Product: Kay Neck-Through Flying V
Price Paid: #160 (pounds)
Submitted
03/26/2006
at
05:13am
by
C.S.
Features
:
10
Not sure when it was made, I would guess 70s/80s. Great looking guitar, with neck all the way through to the base of the body, with solid wood 'v's either side. Twin humkuckers, two volume and one tone controls, pick up selector switch, plus an unusual 'boost' switch, which needs a 9v battery. Machineheads are grover style, and work well, the frets are jumbo-ish, great for smooth bends. The neck is quite wide, but very playable. Tends to be 'neck heavy' when playing, but you soon get ued to it and adjust accordingly.
Sound
:
9
A great rock and blues sound with plenty of sustain. The boost switch is like using an overdrive pedal - good fun, but not as good as using a pedal, eg tubescreamer. I particularly like the neck pick up which sounds really sweet, with no muddiness.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
10
When I got the guitar, it needed a complete overhaul, ie frets needed polishing, fingerboard oiling, new strings, intonation set etc.. Once completed, the guitar plays really well, and is built using good components.I have scored the guitar based on how it is once I had set it up.
Reliability/Durability
:
9
Well built - can't see there being any issues.
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
Overall Rating
:
10
I've been playing guitar for over 30 years, and have had loads of gear over the years, including most of the top brands. For the money it cost,it is a great guitar. I would definitely replace if I lost it.
Product: Kay Neck-Through Flying V
Price Paid: 100 GBP used
Submitted
10/22/2004
at
03:53am
by
Mike Malcolm
Features
:
10
I'm going with this as a Kay as it has the logo big and bold on the brass truss rod cover. A little research though has indicated it was probably made around 1978 at the Fuji Gen Gakii factory in Japan by the Cortez company (prior to moving to Korea and renaming themselves Cort) and probably rebranded for importers before leaving the factory.
A beautiful through-neck flying v with ash wings and a rosewood ash central neck-through stripey configuration. It came with two humbuckers..previous owner thought they were Dimarzios. They are certainly quality. Machineheads are gold but not good..definately gonna change them.Neck is quite "clubby" yet very fast.....Nut is brass. Fretboard inlays are brass dots with two small "satellite" brass dots either side. Fretboard is rosewood and joins body at 16th fret...access to the dusty end is vituallly unimpeded...easiest by far of all my guitars. in the control cavity there is a 9 volt battery linked up to a mini switch by the pup selector that seems to be a boost switch rather than a coil splitting switch and it is really great....like having nitrous oxide jet fitted to your car...whooaaa!!! Whole thing weighs in around 8lbs. It was covered in a home made mural job when i got it...now it's stripped back to the original natural wood finish it loks killer. Headstock instead of being completely rounded at the top like a gibson has a cute little "nipple" at the top.
Sound
:
10
It really rocks...the humbuckers are powerful and clear...but that boost switch...wow! I play through a Boogie Mk1 with a GP8 processor. Pluck a note, go to the bank, do your weekly shopping, come back and it'll still be ringing out. Despite the all out rock looks, this guiatr can really do it all!!! (except be comfortable sitting down!!)
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
9
Once I'd scraped the daleks and little men mural away, I was faced with smost beautiful through-neck. Afew dings and scrapes as befits a guiate of this age, but bronzing the pup rings with enamel paint and putting gold pickup covers on has made this axe a real looker
Reliability/Durability
:
10
No question this is built to last. I've replaced the strap buttons and put on locks as they upper one was not particularly well placed. In the future I'll probably change the pots but at the moment really no need!!!...I've no hesitation with gigging with this axe. Though i'd change the 9volt bvattery in the control cavity to make sure I can always go turbo!!!
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
n/a...can't even find out any info. I suspect it is originally an old cortez from similar ebay photos.
Overall Rating
:
10
Been playing for 20 years. Own 13 other guitars!!! I needed a v to finish my collection and getting a through-neck for #100 was just such a thrill..just try finding one yourself!!!
I've only had it a week so I can't say how I'd feel if it were lost or stolen apart from being very angry. as it is the only string-through body through-neck designed guiatr i have it sounds quite different from the others...the sustain is something to be believed!!! I'd certainly look for another!!!
