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I've been away for a while. I've missed you heathens.

I have a story to tell here. Last year I spoke with a friend in southern Illinois about a guitar that he's had forever. It was an old, beat-up Kay acoustic. And when I say old, I mean old. It was a 1937 model. He had often talked about restoring it but, finally came to the conclusion that he would never get it done. He offered to sell it to me. He said he wanted to be sure he got it to someone who would restore it and play it.

I didn't know at the time that it would be the last conversation I ever had with my friend. A couple of weeks after I got this beat-up guitar in my hands I was informed that he had died. So, getting it restored was now not just an honor for me but, an obligation. One that I took seriously. The restoration is now complete and I will try to get a video recorded playing it in the next week or so.

I have attached a "before" and "after" picture. I think she looks rather splendid for 81 years old.

Duke 8 Apr 9
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45 comments

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5

Awesome tribute!

3

Magnificent. I look forward to hearing you make the old girl sing in honour and memory of her first owner.

4

Very sorry for the loss of your friend. It's good that you got to see him before he died.
She's a beauty! He obviously knew he was putting her in the right hands.
Looking forward to the performance!
Glad to see you back!

3

I just saw this posted on Everything Guitar on facebook. Great job!

2

Meaningful work made even more meaningful. Good memory.

2

Welcome back and my condolences on the loss of your friend.

2

Oh my god (pardon the expression), she's beautiful!

3

Nice story! Can't say I've ever seen a configuration such as this.

3
2

Oh! My gosh...the guitar looks beautiful, how special... that I would imagine it is to play!

2

She is beautiful. How does she play? I just had some work done on my old girl too, but I took mine to a luthier to do it.

JK666 Level 7 Apr 10, 2018
3

OMG! She's beautiful. I don't know why but just felt she was of the female persuasion. Duke you done your friend proud! Congrats!

2

That's a treasure. Question: Does that one have an arched back as well?

If it's genuinely from the 30s, that would be one made right after Kay hooked up with that violin company whose name I can't remember. I had a friend with an old Kay during my pickin' an' grinnin' phase, but it had a really weird body shape. Your finished product looks yummy. Nice work. How does it sound?

4

Very nice, a fitting tribute.

4

Great looking...

3

Beautiful. How was the neck? Does a guitar that old have a truss?

The neck was in really good shape. The dovetail joint where it connected to the body was destroyed and had to be reconstructed. Other than that, the neck was pretty solid and well constructed. Just needed the original frets smoothed and polished and the neck cleaned and buffed. The neck was like new.

@Duke Great job. Too bad your friend didn't get see it.

4

It must be satisfying for you to honor your friends memory this way. He will live on with the sound of it. I'm proud of you! It is what I would have done.

4

Really nice work! I look forward to the recording. Is that fingerboard made of Rosewood or Ebony? It's hard to tell from the pics.

I believe it's rosewood. I'm not 100% certain though. It's so old it's become discolored. So, it could be rosewood that's darkened with age or, it could be ebony that's faded a bit. But, its the original fretboard and, I think Brazilian rosewood was the go to material in the 30's.

4

Beautiful! I play a little. I have an Ibanez accoustic electric. I wonder how yours sounds?
Sorry about your friend.

Keech Level 5 Apr 10, 2018
4

glad you are back

4

That guitar is awesome. I love old Kay guitars.

4

Excellent, Good Tribute.

Coldo Level 8 Apr 10, 2018
4

How beautiful.

4

Looks awesome! Reborn, not restored. =] Nice work!

4
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