Kay KJB 1B

Well, its a les paul shape, with a clear mahogony finish on a laminated body. It has a short scale 20 fret neck, with a white binding around it. It is made of some wood with which im unfamiliar with as it has a deep amber shine, with a rosewood skunk stripe.
It has a single coil chrome pickup, near the neck and a bridge cover, also chrome, which i had to clean to make it shine. With a single vol and tone, with a finger rest further up.
The bridge isnt very good, the only downside i can find, and looks as if some 10 year old in a machine workshop made it from 2 bits of bent galvanised steel. Although it still works, and i like the way the strings can just be slipped off.
Although its only a 6, its got the same features as a p bass (although not as much as the dark fire)

Well, ive got this bad boy set up with some short scale flat wounds, with what ive now found to be a dead e string, and it sounds fantastic. Just like you'd expect a vintage bass to sound. it has a very similar sound to a double bass, which is what i think they were going for.
The tonal response isnt great, but as i said, it has the same features of a p bass, but full clockwise produces a sound where you can hear the bunging from moving the fingers round, giving that extreme double bass kicker. Then all the way counter, gives an underground club heard from aboveground sound. It is very good.

Well, i bought this bass about 3 years ago at a car boot sale from a guy who had it on his display in his restaurant for many a year. When i got it had a layer of grime and dust that covered it, which had to be cleaned. So i dismantled it, treated it, and re assembled it for a fantastic look.
i admit it is, when the bridge is in its lowest position, it is a little high, and you cant adjust the pickup height, but its once again all for that double bass player gone horizontal.
The only bad thing is the neck strap button placement, it initiates a little neck dive, bu then just sit down when you play.

it feels a little delicate when you first start playing, but it still stands up to everything it needs too, after all, its lived for over 40 years. But it should stand up to everything a medium band needs to.

Well..... im pretty sure the company doesn't exist anymore, so i dont think theres anything to go here

Well, ive been playing bass for around 6 years now, and this really is a nice little bass for that old school sound. I mean if you find one, definitely get it, as long as you dont pay too much. And if it got robbed, id be quite sad, and would have no idea what bass i could find to replace it, as it really is a unique one.

Short scale, zero fret, bolt on neck, solid ply wood body about 1" thick, Les Paul shape, translucent dark reddish brown or brownish red. One pick up, tone and volume. For a cheap bass the machines are good, smooth, light, accurate and stable. Bridge/tailpiece is the real surprise, adjustable for overall height and intonation in pairs. At a guess, it's early '70s. Made in Korea.

Much better than you'd expect so:-

Makes a crisp bright sound. Just the one so you'd better like it. No hiss or crackles though.

Very limited tonal range. Must try a different capacitor. Until then:-

Clever bridge, lovely straight neck, perfect intonation, nicely finished frets but slung together any old how. Bridge screwed down off centre so the strings are closer to the G edge of the fret board than the E. Even with the bridge set at its lowest the action was uncomfortably high. Easily solved by putting the neck plate beetween the body and neck and replacing it with 4 repair washers. Lovely low action now. Some good points and the bad ones easily put right by someone with some experience, but pity thr poor novice who bought this thing 30 years ago. Hence:-

Don't know how it would have stood up to 30 odd years of gigging, but its survived 30 odd years of neglect and indifferent treatment and the fundamentals are still OK even if it looks a mess. I'd trust it; theres not much to go wrong.

Who'd want one? Me for a start. I only double (or dabble) on bass so something that cost me next to nothing but works reliably is just right. Correctly set up, the short scale and light weight would make it perfect for junior players.

I've never seen another (which makes it a talking point) though the same neck and hardware got used on the much more common SG shaped model.

Shame about the limited tonal range.

If anything happened to it I'd try to find another.