thefrights
Joined: Mar 03, 2014
Posts: 20
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Posted on Mar 03 2014 08:28 AM
Thought I'd do an introductory post with a new guitar I'm hoping to put to good use in our new surf/punk style band.
It's a vintage Kay K2 I picked up for a good price and now just anticipating it's arrival in the next few days!
Looks much like an SG but with the teisco-type single coil pups which to my ear sound a bit warmer than usual single coils, but not as phat as a humbucker, but I'll report back when I've had a chance to try it out.
The trem is missing in action so I've got a replica on order to fit, again the teisco style vintage vibrato for some light bigsby-esque good vibrations.
If anyone knows anything else about these guitars would be great to hear from you and if anyone wants to know more when I get the guitar I can post photos/answer questions etc.
As far as my research goes, this one was probably made in the 70's under the Kay brand, plywood body, possibly mahogany neck and switching to run pups individually or in series.
I'm expecting to do some mods on it after it arrives to get it roadworthy, namely replace the tremolo, possibly change the machineheads, adjust the action and might have to replace one of the switches as that isn't working right apparently. If the pups aren't so great (old microphonic vintage sounding = hopefully good) I may end up replacing 1 or both.
Cheers, Jim
— The Frights Youtube
The Frights Facebook
The Frights Reverbnation
Last edited: Mar 03, 2014 08:31:29
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thefrights
Joined: Mar 03, 2014
Posts: 20
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Posted on Mar 03 2014 08:42 AM
Mean't to say I believe it was made in Taiwan back in the day and I'm mainly hoping to use it for some warm reverb and some fuzz/overdrive/feedback.
Here's a pic of what it should look like when I've got that teisco style tremolo on it:
Cheers, Jim
— The Frights Youtube
The Frights Facebook
The Frights Reverbnation
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Noel
Joined: Mar 15, 2011
Posts: 8528
Back in Piitsburgh, Pennsylvania, where I grew up.
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Posted on Mar 03 2014 09:00 AM
Welcome to sg101, Jim. Very glad you're here. Your new guitar ought to easily fit into The Frights' soundscape. You wouldn't also be known as Marc Raygun, would you?
— This is Noel. Reverb's at maximum an' I'm givin' 'er all she's got.
Last edited: Mar 03, 2014 09:02:11
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SanchoPansen
Joined: Jan 04, 2011
Posts: 1588
Berlin L-Berg
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Posted on Mar 03 2014 09:01 AM
Hey Jim, welcome to the forum.
That's a wild looking guitar you got there!
— The Hicadoolas
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thefrights
Joined: Mar 03, 2014
Posts: 20
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Posted on Mar 03 2014 09:08 AM
Thanks Noel, no but I'll give you a cigar anyway - Marc is our illustrious leader, I'm Jim, on 2nd guitar in the band. 
— The Frights Youtube
The Frights Facebook
The Frights Reverbnation
Last edited: Mar 03, 2014 09:09:17
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thefrights
Joined: Mar 03, 2014
Posts: 20
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Posted on Mar 03 2014 09:10 AM
@SanchoPansen
Thanks and yeh I'm really hoping it's as wild as it looks! 
— The Frights Youtube
The Frights Facebook
The Frights Reverbnation
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thefrights
Joined: Mar 03, 2014
Posts: 20
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Posted on Mar 03 2014 10:26 AM
Just saw this video, to give an idea of the pickup sound:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXdwSZu4Dvo
Some sweet warm tones there especially with both pups in series...
— The Frights Youtube
The Frights Facebook
The Frights Reverbnation
Last edited: Mar 03, 2014 10:27:11
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CrazyAces
Joined: Jul 31, 2012
Posts: 4053
Nashville, TN.
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Posted on Mar 03 2014 01:37 PM
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thefrights
Joined: Mar 03, 2014
Posts: 20
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Posted on Mar 03 2014 02:25 PM
@CrazyAces
Yeh tbh not expecting much but loved the sound of the pickups I heard and the overall vibe - being ply and a pretty thin body I'm expecting it to be a featherweight... I'll definitely report back.
— The Frights Youtube
The Frights Facebook
The Frights Reverbnation
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thefrights
Joined: Mar 03, 2014
Posts: 20
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Posted on Mar 05 2014 08:57 AM
Ok, little update as I've just received the new teisco-style trem system (but still no K2 as yet). Here's a photo of the trem which seems pretty decent:
— The Frights Youtube
The Frights Facebook
The Frights Reverbnation
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imafunkyman
Joined: Sep 16, 2007
Posts: 548
Utah
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Posted on Mar 05 2014 11:15 AM
It sounds pretty good in the video. Good luck!
— Either you surf, or you fight.
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JObeast
Joined: Jul 24, 2012
Posts: 2762
Finknabad, Squinkistan
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Posted on Mar 05 2014 12:12 PM
Kool faux-SG Kay. I dig those cheap microphonic pickups. They have poisonality, like charismatic mutt dogs do.
I got one of those Teisco-whammies from GFS for my Teisco Swankcaster build and have to say it's not my favorite whang bar. Maybe if/when I change strings I should dismantle it and hone all the surfaces as Mr. CrazyAces told me I should.
P.S. I was in Bain Capital Musical Instruments (AKA GC) the other day and their Vintage Room had a single-p'up Teisco 'Tulip' hanging next to a Kay likewise appointed. The prices were $249 & $279 resp. Can you spell 'counter-intuitive pricing'?
— Squink Out!
Last edited: Mar 05, 2014 12:16:05
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thefrights
Joined: Mar 03, 2014
Posts: 20
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Posted on Mar 05 2014 07:25 PM
woohoo - got the K2 finally late this afternoon and have been tinkering with this pawnshop special for a good few hours now!
The adjustable bridge was completely misaligned with the pups and was making it difficult to fit the new trem, so realligned that and then fitted the teisco-copy trem. It's a shame because the original base plate almost worked with the new arm/hinge but the spring was off centre so whanger didn't return as expected with the old base plate.
Like the rest of the guitar, the bridge is a unique beast to say the least as you can adjust it up/down a bit too easily for my liking... going to have to find the perfect position and then bolt that baby down to stop intonation issues with the adjustable nuts free wheeling.
The bridge also has 3 notches for every string which makes it quite easy to knock a string off allignment but seems to be holding up under some pretty heavy whanging.
The machineheads are the 3 strip type (found on classical guitars), it's going to be interesting to see how they hold up with whanger and I might have to replace those sooner rather than later for something more solid.
Overall, I'm happy, most things are workable and I'm really liking the tones coming out of the pickups which are unlike anything I've played before - definitely some nice warm surf tones there.
Here are some before/after shots of my new vintage pawn friend:
Before shot - check the off centre bridge position(!):
After shot with new trem affixed and bridge realligned:
— The Frights Youtube
The Frights Facebook
The Frights Reverbnation
Last edited: Mar 05, 2014 19:27:10
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Noel
Joined: Mar 15, 2011
Posts: 8528
Back in Piitsburgh, Pennsylvania, where I grew up.
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Posted on Mar 05 2014 07:44 PM
It had some wonderful tones in the video. I'm really looking forward to hearing yours.
— This is Noel. Reverb's at maximum an' I'm givin' 'er all she's got.
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thefrights
Joined: Mar 03, 2014
Posts: 20
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Posted on Mar 05 2014 07:48 PM
Oh, and forgot to say, this thing is tiny and featherweight just as I thought which is actually pretty sweet. 
@JOBeast
Finding this whanger pretty good for light whanging as it goes, nothing special but then again it's probably 1/6 of the price you'd pay for a branded bigsby or the like so all good.
The pups definitely are charismatic - your description cracked me up and yeh probably about right! haha
Crazy what some people ask for these... I wouldn't pay that kind of monies but if you can pick one up on the cheap it's well worth it imo!
After a bit more fine tuning I reckon this slab of ply might just become my goto surfgeetarrr. yeehaw
— The Frights Youtube
The Frights Facebook
The Frights Reverbnation
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thefrights
Joined: Mar 03, 2014
Posts: 20
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Posted on Mar 05 2014 08:04 PM
@Noel, when I've finally fixed the amp up (in other thread) I'll try and put together a video (or at least audio) of the pup sounds with the Laney when I get a chance. ;)
Cheers, Jim
— The Frights Youtube
The Frights Facebook
The Frights Reverbnation
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