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KAY: MANDOLIN K495
circa 1968

Kay model K495 one pickup, tobaccoburst, hollow body, electric mandolin 1968 made in Chicago, IL USAThis is a Kay model K495, single pickup, electric mandolin with a tobaccoburst finish. It was made cira 1968 by the Kay Musical Instrument Company of Chicago Illinois. It is in very good condition with only minor wear. It was purchased by a former Kay factory worker when they went out of business/got bought by Valco. It might have had very minor use but otherwise, it hung on a wall. An extremely good quality gig bag-case is included.Description from VintageSilvertones.com

GENERAL INFO/CONDITION:
Tobaccoburst finish on both the body and back of the neck. The body is fully bound and in very clean condition with only minor wear. The body is laminated maple. The adjustable bridge is made of rosewood. "K" logo embossed in to the pickguard. It has a very cool fan-like tailpiece and chrome-plated pickup. The gold-colored plastic knobs are in very good condition. The mandolin is 100% original. It has a very thick walled gig bag/case to protect it. The case measures: 31" x 14" x 6"

TUNERS/HEADSTOCK:
Open-back 4x2 tuners with plastic tips on the keys, in proper working order. One tuner is bent but functions correctly. The headstock has a very cool embossed metal Kay logo. It has some wear near the upper corners. There is also minor wear on the edge of the headstock. This electric mandolin plastic nut.

NECK:
Glued-on neck, black maple fretboard, straight with a very slight bow downwards at the 17th fret on the lower side. 20 brass frets in very good condition with very little wear. White dot inlays fret markers. Action is set medium-fast. The back of the neck is extremely clean and shows only minor wear in the form of a few tiny dings. The finish on the back of the neck is really beautiful with tiger strips and a fade/burst.

PICKUP:
One Kay-made pickup, single-coil, low output, functions properly. One tone and one volume control which also function properly.
Description from VintageSilvertones.com

The Dimensions are:
    Overall length: 27 1/4"
    Body width: 10 1/2"Description from VintageSilvertones.com
    Body thickness: 2 3/8" with neck 2 7/8"
    Scale:13 3/4" approx.Description from VintageSilvertones.com
    Width of the nut: 1 1/8" (depth 3/4")
    String height at 12th fret: 1/16" (approximately)

1968 KAY CATALOG DESCRIPTION:

Kay Mandolin
K495--Kay Electric Mandolin. Big, bright-sounding electric mandolin with a brand-new magnetic pick-up unit that provides for clener, truer tone. Fully-arched laminated maple body has a dark brown mahogany finish with gold sunburst; black maple fingerboard with inlaid position markers; adjustable rosewood bridge; celluloid guardplate; metal tailpiece. Magnetic pick-up unit has separate tone and volume controles. Popular pear shape; 26 3/4" x 10 3/8"
Description from VintageSilvertones.com
K495--Kay Electric Mandolin .....................$59.95Description from VintageSilvertones.com


Kay K495 Item #: k2008 SOLD

Kay model K495 one pickup, tobaccoburst, hollow body, electric mandolin 1968 made in Chicago, IL USA