1920s Stromberg-Voisinet (Kay) Spruce/Maple Parlor Acoustic Guitar

Overview: I've worked on tons of this same basic product. It was made by Stromberg-Voisinet in the mid-late '20s but by 1930 the company had changed its name to the familiar Kay we all know it as, now. This is what most of their guitar output looked like in the '20s -- an 0-size, "parlor" instrument with a shorter scale length. It came in all sorts of design-styles, woods, and trims, but this version (which is most similar to the mahogany-body Oahu-labeled models of the same period) is simply too cool!

It's solid spruce over solid maple (with some nice birdseye figure here and there), lightly ladder-braced, and sounds excellent -- especially as a fingerpicker. It's responsive and quick and has good volume and sustain. It's a lot more successful than many of this same-style model in other trims.

Plus -- that binding? All that checker binding everywhere? Come on! ...and then they added stencils, too? So good.

Repairs included: Shop-friend Matt gave this a neck reset and some adjustments but Jacobi, here in-shop, gave it a level/dress of the frets, light bridge shave, a new saddle slot (with help from Jose), a new bone saddle, cleaning, and setup work. It plays spot-on and is ready to go.

• Weight: 2 lbs 13 oz
• Scale length: 24 3/8"
• Nut width: 1 3/4"
• Neck shape: big V
• Board radius: flat
• Depth at first fret: 0.93"
• Depth at seventh fret: 1.10"
• Body width: 13 1/4"
• Body depth: 3 3/4"
• Top wood: solid spruce
• Back & sides wood: solid maple
• Bracing type: ladder
• Bridge: ebonized mysterywood
• Fretboard: ebonized maple
• Neck wood: poplar
• Action height at 12th fret: 3/32” bass 1/16” treble (fast, spot-on)
• String gauges: 50w-11
• Truss rod: none
• Neck relief: straight
• Fret style: narrow/lower

Condition notes: It's mostly original throughout, though the saddle-slot is recut and it has a new, bone saddle. There are mild scuffs, scratches, and wear here and there throughout. I'm not finding any cracks. The finish also has weather-check throughout. Because of the light build, I don't suggest strings heavier than 11s.

It comes with: Sorry, no case.

Consignor tag: MKLG