Are old Kay guitars worth anything?

Aside from a few electric archtops like the Barney Kessel and Upbeat models, most Kay guitars remain relatively low in value and undesirable to collectors. These Style Leader archtops are typically worth between $200 and $400 today in excellent condition.

When did they stop making Kay guitars?

1968
Kay offered their first electric guitar in 1936 — five years after the Rickenbacker Frying pan, and the same year as the Gibson ES-150….Kay Musical Instrument Company.

What are the best vintage guitars?

The 10 Most Impressive Vintage Guitars Sold on Reverb in 2017

• 1958 Gibson Korina Flying V.
• 1965 Firemist Gold Stratocaster.
• 1937 Martin D-18.
• 1960 Les Paul Standard “Burst”
• 1950 Fender Broadcaster.
• 1954 Gretsch Round Up.
• 1951 D’Angelico Excel.
• Gibson Style U Harp Guitar.

Will vintage guitars go up in value?

A well-made guitar is a lot more likely to increase in value. Materials. Older guitars were often made from materials that are no longer available. For instance, a neck made from Brazilian rosewood is going to be a lot rarer than one made from maple just because Brazilian rosewood is too hard to get.

What happened to Kay guitars?

Kay came to be in 1931 after being renamed from Stromberg-Voisinet. They hit their peak production in the early 1960s and were dissolved by the end of the decade.

How do you date a Silvertone guitar?

Look for the serial number in the neck pocket. Read the serial number. The first two digits indicate what week of the year the guitar was made, and the last two digits indicate the year the instrument was made.

What is the most sought after Fender guitar?

Similarly to first-issue books, the 1954 Stratocaster is the most collectible compared to all of the other years. Strats from ’54 are being sold for $100,000 or more. And sometimes it’s much more — at the time of publication, Reverb.com had a 1954 Stratocaster with a listed price of $225,000.

What is the most sought after guitar?

We’ve compiled a list of the Top 10 Most Expensive Guitars Sold At Auction, Let’s get started!

• Fender Strat, Stevie Ray Vaughan – $623,500.
• Gibson SG, George Harrison and John Lennon – $570,000.
• Goldleaf Stratocaster, Eric Clapton – $455,000.
• Brownie Stratocaster, Eric Clapton – $450,000.

Are vintage Martin guitars a good investment?

Vintage guitars made by the likes of Martin, Gibson and Fender, can make great investments, with the right guitars gaining in value more than many stocks and bonds. Guitars associated with a certain sound will always be desirable – as long as people know and love that sound.

How old is a guitar to be vintage?

What is a vintage guitar? While an antique is defined as an object over 100 years old, there’s no strict chronological definition of what makes something vintage. Typically, though, guitars around 30 years old or older fall into that category, and even newer instruments will often be labeled as such by sellers.

How can I tell how old my electric guitar is?

Look for a serial number. Depending on the maker of the guitar, your guitar’s individual serial number may give you a better idea how old the guitar is. On an electric guitar, you’ll typically find the serial number on the back of the guitar body or headstock.

Are Silvertone guitars collectible?

Musical instruments Silvertone instruments and amplifiers were manufactured by various companies, including Danelectro, Valco, Harmony, Thomas, Kay and Teisco. The guitars, especially the 1960s models, are frequently prized by collectors today.

Are there any Kay guitars from the 50’s?

The Kay Vintage Reissue line of guitars faithfully reproduces that sought after look and sound of the vintage Kay guitars of the 50’s & 60’s and are now available to anyone looking to have something really cool (KOOL) and social in their collection.

What kind of guitar is the Kay l8802?

1960’s Vintage Kay Acoustic Guitar L8802 Checkerboard binding. Kay logo easily legible. Wood guitar. Preowned, vintage. 1960’s. Major defects. Scratches, cracking, discolorations; possibly from nicotine, and age. Major use. Indentation on the fret board. Neck does not seem to be warped. rust on the pegs and metallic portion on the wooden guitar.

When did the Kay acoustic archtop come out?

1960’s Kay N-1 Acoustic Archtop Guitar Here is a very cool vintage Kay acoustic archtop guitar! It’s hard to pin down a date for these, but it should be around 1961-1965 based on the headstock shape. It has the numbers “N-1” and “L8817 6868” stamped on the inside.

When was the first Kay Silvertone guitar made?

In the 1950s, Kay began building Silvertone’s for Sears, Airline’s for M. Wards, and subcontracted amplifier production to Valco. Reissues of the classic Kay’s have been readily available since 2008 and remain great guitars for the budget buyer.