Not sure what this is... [Archive]

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BloozeGit

Apr-19-2009, 5:25am

Hi folks,

Curiosity has gotten the better of me and I'm starting to wonder what I have here on the right, after playing it for slightly over a year.

http://www.fileden.com/files/2009/3/19/2370536/mando.jpg

No label or markings, other than GDAE scratched out on the soundboard underneath the strings by a previous owner. Any ideas?

allenhopkins

Apr-19-2009, 4:32pm

Could well be Kay or Kay's predecessor, Stromberg-Voisinet. Shape reminds me of this (http://www.vintagefret.com/pages/12955.html) Kay-built Silvertone (Sears house brand).
If so, Chicago built, commercial grade instrument, from the period before Asian imports took over the lower two-thirds of the acoustic stringed instrument market.

Capt. E

Apr-20-2009, 9:01am

Definitely looks like a Kay. The bridge seems to be set at a rather extreme angle.

BloozeGit

Apr-20-2009, 12:48pm

Thanks for the opinions folks! I was guessing Kay too, though I'd never seen any of them like it before. That Stromberg Voisinet shape looks cool, if a bit uncomfortable...

The bridge angle is to intonate strings that are way past their change-by date :grin:

MikeEdgerton

Apr-20-2009, 2:01pm

The Stromberg-Voisenet/Kaycraft/Kays were more pronounced and a bit more elegant to my eye. It's Chicago built, I don't think it was built by S-V/K. The bridge wasn't originally positioned like that.

allenhopkins

Apr-20-2009, 3:16pm

The Stromberg-Voisenet/Kaycraft/Kays were more pronounced and a bit more elegant to my eye. It's Chicago built, I don't think it was built by S-V/K.

One of the famous "lawsuit" Kay copies...?

MikeEdgerton

Apr-20-2009, 3:55pm

Sure, there had to be a lawsuit... :cool:

Jim Garber

Apr-21-2009, 5:13am

MikeEdgerton

Apr-21-2009, 6:26am

I agree with Mike. I am not so dead sure about the Kay connection. The shape looks a little bit blunter than the Kay Venetians. I looked thru a bunch of catalog pages and could not find this one exactly with the headstock which is very similar to Lyon & Healy/American Conservatory models.

After reading Hubert's book I'm a bit more inclined to attribute some of these odd shaped instruments to L&H than I was before.

BloozeGit

Apr-22-2009, 7:20am

Thanks all! I guess its safe to say it's not a priceless treasure, so it stays within arms reach at all times. :grin:

Jim Nollman

Apr-22-2009, 11:12am

I owned a 70 year old Kay for many years. It was one of my favorite recording instruments, ever. I can say for certain, that the one in your photo has a different body shape than mine, most noticeable for being so much less curvy along the top "wave". Another thing that identified my Kay was it's depth, at least an inch deeper in body then a standard F5. Mine was made of pressed laminate, top, bottom and sides. Asking about that, on the Cafe some years back, i was told by several people that all old Kays were hardwood laminate. You can tell if it's solid wood or laminate, by looking closely where a piece of binding has chipped off.