The Kay K494 Electric Mandolin began appearing in the early 1960s company catalog and continued to be sold through the mid-sixties. The one pictured is from around 1965 when the "cheese grater" pickup cover began to appear on the instruments.

This model was offered on eBay as a restoration project for the luthier looking for a unique project to work on and complete to a glorious finish. The top was crafted in two-ply spruce and the back and sides are birch. The neck is made from poplar with maple fretboard stained black, and the binding is white paint. The bridge is Brazilian rosewood with adjustable wheels.

The Kay logo on the headstock is painted in white, and the instrument measures twenty-seven inches in length, the body measures 10 3/4 inches across, and the scale length is fourteen inches. The look of the Kay K494 is amazing once completed!