View Full Version : Can anyone ID this Mando?
Tom Humphreys
Jun-14-2009, 10:27am
Seller says no branding. The headstock looks unusual enough to maybe ID it? She's asking $100.
Douglas McMullin
Jun-14-2009, 10:28am
Stradolin? The headstock isn't right for that, but the body and f-holes are similar.
Schlegel
Jun-14-2009, 11:46am
pretty sure it's a Kay, or the same company under a previous name.
some info I googled:
"Kay was founded in 1890 as the Groehsl Company. The name was changed to Stromberg-Voisinet in 1921. They made the Mayflower line of guitars, banjos and mandolins. In 1930 they began the Kay-kraft line, named after Henry Kay Kuhrmeyer (company secretary-treasurer). In 1931 the company was renamed Kay Kraft when Henry became President of the firm. Henry sold the company in 1955 to Sid Katz, former manager of Harmony's service department. Katz sold the company to the Seeburg Jukebox Company in 1965. In 1967 the company was sold again, to Valco, makers of National, Dobro and Supro. By 1969 the company closed.
Other brands they are associated with are: Airline and Sherwood for Montgomery Wards, Old Kraftsman guitars for Spiegel, Silvertone for Sears."
here's a pic of a kay-kraft head
Tom Humphreys
Jun-14-2009, 3:29pm
Good call Schlegel! A google image search reveals several such headstocks on Kay instruments, mostly mandos but I saw a banjo on Antebellum Instruments too (that guy's site is amazing).
Now to contemplate laying down a Ben Franklin for it...
Any thoughts?
Bill Snyder
Jun-14-2009, 4:17pm
Have you played it? I would be hard pressed to pay $100 for this mandolin.
mrmando
Jun-14-2009, 4:26pm
Yeah, it's a Kay. Worth about a Benjamin if it's playable and doesn't need work; probably not worth more than that. She sent me the same photos. Fourth photo is a real blurry closeup of the heel; not sure what I'm supposed to be looking at there.
Tom Humphreys
Jun-14-2009, 5:31pm
Yeah, it's a Kay. Worth about a Benjamin if it's playable and doesn't need work; probably not worth more than that. She sent me the same photos. Fourth photo is a real blurry closeup of the heel; not sure what I'm supposed to be looking at there.
Yeah I wondered about that too. Is it separating?
I think I'll probably take a pass on this one. Thanks for the info!
MikeEdgerton
Jun-14-2009, 6:59pm
As stated it's a Kay and chances are the top and back are laminated and that the neck joint is probably iffy at best.