Product: Kay K-312
Price Paid: US $80.00
Submitted
09/18/2003
at
03:42am
by
Paul
Email: none
Features
:
10
WAS 12 string NOW 6 string.. I'm not the first to use a twelve string as a six string however this particular KAY model K-312 might be of interest to a fingerstyle country/country-blues picker.
Spuce top, maple back and sides (flat top) .. 14 frets to body with split MOP blocks.. nice wide frets, comfortable neck. Saddle with adjustable insert (great feature) .. white inlaid triple black stripe on top, black bottom inlaid. Shaped and sized very much like GIBSON J-45 wih bigger sound hole. Ladder bracing on bottom, V bracing top. My mind could be playin' tricks on me but it seems as well built as any of my Gibson boxes.
Sound
:
10
I mostly play earliest country blues, delta blues up to early electric chicago, as a slight diversion I enjoy country pickin and slidin in the style of one of the obscure greats namely Frank Hutchison, this is the style that this guitar is great.. because it is a big box, it is loud, very loud which enables me to pull off the finger picks and use fingernails (luxury) and get good volume. dynamics and tone. It is very string sensitive. Now I am using GHS Brite Bronze 12's giving the sound a bright, toneful but controllable sound, the type sound that when fingerpickin' you tend to sound like 2 guitars, in other words, this guitar gives the illusion that I am better and faster then I am with nice overtones sustaining in the open tunings.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
10
This Kay is really a fine piece of work.. yes I am sure its a Kay, who actually built it is another question.
Reliability/Durability
:
10
Its good to go for gig
Customer Support
:
5
I don't know whats up with Kay.. someone is manufacturing guitars using Kay logo but thats all I know ..
Overall Rating
:
10
This guitar was purchased on Ebay.. I was snooping around and no one had dropped a bid, (listed as twelve string KAY) starting bid was 80 bux and thats what I paid plus 25 bux shipping. (Ebay is a crap shoot "buyer beware" but more often then not it has worked out for me) Playing since the sixties although I don't remember for sure.. I've been told I was in a few bands back then.