Description
The Kay K5920 Speed Demon hollowbody electric bass was one of the Kay company’s many instruments aimed at beginner to semi-pro players. This example from around 1958 is in remarkably good, complete and original condition.
In the late 1950’s when these basses appeared, advertising campaigns were still focused on convincing upright bass players to switch to electric.
These instruments were built into 1963, by which time electric basses had almost completely displaced standup models, but rapidly increasing stage volumes made acoustic basses impractical.
This example is in very good physical and playing condition, and appears to be original and complete. The only real deviation from its original configuration seems to be the addition of a set of stickers on the sides of the Florentine cutaway point, reading 'BL' -- likely the original owner's initials.
Sold with its original fibre case.
Construction and Materials
The Kay Speed Demon name referred to the neck, and in particular to the adjustable truss rod that made getting around on these models so much faster than previous instruments, particularly basses.
The Kay K5920 features a fully hollow body with a single florentine (pointed) cutaway, made of laminate Maple with an arched top and back. The neck is poplar or maple with a Brazilian rosewood fingerboard and the tuners on one side of the headstock.
The headstock features a Kay badge whose design was borrowed from by the Kay ‘Kelvinator’ model guitars, and this large logo is one of the key factors in dating this to around 1958 - by 1960 the logo had changed.
For electronics, a single ‘speed bump’ pickup is located in the middle position. The bridge is rosewood, providing a nicely acoustic, low-sustain, ‘thumping’ tone. An original design by Kay, this pickup was used from 1957 to 1963.
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There are no refunds or returns on used items unless authorized in advance by a Twelfth Fret Sales Associate at time of sale. View Our Full Terms Here |
DETAILS:
- Instrument Model: K5920 Speed Demon Bass
- Instrument Manufacturer: Kay
- Instrument year: 1958, approximately
- Instrument Finish: Nitrocellulose Lacquer Sunburst
- Instrument Class: 4-String Electric Bass Guitars
- Instrument serial number: N/A, built around 1958 in Chicago IL
- Country of Origin: USA
- Instrument Condition: Very Good
- Right-handed
- Instrument Weight Imperial: 6.47 lbs
- Instrument Weight Metric: 2.94 kgs
- Scale Length Imperial: 30.9 in
- Scale Length Metric: 785 mm
- Nut Width Imperial: 1.469 in
- Nut Width Metric: 37.31 mm
- CITIES Documentation Required: Yes
- Case included: Yes
- Case original: Yes
- Items in Case: N/A
- Case Type: Fibre (cardboard) case
- Consignment: Yes
- Product ID: 190760
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There are no refunds or returns on used items unless authorized in advance by a Twelfth Fret Sales Associate at time of sale. View Our Full Terms Here |