kay guitars

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Get an up-close look at the tone wizard’s rig for his action-packed 2024 tour.

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This Old Kraftsman Vanguard was built at the Kay factory in Chicago, and has two DeArmond “pancake” pickups.

With a bit of old-fashioned elbow grease, this Kay model, sold in the early to mid ’60s, can be turned into a viable playin’ machine.

When I was a kid, there were so many World War II veterans in my neighborhood. All these old-timers had pretty impressive sets of skills, and whenever you needed some work done, all you had to do was walk down the street and ask. My own grandfather was a welder, my neighbor was a woodworker, and two houses down, there was a plumber. These guys were all blue-collar vets who worked in local quarries, mills, and factories. I was, and still am, amazed by their technical prowess and knowledge. My granddad could fix just about anything!

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This rare 1941 Kay Carson Robison guitar bears traces of multiple repairs done over time.

Photo by Madison Thorn

If you were interested in playing guitar in the 1930s and 1940s, you were probably a fan of singing cowboys. The old Western teleplays on the radio were vehicles for marketing all kinds of products, like toys, costumes, and, of course, guitars!

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