1957 Kay K142 Vintage Neck Through Electric Guitar Copper, 100% Original w/ Case

Up for sale, a 1957 Kay K142 in excellent, 100% original condition and in perfect working order, complete with the original chipboard case. Essentially Kay’s answer to the Harmony H44 (produced right down the road in Chicago, IL), the K142 features neck-through construction, a pair of “pancake” single coil pickups, and a Copper nitro lacquer finish.

The neck and body wings are identified in the Kay catalog as “select hardwood,” paired with a Brazilian rosewood fretboard; the neck-through construction and semi-hollow body wings result in a notably resonant acoustic response. The “pancake” pickups are bold, clear, and warm, even in the bridge position, with smooth, round trebles and an expansive low end response (particularly for a single coil). Toggling to the neck pickup yields a thick, woody bark. This K142 is featherweight at 6lbs, professionally setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar with 11-49 strings, low action, and accurate intonation.

Neck Specs:

-Wood: “Select hardwood”
-Shape: Chunky U, measuring .855” 1st fret, 1.010” 7th fret
-Fretboard: Brazilian rosewood slab, pearloid block inlay
-Frets: Brass, medium, no wear
-Scale Length: 26”
-Nut: 1.650”, bone
-Headstock: Raised metal logo
-Tuners: Kluson Deluxe single-line strip

Body Specs:

-Wood: “Select hardwood”
-Pickups: “Pancake” single coil x2
-Controls: Volume x2, Tone x2, Three-way pickup selector
-Harness: Untouched solder, Stackpole pots date to the 11th week of 1957
-Hardware: Brazilian rosewood bridge, trapeze tailpiece
-Plastics: Stacked brown Bakelite knobs, one-ply pickguard

The gloss Copper nitro lacquer finish (“painstaking hand-rubbed and polished,” according to Kay) presents extremely well, with a bit of buckle wear central to the back and some minor nicks and scuffs consistent with light, careful use. The finish on the neck has a clear delineation between the fingerboard and profile carve, exhibiting some shrinkage that can be felt, particularly on the bass-side, yet largely beyond where the palm makes contact.

The original faux alligator chipboard case is included. There is a piece of missing material adjacent to the rear strap button, and the case retains its original latches and molded handle.