Baxendale '60s Kay 6100 Old Kraftsman Conversion

In response to the folk boom of the late '50s and the rise of rock n' roll in the early '60s, every department store and mail-order catalog wanted to make sure they had plenty of guitars in stock. Mass-produced axes from brands like Harmony, Silvertone, and Kay may have looked the part and temporarily satisfied the desires of aspiring songsters and rockers. While they may have captured the right look to inspire aspiring players, these instruments were entry-level at best. Even though some were made out of the right materials, they were never actually built to be functional instruments that would ever tune and play properly.

Fortunately, Scott Baxendale and his team of luthiers in Athens, Ga., recognize the potential of these guitars and regularly remanufacture them. In doing so, they totally, re-build, re-brace, and re-voice these instruments, giving them new life and world class tone with no shortage of authentic mojo. These inspiring instruments are an exceptional value, and they're an incredible way to recycle and repurpose old axes.

This guitar was originally made in the early '60s, and it started its life as an "Old Kraftsman" branded Kay 6100. The 6100 was Kay's response to the popular Harmony H1260 Sovereign. At the time, it was one of Kay's higher end flat-top guitars, and its unique body shape sits somewhere in between a dreadnought and a jumbo. Although this model was constructed with a Solid Spruce top and mahogany back and sides, they weren't braced properly, and they weren't built to last. Because of that, most of these old chunkers have become wall hangers at best.

This Baxendale ‘60s Kay 6100 Old Kraftsman has been totally rebuilt and re-braced to a hand-voiced, scalloped X-braced pattern, which maximizes the sonic potential of this old box. It also sports new frets, a new bone nut, a new solid rosewood bridge with bone saddle, and Kluson-style tuning machines. It has a narrow 1-5/8" nut width and chunky V carve, and its got throaty low-end thump that is perfect for cranking out chords. This is a cool guitar with a lot of vibe.

This Baxendale ‘60s Kay 6100 Old Kraftsman Conversion includes a hardshell case, and every Baxendale Conversion includes a lifetime warranty. Although it started as an old guitar, this Baxendale Conversion has been made new, so think of it as a "new" old guitar.