Guitars

  1. Stacey Morris
    Stacey Morris
    Hi guys.

    I know there are quite a few guitar players here in the Newbie group, so I thought it might be a good place to ask.

    Background: My wife and I are in the process of cleaning things from her Mom's house to get it ready to sell. We ran across a guitar in the top of one of the closets. My Father-in-law played guitar before he passed away, but I never saw him playing this one. On the headboard, it says "Kraftsman," and I did a little research and found out it was made by Kay Music Company back in the 50's or 60's for Spiegel for Spiegel to sell in their catalogs.

    I ordered a new set of D'Aario Extra Light strings and put those on a couple days ago. I have just let the guitar sit, and checked the tuning yesterday. Each string had gone down about one note. My questions for the experts here:

    1. Does anyone know if a guitar like this is worth trying to play? or save?

    2. Sitting here looking at a profile view of the guitar, the strings are a lot closer to the fretboard at the top of the neck and get farther and farther away as you go towards the guitar body. My mandolin doesn't do that, or at least not much. Is this normal for a guitar?

    Thanks for your help! I am trying to decide if I should try to learn to stumble along on the guitar like I do on the mandolin. I like the sound of a mandolin best.
  2. HonketyHank
    HonketyHank
    While I don't know much about guitars, I am willing to bet that a Kay guitar from that era probably has more value as a memento of who owned and played it than as a collectors' item or seriously nice instrument. Sounds like a neck reset might be in order to make it playable, which would probably exceed the market value of a similar instrument in good shape. But Dad's guitar? Surely must have some sentimental value.

    ps added later: By the way, I don't use it, but I do still have my Dad's slide rule.
  3. Stacey Morris
    Stacey Morris
    Thanks, Hank! I appreciate it, and will be keeping the guitar either way.
  4. wormpicker
    wormpicker
    It doesn’t hurt to try! I play fiddle and mandolin (and a little uke/banjo uke). I recently broke my pledge to neve lr try learning an instrument that has more strings (or courses) than I have fingers, and started learning guitar. At the very least, I’m learning how to recognize guitar chords to know what chord we’re in in a jam. If you’re interested, I say go for it. If this guitar doesn’t feel right or work out, and you’re still interested, you can get guitars for not terribly much. I got a Taylor GS mini. I ono you can get nice guitars for even less. Good luck and have fun!
  5. Stacey Morris
    Stacey Morris
    Thanks wormpicker. I am still trying to make up my mind.
  6. brogh
    brogh
    Hi SOMorris

    it’s absolutely normal that string loose pitch when installed brand new... I’d keep her tuned down for some time if th guitar hasn’t been under string tension for some time and let the body “adapt” to it.

    Pics would help

    Cheers
  7. Stacey Morris
    Stacey Morris
    Thanks, Brogh. I don't have a web account for pictures, like Photobucket, etc., but I do have a couple pictures, but don't know how to insert them here.

    I will take your advice, though, and appreciate it.
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