SLT Vintage Presents 1959 Kay 1701S Kessel Pro w/ 1959 Lifton Case and Key.

What a gorgeous work of art this peghead is. Sometimes referred to as “Kelvinator” it is a deco lovers delight! This Kessel Pro, currently set up with flat 11’s, is in very good condition, playable and 100% factory stock. The Original 1959 Lifton case is lined with thick plush crimson and the Excelsior hardware locks correctly with the original Excelsior stamped key. The case is in excellent condition. Gibson used these cases, and due to this, they can cost quite a bit.

This is an incredible sounding instrument in the hands of an expert. Watch it here:

youtube.com/watch?v=vNrqRxGaX2A

Visit The Chronologue entry on this model for detailed specifications.

sltvintage.com/thechronologue/1959-kay-1701s-kessel-pro/

This Kay Mfd. “Kleenex” type pickup is Super-Hot hitting almost 12k. It is clear and powerful. Add to this 6 height adjustable pole pieces and a great balance can be achieved depending on your playing style. The neck angle is decent but not perfect, and the relief is just enough to not cause buzzing over the entire course of the neck. The truss adjustment works, and action currently sits at 1/16” 1st fret , 3/32” 12th with the bridge at its lowest. The rosewood floating compensated bridge provides perfect intonation to assure it stays in tune in every position. All notes speak properly over the entire 18 frets. The fingerboard shows slight cowboy chord wear on first three frets but overall, the wear is minimal and the .080” medium frets do not need attention. This guitar is light and easy to play with a 13” lower bout semi-hollow body. There are two maple tone bars affixed the entire length of the top to harness excessive feedback. The Grover Butterbean tuners are precise and clean.

Pictures show any defects. There is no checking in the nitro, and it exhibits normal playwear. The tailpiece exhibits minor wear, top of the peghead shows minor wear with small scratch on back. The only defects worth mentioning are light scratches on center back, and a few small areas of binding shrinkage with paint wear. There is no separation anywhere on this guitar. A few tiny stress cracks can be seen in the plastic peghead cover and pickup cover.

Inside the Lifton case is the original key, two guitar cables and one large clear triangle vintage pick.

Setups and cleaning are not performed except for photos. The bridge is removed for shipping. A knowledgeable setup may be required.

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