Correct model number is K-2T.

My first electric guitar cheap crap, thin plywood body. Still got it, much modified. Love it.

Ridiculously good sound, like P90s.

I have an old Kay archtop. From one of the F holes stamped inside the body it reads L587 what year or date would that correspond to? Thank you!

Need help finding more info on this teisco Kay K-1 electric guitar made in Japan

[quote=”SB”]

So, there is nothing about your instrument that would put it in the late 60’s-early 70’s time frame. I think the 1980 date is correct. This is useful information to me since I was unaware the 80’s Kays were first produced in Taiwan rather than Korea. Thanks 😉

Even a reputable dealer can have a salesman that is either ignorant or anxious to tell a buyer what they want to hear in order to sell a guitar.[/quote]

A little late to the discussion 🙂 One of these 2 pickup SG style Kays has come up for sale locally with a claimed date of 1969. During some research I found this interesting thread and did begin to wonder about the advertisers claim.

However, it appears that Kay were indeed producing these guitars in the 60s according to this guitar undergoing modifications – both neck and body are stamped 17.7.1969.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jacksinstrumentsvcs/5569465106/in/set-72157626274357611/

The value of these guitars seem to be around £50 – £100 in the UK.

Identifying Kays is a bit hard. You didnt post a pic, which makes it REALLY hard, but unlike some manufacturers, Kay has a history that ended in 1968, then they were bought and production was outsourced to asia.

Identifying a budget guitar like vintage Kays is really hard. best of luck

I need some info on my guitar Its a 1959 Kay K-1 SG style

Here its web page http://www.hippieland.info/guitar.html

please e-mail me back if you have any info [email protected]

Absolutely certain I have a Kay-2 from Tiawan also. Just as described has a silver label on the back below the neck plate. A steel bar reinforced neck and two pups. I will be looking for the picture I took of it right after I bought it. I got a Kay Amp that was cheap but was ok for practice, just like the big “real” amps it had a separate head and speaker with regular phone plug jacks. The speaker and amp are gone now but I still have the guitar and it is complete. If you dont believe the date on this I can tell you I bought it USED from a music shop with my first paycheck from working at the college media center. I know the date was in September of 1977 without a doubt. I gave about $220 for the whole package, used guitar, amp, cool stylish strap, and matching red 25′ curly cord. The finish is clear on a deep cherry red stained ply body about 1″ thick. Fingerboard is black on a white edged plastic and has the Kay graphic engraved in gold. neck is clear on clear finish back side with a dark mahogany on the front and pearl dots. head is symetric 3 pegs each side and there used to be a Kay symbol on a black background but the gold Kay and circle came off with a cleaning long ago. I havent seen a head design like this one with any of the pictures i have seen. it also has a steel reinforcement bar across the strings at the head and the body’s string support is adjustable by height adjustment thumb nuts and has multiple grooves for string alignment. still looking for that picture so I can post and pass along. this is actually the first time i have seen any word that this one actually exists. I do have a serial number for it on the foil sticker as well. its 71107002

I have pics of an early Kay SG copy on my website (see my signature). If I remember correctly, I sold it on eBay for about $200

Also I do not recall it having a serial number which leads me to believe it was an earlier model

Hey finbar,

The 1980 date fits with the other information you know about your guitar much better than the late 1960’s attribution.

To start with, the American Kay company did not go out of business until 1968. At the time, they had the largest guitar production capacity in the U.S. It makes no sense that they would import guitars at a time they were having difficulty selling their own budget grade production.

After Kay went under, the name was sold to WMI of Chicago. WMI was the largest guitar company in the world at that time. They used the Kay name on beginner grade instruments from Japan (Teisco), not Tawainese imports. I don’t remember anything about guitars being produced in Taiwan until the late 70’s-early 80’s.

So, there is nothing about your instrument that would put it in the late 60’s-early 70’s time frame. I think the 1980 date is correct. This is useful information to me since I was unaware the 80’s Kays were first produced in Taiwan rather than Korea. Thanks 😉

Even a reputable dealer can have a salesman that is either ignorant or anxious to tell a buyer what they want to hear in order to sell a guitar.

I could very well have been duped on the age when I bought mine, but I was told by a reputable dealer in LA that it was a late sixties model. And I have seen several on Ebay advertised as such. However, the serial number on mine begins with “80”, which should imply a manufacture date of 1980, right? I’d love to know if this thing is much younger than I thought.
When i figure out how to add a photo, I’ll post a photo of the metal sticker that says “Taiwan”. I have seen, touched and played a few K-1’s and a few K-2’s and some of them had different badging, so it’s kind of hard to know exactly what you have. [/pre]

Interesting suggestion finbar, however, I haven’t seen any evidence to indicate it is correct.

I checked Kay guitar catalogs from 1966, 1967-68 and 1969-70. There is no mention of a K-2. All of the guitars listed have either 3 or 4 digit model numbers. If Kay were importing K-1 and K-2 Taiwanese made guitars during this period they were not advertising them in their guitar catalogs.

Since these models are not appearing in the Kay literature, how do you know they were being imported? Just curious, I’m always willing to learn. sb

Actually the Kay K-2 was a Taiwan made model offered in the mid 60’s thru the early 70’s. It came in a single pickup model (the K-1), and a model with two single pickups (the K-2). These guitars should have a metal sticker below the neck plate that has the model #, the serial # and a made in taiwan sticker. It wasn’t until a few years later that production was sourced out to Korea.
On ebay, you can expect to get $150-$175. The neck and the loaded pickgaurd are by far the most valuable parts of the guitar. You would probably make more money taking the guitar apart and selling the pieces.

You are right GLW, a picture does help.

tiiaa1 emailed me a picture of her guitar. It turns out the K-2 model designation was used on a 2 pup Kay SG copy built in 1979-80. I think these instruments were actually built in Korea.

When she said K-2, I was thinking of the original K-2 that was produced in the 1930’s. That’s why my initial thought was that the model number didn’t seem right for an electric guitar. I tend to forget about the Korean made Kays marketed in the 1980’s.

Mystery solved. sb

[quote]Not trolling Mods, just doesn’t seem to be much help here for this post[/quote]

Your posts always welcome, SB, and we’re always happy to punt a tricky “what have I got?” Q to your site.

[quote=”tiiaa1″]I found a Kay Electric Guitar in the attic. It has the model number K-2. It’s in good condition and works when plugged into an amp. I think it used to belong to my father. I don’t know anything at all about guitars. I’m thinking of selling it. Could someone please tell me a little bit about this guitar? Like how old it might be, and how much i should ask for it? Thanks 🙂 [/quote]

A photo always helps.

Hi tiiaa1,

The low model number doesn’t fit with a Kay Electric guitar. I think I’ll need to see a picture before I can be of much help.

I only visit Guitar Site about once a week. If you want a faster response you can post at my Forum http://www.vintaxe.com.

Not trolling Mods, just doesn’t seem to be much help here for this post.

sb