Kay Musical Instrument Company

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search
Kay Musical Instrument Company
Industry Musical instruments
Predecessor Groeschel Mandolin Co. (1890), Stromberg-Voisinet (1921)
Successor Engelhardt-Link (1969-),
(Kay Guitar Company (2008-))
Founded 1931
Founder Henry Kay Kuhrmeyer
Defunct 1968-2008
Key people
Sidney M. Katz
Products guitars, guitar amplifiers, upright basses, violins, cellos, banjos, lap steel guitars
Brands Knox, Kent, Kamico
OEM brands: Silvertone, Sherwood, Airline, Old Kraftsman, Custom Kraft,[2] Truetone,[3] Penncrest.
Website

Kay Musical Instrument Company was a musical instrument manufacturer of the United States, in operation since the 1930s until the 1960s. It was established in 1931 at Chicago, Illinois by Henry Kay Kuhrmeyer, from the assets of the former Stromberg-Voisinet, which was founded as Groeschel Mandolin Company in 1890. Kay offered their first electric guitar in 1936—five years after the Rickenbacker Frying pan, and the same year as the Gibson ES-150. Nonetheless, Kay is considered an electric guitar pioneer because Kuhrmeyer bought their past company, Stromberg-Voisinet, and produced the first commercial electric guitar, the Stromberg Electro, in 1928.[4][5][6][7]

Overview

Stromberg-Voisinet Banjo Ukulele
Stromberg-Voisinet Aero-uke (c.1930)

Early history (1890–1931)

The Kay Musical Instrument Company grew from the Groeschel Mandolin Company (or Groeshl Instrument Company[8]) in Chicago, established in 1890.[9] In 1921, the company was renamed to Stromberg-Voisinet. In 1923, later president Henry Kay "Hank" Kuhrmeyer joined the company, and in 1928, with the help of an investor,[9] he bought the company and started producing electric guitars and amplifiers.[10]

The new company, "Kay Musical Instruments" was formally established in 1931[citation needed] from the assets of the former Stromberg-Voisinet company by Kuhrmeyer.

Activity (1931–1955)

The company initially manufactured only traditional folk instruments,[citation needed] but eventually grew to make a wide variety of stringed instruments, including violins, cellos, banjos, upright basses—and a variety of different types of guitars, including classical guitars, lap steel guitars, semi-acoustic guitars, and solid body electrics. Some of Kay's lower-grade instruments were marketed under the Knox and Kent brand names.

In addition to manufacturing instruments for sale under its own brands, Kay was also a prolific manufacturer of "house branded" guitars and folk instruments for other Chicago-based instrument makers and, at times, for major department stores including Sears and Montgomery Ward.

Kay also made guitar amplifiers, beginning with designs carried over from the old Stromberg company. Kay eventually subcontracted its amplifier production to Chicago music industry rival Valco in the 1950s.

Retirement of Kuhrmeyer (1955–1968)

After the retirement of Kuhrmeyer in 1955, the company was taken over by Sidney M. Katz. The product line of Kay was shifted toward electric musical instruments on demands, and in 1964, the company moved to a new factory in Elk Grove Village, Illinois. In 1965 Katz sold Kay to Seeburg Corporation, and he became the head of Seeburg's musical instrument division. In 1967, Kay was resold and merged with Valco, but dissolved in 1968 due to financial problems.[9]

Revive (1969–)

The assets of Kay/Valco were auctioned off in 1969. The upright bass and cello lines were sold to Engelhardt-Link, a new company formed by a previous Valco member, which has continued production (see #Kay basses for details). The Kay name (and some of its trademarks, such as Knox[citation needed]) were acquired by Teisco importer, Weiss Musical Instruments[2] (W.M.I., Sol Weindling and Barry Hornstein), who put the Kay name on the Teisco products beginning in 1973, and continued on through the 1970s.[11][12]

In 1980, A.R. Enterprises (Tony Blair) purchased the Kay trademark.[12]

In 2008-2009, Kay Guitar Company in California reissued 12 models of vintage Kay guitars and basses[13] manufactured by Fritz Brothers Guitars.[14] As of 2013, production and sales of these guitars have continued.[15]

Kay guitars

File:Truetone by Kay.jpg
A vintage 1960s "Truetone" archtop electric made by Kay [3]

Kay was best known for its mid-priced guitars, (i.e., quality guitars priced below top-of-the-line instruments like Gibson and Gretsch models) as well as its budget instruments. Kay made guitar models for its own brand name and guitars branded as Silvertone for Sears, Sherwood and Airline for Montgomery Wards, Old Kraftsman for Spiegel, Custom Kraft for St. Louis Music,[2] Truetone for Western Auto,[3] 'Penncrest' for JC Penney, etc.[16] Also, Kay produced a line of archtop acoustics called Kamico.

Kay’s current line includes low priced acoustic, electric and bass guitars, and moderately priced banjos, ukuleles, mandolins and resonators. They also sell the Chicago Blues line of inexpensive harmonicas.[clarification needed]

K-161 Thin Twin guitar and K-162 Electronic Bass

Kay K-161 Thin Twin[17]
Kay K-162 Electronic Bass

One of the best known Kay electric guitars during the 1950s was the K-161 "Thin Twin", most visibly used by blues artist Jimmy Reed. This instrument debuted in 1952, and featured a single cutaway body, a distinctive tortoiseshell pickguard, and a pair of thin blade-style pickups that gave the guitar its name.[citation needed] Kay used this type of pickups on various Kay electrics dating back to the 1940s.

Also in 1952, Kay introduced the matching K-162 "Electronic" Bass, which was the first commercially available thinline-hollowbody electric bass guitar, and the second production electric bass guitar after the Fender Precision Bass debuted in 1951. Due to the use of K-162 by a bassist of Howlin' Wolf, Andrew "Blueblood" McMahon, it is commonly known as the "Howlin Wolf" bass. These instruments[clarification needed] are believed to be the first semi-hollow electrics[citation needed] (i.e., thinline-hollowbody electric with solid center-block), predating the Gibson ES-335 by six years. Their unique design[clarification needed] featured a flat top with no f-holes, a free-floating arched back, and two braces running along the top. The result was an semi-acoustic instrument that was feedback-resistant while retaining natural acoustic resonances. In 1954, Kay added the K-160 bass to its catalog with baritone tuning, according to the catalog,[citation needed] "tuned like the first four guitar strings but one octave lower." Structurally this bass was basically same as K-162 bass, except for the higher pitched tuning and the addition of a white pickguard.

In the late 1950s, various guitars in the Kay line were assigned new model numbers; according to the 1959 catalog, the Thin Twin became K5910 and the Electronic Bass became K5965.[18] Both instruments remained in Kay's catalog offerings with only minor cosmetic variations until 1966, when Kay revamped its entire guitar line to only feature budget instruments. Kay also manufactured versions of the Thin Twin guitar under the Silvertone (Sears) and Old Kraftsman (Spiegel) brands.

Gold “K” Line

Gold "K" headstock
Jazz Special Bass

In 1957, president Sydney Katz introduced the Gold “K” line of archtop and solid body electric guitars[14] to compete with major manufacturers like Fender, Gibson, and Gretsch. The gold “K” Line featured the Jazz Special, Artist, Pro, Upbeat,[18] Jazz II, and Jazz Special Bass. Gold “K” guitars used the same hardware as top manufacturers. However, there were truss rod and neck issues.[citation needed]

Gold models had single coil pickups with clear silver plastic covers and phillips head bolt adjustable pole pieces. The Upbeat model came with an optional transparent black plastic cover. These pickups appeared on Kay instruments through the late 1960s and are sometimes called “Kessel” or “Kleenex Box” pickups.[citation needed] The Jazz Special Bass has a single blade pickup as used on the K-161 and K-162 (tilted slightly towards the neck at the treble side), as well as a distinctive, over-sized headstock.

Valued among collectors, the headstocks from 1957-1960 featured a reverse painted plastic overlay similar to the Kelvinator logo. The guitars featured art deco patterns. It was difficult to get players to take Kay’s high end entry seriously, and Kay discontinued the Gold line in 1962.

Kamico

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

Kamico guitars were lower-priced versions of Kay's original guitars. They were among the first guitars to use a humbucker type pickup, predating Gibson by some few years.[citation needed] Produced along with Kay brand name guitars from 1931–1951, according to most sources. The most recognizable model is the Jumbo Jazz. Kay also made banjo's under the kamico name.

Kay basses

In 1937, Kay began to produce a 3/4 size upright bass, which is widely believed to be their Concert or C-1 bass. Like their guitar manufacturing, the basses were hand crafted by skilled craftsmen using special ordered machinery. They even had a hot stamping machine that could emboss the trademark KAY cursive script. The Engelhardt-Link company bought the upright bass and cello lines[clarification needed] at the auction of Kay/Valco assets in 1969, and continue to produce the same instrument lines till today. Manufactured in Elk Grove Village, Illinois, Engelhardt basses and cellos are sturdy instruments, widely used by students and touring professionals. The ES9 Swingmaster bass (formerly the Kay S9 Swingmaster), is highly thought-of by jazz, swing, and bluegrass musicians.

Notable players

<templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>

Gallery

Josh1935.jpg

Kay Kraft venetian guitar played by Josh White

180px

Kay flattop guitar
played by Deacon John Moore

111px

Archtop guitar with Kay style head

63px

K1160 parlor guitar (ca.1966)[20]

100px

Value Leader K6530
played by festival singer Marcia Mello

100px

Thin Twin K-161 (1952–60) / Silvertone 1369L (1957)[17]

180px

Speed Demon K318[20] /
Silvertone 1413L[21]
played by Natalie Warner

55px

Kay Fuzz Tone

86px

Speed Demon K573[2] / Truetone Jazz King (1960s)[3][media 1]

65px

Style Leader #1983 (ca.1960)[22]

58px

Value Leader K5962 6-string Bass[1] (1962)[23]

60px

Value Leader #1963 (ca.1960)[22]

59px

Value Leader #1961 (ca.1960)[22]

DEMO - KAY Wah 1 in current day action

See also

Notes

  1. 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – "Truetone" was a registered trademark for musical instruments owned by Western Auto since 1964/1966 until 1989 (or since 1945/1947 until 1992 for radio receiver on trademark 71485315).
  4. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. 12.0 12.1 Fjestad Blue Book.
  13. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. 14.0 14.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. http://www.musiciansfriend.com/search.jsp?sB=r&Ntt=kay
  16. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. 17.0 17.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. 20.0 20.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. 22.0 22.1 22.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Media
  1. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
    Note: Not yet found sources other than YouTube.

References

History
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. — compact timeline, based on the below.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. — detailed history.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. — history focused on the development of early electric guitars, based on the other references.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. — another short history, which covers slightly different topics.
Models
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

Further reading

  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
    "Source: 1950s/1960s company history courtesy Jay Scott, 50´s Cool: Kay Guitars, contemporary history courtesy Michael Wright, Vintage Guitar Magazine, individual model listings: Michael Wright, Guitar Stories, Volume Two."
    See also: Mayflower, Kay Kraft.

External links

Current companies
Vintage Kay (1930s–1960s)
  • King of Kays — History of the Kay company and information and photos of vintage Kays.
  • KayBass.com — Kay Bass Information and Registration
More models (–1980s)