to the strings for it to sound good. Because of that, I pulled the neck and reset it at a shallower angle, modifying the bridge to suit and so the strings moved closer to the top and thus closer to the pickup. This made it sound right and it plays like a champ, too.

Repairs included: neck reset, fret level/dress, bridge compensation/adjustments, side dots install, setup, etc.

Body wood: ply maple & ply spruce

Bridge: rosewood adjustable (comp'd)

Fretboard: rosewood

Neck wood: maple

Pickups: 1x Thin Twin-style single coil

Action height at 12th fret: 1/16" overall (fast)
String gauges: 36w, 26w, 13, 10 (gauged to suit the pickup's balance)

Neck shape: medium C

Board radius: flat

Truss rod: non-adjustable

Neck relief: straight

Fret style: medium

Scale length: 14"

Nut width: 1 1/8"

Body width: 10"

Body depth: 2 1/2"

Weight: 2 lbs 14 oz

Condition notes: it has minor wear and tear throughout (with a little pickwear near the f-holes) but is all-original (save the nut) and in good order. There's a little muck around the edges of the heel but it's not obvious. The fretboard extension slopes slightly down from the 14th-fret and on, but it's not obvious, either.