Rebuilding a Kay K-45 Travel Guitar
by Beverly J.
November 21 2024
November 21 2024
![]() |
Home
About
Contact
Recent
Tour
![]() |
Today's Issue | Saturday 19th April 2025 | |
Share: Facebook | Twitter | Whatsapp | Linkedin Visits: 142 Rebuilding a Kay K-45 Travel Guitarby Beverly J.
November 21 2024 ![]()
I found a guitar on eBay, in the winter of 2019, for which I paid $190.87. It arrived from the United Kingdom and had a neck extending to the tail end of the body; and a blond maple "skunk" strip down the center of the through body neck. The listing read: "Kay Travel K-45 Rifle Electric Guitar Spares or Repairs Project Stripped" The original tuning machines were closed gear, and too heavy for a lightweight guitar and would create a heavy neck which would need to be constantly propped up while playing. The original tuning keys would be replaced with incredibly lightweight 18:1 gear ratio Stealth Machine Heads. These incredibly lightweight Stealth Machine Heads only weigh at about 0.4 ounces!
The Kay K-45 was a lightweight travel guitar in which someone tried to modify by installing a whammy style bridge on which they installed off-center! Forcing the high E string off the fret board, making it impossible to string all six strings on the guitar. The bridge came with the B and E string saddles missing. The guitar was not designed to support a "whammy bar" and the "claw" to which the springs attach to the bridge "block" would reside outside a cavity and would be an irritation against chest and abdomen. Because the body was "mutilated" by the improper installation of the tremolo bridge, keeping the original guitar would not be a concern.
At one time the guitar would have been natural, unpainted wood, not the red, white, blue, and yellow colors the guitar was painted when purchased. The guitar would be painted with GMC blue spray paint. Fender and Gibson Guitars were originally painted with automobile paint, often the same color used on cars, but given a new color name when used on guitars. The overall beauty of the guitar will be highlighted but the remarkable rosewood fretboard. Built in 1981, before the 2017 restrictions on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and flora, when there were no restrictions on the use of rosewood in new products, the fret board was made from a thick piece of rosewood.
|
Grade it!0
BANG 0
SIMPLES 0
BIASED 0
SUS 0
BULL |
Add CommentInsert Bullet List Please enter at least one item. Item: Item: Item: Item: Item: Insert Numeric List Please enter at least one item. Item: Item: Item: Item: Item: Insert Link Please enter the link of the website Optionally you can add display text Insert Email Please enter the email address Optionally add any display text Insert Image Please enter the link of the image Insert YouTube Video Please enter the link of the video Image Upload Privacy Policy This policy contains information about your privacy. By posting, you are declaring that you understand this policy:
This policy is subject to change at any time and without notice. Terms and Conditions These terms and conditions contain rules about posting comments. By submitting a comment, you are declaring that you agree with these rules:
Failure to comply with these rules may result in being banned from submitting further comments. These terms and conditions are subject to change at any time and without notice. {"commentics_url":"\/\/skoukor.com\/cmt\/","page_id":311,"enabled_country":true,"country_id":0,"enabled_state":true,"state_id":0,"enabled_upload":true,"maximum_upload_amount":3,"maximum_upload_size":5,"maximum_upload_total":5,"captcha":false,"captcha_url":"","cmtx_wait_for_comment":"cmtx_wait_for_comment","lang_error_file_num":"A maximum of %d files are allowed to be uploaded","lang_error_file_size":"Please upload files no bigger than %.1f MB in size","lang_error_file_total":"The total size of all files must be less than %.1f MB","lang_error_file_type":"Only image file types are allowed to be uploaded","lang_text_loading":"Loading ..","lang_placeholder_country":"Country","lang_placeholder_state":"State","lang_text_country_first":"Please select a country first","lang_button_submit":"Add Comment","lang_button_preview":"Preview","lang_button_remove":"Remove","lang_button_processing":"Please Wait.."} {"commentics_url":"\/\/skoukor.com\/cmt\/","language":"english"} |
Copyright © Skoukor Music 2025
|
||
![]() |
Comments