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What is this? Vintage Hollowbody Content
Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2016 12:11 am
by waltdogg
My drummer friend's been sitting on this old hollowbody for a while now. It needs some work, but he's been wanting to sell it except we have no idea what it is. Nothing stamped anywhere, no label inside, nothing. Any idea what it is? I recognize the "tone" switch but I don't remember where I've seen it. I tried my luthier friend, haven't heard back from him. Tried my friend that knows weird guitars (and stole $150, two EL34s, and a Boss TU-3 from me) and he is obviously silent.

Re: What is this? Vintage Hollowbody Content
Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2016 1:09 am
by kosta
I'd guess Kay. Looks like a mutt somewhere between a Value Leader and a Speed Demon.
Single pickup version here being referred to as a Speed Demon:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3hlXnnEDBg[/youtube]
Re: What is this? Vintage Hollowbody Content
Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2016 2:54 am
by Nelson Instruments
That's for sure a kay "speed bump" pickup on there. Weird....it's a speed demon but with a rounded horn on the cutaway. There's a new one on me!
Re: What is this? Vintage Hollowbody Content
Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2016 6:44 pm
by waltdogg
Cool. I'll do some research into Kays then. Here's another pic of the body with better light if that's anymore help to you guys. Thanks for your help so far!

Re: What is this? Vintage Hollowbody Content
Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2016 7:30 pm
by Nelson Instruments
For sure a Kay. That pickup is undeniably Kay.
Re: What is this? Vintage Hollowbody Content
Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2016 7:44 pm
by kosta
Yeah, definitely a Kay. Single dot fret markers, no neck binding, double body binding, tobacco burst, cupcake knobs, trapeze tailpiece, speed bump pickups. Definitely a Kay. If the neck and frets are decent, I bet that thing would be pretty great.
Re: What is this? Vintage Hollowbody Content
Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2016 7:47 pm
by Chankgeez
What's goin' in that neck pickup slot?

Re: What is this? Vintage Hollowbody Content
Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2016 8:22 pm
by waltdogg
Awesome. I know my "friend" has some Kay catalogs, probably where I recognized it from. If he ever gets back to me we might get the exact model.
It plays rather nice. It just needs the truss rod adjusted to straighten the neck out.
I'd hope to find another one of these "speed bump" pickups.
Re: What is this? Vintage Hollowbody Content
Posted: Sat Jan 09, 2016 8:08 am
by Nelson Instruments
They come up on ebay frequently so you won't be without one for long.
Re: What is this? Vintage Hollowbody Content
Posted: Sat Jan 09, 2016 3:34 pm
by waltdogg
Good to know. Thanks so much! With any luck we can figure out a model so we can price it realistically since it's a bit of a beater.