Kay K-20t

I don't know much about guitars, I never could play one.
It is (so I am told) a mid 1970s Kay base. 22 frets, I guess an ivory tab at the top of the frets. Top of the head is like a smiley face and uniformed in equality, no inscriptions, just a sticker of a K in a circle. T shaped tuner knobs. Adjusting rod, this is not a one piece guitar. Metal plate in back. Nice red body, with a couple of scratches on the back that are minor. Tan colored back part of neck. Two volume and two tone knobs. Also a three way switch choosing both pickups, the back or the front. It is a 4 string guitar. Luxury to me.

After it went to a musical instrument technician, the buzzing stopped. sounds great, even with a small T-power amp and really odd sound from a distortion foot control piece. A psuedo amp device.
On variety? The rhythm of "Smoke On The Water" and "Iron Man" being capable is great. (Top String)

As for action, I can easily use my left three fingers for choosing frets and easily glide across the strings full length. I don't use the piece to hold my fingers and slap my thumb on the strings, but it's nice having it there.
Pickups are great. I have no clue as to proper whatever of a guitar.
The guitar was, when I acquired it, with a high lift on the strings.
The black plastic covers don't align flush though. Top one overlaps the bottom one just a hair. It can stay that way

I am hoping I can get someone to play it at a gig, in order to give it justice. I know it is dependable. (I have heard and seen a few fenders and I like my guitar better) Besides, I can see wood grain on my guitar, not paint. Shiny too. Everything is solid on it.

I already mentioned the technician setting it all correct. I paid out of my pocket for the work to be done.

I am 40, I acquired the guitar about 5 years ago. I am not musical instrument inclined. Though this guitar has changed my lack of being able to play an instrument, short of the Recorder. If it were stolen, I would be p..., and it is not getting lost. I would just like to have this guitar. I like also other than being able to play an instrument, that it is the only instrument that I feel comfortable with. Other guitars have never felt right in my hands, this one seems like a chosen one. I need, not -"should wish", but need to acquire a better case for it. I did build a long neck stand of copper, brass and a metal base with foam pads, with a screw on latch (small couplings and tubes, fitting above the body to make sure it is not just picked up by anyone. I would show a photo if possible. Favorite part is that I have do-dads, and other guitars just have a couple. Like I have the guitar with the options, power windows, sunroof, cruise, lumbar heated seats; and not a crank up window, push back and lift the lever to move the seat, and it's kind of warm, I must have spilled coffee on the seat. This guitar is furnished and looks sweet.

My Kay was made in Japan in the early to mid 70's, it has an SG style body with contoured edges that appears to made of mahogany. The neck is made of the same wood and has a bound rosewood fretboard with block inlays. It's a bolt on neck w/22 medium sized frets (including a zero-fret)a slightly "Deanish" headstock w/3 aside tuners. It's got 2chrome n' black vinyl p-90 p/u's,2 volume,2tone,and a 3 way switch.
The body is laminated and stained a very Gibsonish cherry, the pickguard has the Kay logo on it n' it's stacked like a Rickenbacker.
It has a roller bridge and a very nice Bigbsy (copy?) Tremelo...

I play punk,rockibilly,surf and blues and my old Kay sounds perfect for my needs. I run it through a 71 Traynor tube amp and a little overdrive, reverb,echo and vibrato and it just kicks! The P/u's can get noisy but to annoying. My Kay can go from tele sparkle to Les Paul junoir chunk n' anything between. The trem works pretty well you cango up or down with it and it returns to the correct tuning @ 99% of the time. I changed the bridge p/u to a Dimarzio humbucking soapbar but it doesn't have the fatness or chunk as the stock ones!!!

The action is perfect and the neck is as straight as can be,all frets are good and level and the neck is "just chunky enough" The p/u sounded great the first time I plugged it in.The only reason I put the other one in was it was just sittin' around and I thought it would work great,it's the one the gives me most of the sparkly,clear
tones. I love the big open sound my K-20t gets,the only flaw is the slight overhang of the body in the neck pocket.

This baby is pretty durable,I've dropped,kicked and thrown it around
it takes a beating well,I changed the tuners becuase the old ones were stripped,it now sports a set of really nice schallers.The hardware is good and solid,the finish is alittle easy to scratch but who cares, aguitar should be played-not locked in a glass case, scrathes add character and history to an instrument, besides it's 20+ years old, the clear coat is long gone. I would use my Kay on any gig without a backup except for maybe my customized Harmony Rocket,just cause the Rocket is set up for playing slide.

The American Kay company went bust in the late 60's so the Japanese bought the name and started making guitars over there in the early 70's,Kays weren't available here in North America for some time but the last few years they have been making a comeback though there stuff is just crappy classless now- not that they did'nt have some crap before but even Gibson has made some shity guitars. Any repair work I can do myself,It's really easy to do,you should learn it to..

I'm 26 and have been playing for about 12 years,if my Kay was lost I would try to replace her,if i had to compare it to any other guitar I would say a Les Paul special or junoir,it just has that feel and sound to it. I love cheap old guitars,nothing beats a fully cranked amp,some friends and an old Kay,Silvertone or Harmony. These old babies are great,they almost always sound good or cool, have there own little personalities and best of all, are fun to own and play......and there usually pretty cheap.