Topic: Guitar value

[Laura]

I just bought this weird old guitar.  I saw it in the local free ads for 20 pounds ($30) and was in the area so I went and picked it up.

The lady who sold it told me it had been around since the 70's and had been sitting in her loft for years.  The neck has a very slight bow but other than that it looks like new.  I changed the strings and they literally disintegrated so it's obviously not been played for years.

The action is very high so as it is now I think it will be used for slide.  The design is really not my "cup of tea", in fact, I'm not really sure why I bought it 

Was wondering if anyone could identify it (I know it's a Kay K435) but specifically does anyone know when/where it was made and more importantly did I spend my 20 pounds wisely or should it be chopped up for firewood?

Now hopefully I can add some pictures. Thanks :>

http://www.flickr.com/photos/laura1754/

[Pan]

Hi Laura.

Sorry if I'm stating the obvious, but have you looked if there's a truss rod to be adjusted, from the soundhole end of the guitars' neck? Tightening it might help with the bow.

From this Mudcat auction I gather that the guitar has a plywood top, and probably isn't very valuable.
http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=12088

Cheers

Pan

[bnemerov]

Hi Laura,
probably late 60s, early 70s made in Chicago. Won't have a truss rod, but necks can be straightened (steam, back-bending) by a luthier.
I bought a 50s Harmony (OOO size; ladder-braced, solid spruce top, mahogany b&s) for $35.00 some years ago. After paying my guitar guy to reset the neck, reglue a pickguard, etc. I had $300.00 in my $35.00 guitar...but it's got some nice funk to the sound.
You did well, I think.
best,
bruce

[uncle bud]

The other thing that's nice about cheap guitars that will never be your main guitar is you can do other stuff with them. Add a nut raiser for 8 bucks and make the action even higher and you've got a lap-style guitar. If the action's not so bad, string it differently then normal, like with an octave G-string.

Or add three tuners to the top of the headstock and make a Big Joe Williams' nine-string monster. 

[westside ryan]

I saw one of those not to long ago in a guitar shop (well maybe a year ago!) selling for somewhere around $50-$60US.

[Laura]

Thanks so much for all the information.  As Bnemerov said, it doesn't have a truss rod and I definitely won't be spending any money on it!  The slide does sound ok on it so I'm going to have fun messing  around with that.

The other thing that's nice about cheap guitars that will never be your main guitar is you can do other stuff with them

My 2- year old is now delighted that she can play one of my guitars!

[Pan]

My 2- year old is now delighted that she can play one of my guitars!

 

A musician couple I now, rushed to buy a playpen, when they had a baby. They keep their instruments in it.

Cheers

Pan

[uncle bud]

My 2- year old is now delighted that she can play one of my guitars!

There you go. 20 pounds spent wisely.