About This Listing

This Kay Barney Kessel was made in the USA in 1959. The "Jazz Special" variant of the Barney Kessel is the largest and most ornate. This example is in very clean condition and all original. This guitar is in good playing condition and sounds great. These guitars have a unique truss rod design in which the truss rod is adjusted by a nut that is in the heel of the neck. On this guitar, the threaded screw that the nut goes on has broken, and while the truss rod continues to do its job by keeping the neck straight, it is not adjustable. This guitar weighs 7 pounds 6 ounces and comes with the original case in the pictures.

Listed3 months ago
Condition
Brand
Model
  • K1700 Barney Kessel Pro
Finish
  • Sunburst
Categories
Year
  • 1959
Made In
  • United States
Fretboard Material
  • Rosewood
Color Family
  • Brown
Pickup Configuration
  • SS
Body Type
  • Hollow Body
Right / Left Handed
  • Right Handed
Number of Strings
  • 6-String
Body Shape
  • Single Cutaway
Finish Pattern
  • Sunburst
Bridge/Tailpiece Type
  • Stop-Bar
Neck Construction
  • Bolt-On
Number of Frets
  • 18

About the Seller

Southside Guitars

Brooklyn, NY, United States
(2,704)
Joined Reverb:2012
Items Sold:3,539
Product Overview
The Kay brand has been produced by a number of builders going back as far as the 1930s. Kays were marketed as budget instruments in a number of catalogs and department stores through the '60s. The Barney Kessel Pro is one of the most sought-after and valuable Kay models. It was made in both one and two pickup configurations. 

Design Elements: Block inlays, trapeze tailpiece, two pickups

Notable Kay Players: Jack White, Bob Dylan, Ry Cooder

 
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