PaulKing Posted Monday at 15:03 Posted Monday at 15:03 Yes, an actual Kay. Not mine, just saw it on Reverb. I have an almost identical one. https://reverb.com/uk/item/90553106-kay-3-4-double-bass-m-2-restored-very-rare-in-the-uk-cover-and-pickup-included 1 Quote
Happy Jack Posted Monday at 17:30 Posted Monday at 17:30 It would need to play & sound utterly sublime to justify that price tag for a bass in that condition. I get mojo, I get roadworn, I get "has lived a life", but that bass looks as if it was used for target practice. For grenades. 2 2 Quote
PaulKing Posted Monday at 18:59 Author Posted Monday at 18:59 1 hour ago, Happy Jack said: It would need to play & sound utterly sublime to justify that price tag for a bass in that condition. I get mojo, I get roadworn, I get "has lived a life", but that bass looks as if it was used for target practice. For grenades. But look at that lovely label Jack ... 🤩 😁 That's what people are willing to pay for. Doesn't make it a better bass obvs, just pure lust and (unjustifiable) cool factor! Personally, I think it looks cool as flip. The tailpiece and saddle stink I agree ... but largely fixable. Neck break is a shame, but more have that than don't. The table is right where it should be, no sinking ... that's one crucial thing. As long as the neck is at a good angle too... £2.5k is a reasonable-ish price for that old dawg. 1 Quote
Beer of the Bass Posted Monday at 21:25 Posted Monday at 21:25 Unusually for a UK bassist, I started on a borrowed Kay in my teens. It belonged to the local fiddle organisation in Dunoon, they had two Kay basses and at least one cello. I don't know how they got over here, but I'd wager it was connected to the US submarine base that was on the Holy Loch for decades. I had no idea at the time that they were considered anything special. I struggled to get the sound I wanted out of it, but that could easily have been down to me or the strings that were on it. They were round nylon wound on the G and D and round metal wound on the E and A, and had off-white cores with looped ends that could have been gut or a synthetic material. 1 Quote
Bloopdad1 Posted Tuesday at 11:42 Posted Tuesday at 11:42 £2500!!!!! Blimey! There'll need to be £2000 worth of £50 notes stuffed between the wood plys to get me to buy that! 😂 🤣 (And another £500 stuffed in both the neck cracks! 😂) 1 1 Quote
NickA Posted Tuesday at 20:42 Posted Tuesday at 20:42 What's a good laminate bass worth? I played a nice old one that was £1500 and have a friend with a rather nasty new one that cost her £1300. This one needs a new neck really and unless you're The Guitar Weasel, that's going to be expensive. So given the ongoing costs bloopdad seems about right with the pricing! At least the seller is being honest about the condition. 1 Quote
Burns-bass Posted yesterday at 03:42 Posted yesterday at 03:42 6 hours ago, NickA said: What's a good laminate bass worth? I played a nice old one that was £1500 and have a friend with a rather nasty new one that cost her £1300. This one needs a new neck really and unless you're The Guitar Weasel, that's going to be expensive. So given the ongoing costs bloopdad seems about right with the pricing! At least the seller is being honest about the condition. About £1000 maybe? The Musima bass I use cost me £500 and needed a new bridge, endpin and nut and is now a wonderful instrument. It’s not a complex sound and you’d not want to bow it, but for amplified work, travelling in a van and playing 50 odd gigs a year inside and out and in all weathers, it’s ideal. 2 Quote
keeponehandloose Posted yesterday at 11:38 Posted yesterday at 11:38 Nice to see another Kay in the U.K. Only 20 minutes away, but there's just too much mojo for me to tempted. The neck damage is enough to put most people off. Quote
Woodwind Posted 22 hours ago Posted 22 hours ago Other than the cachet of the name I have never really understood the fuss over Kays. The one I played on at a dealers place was eclipsed by every other bass of any construction method at any price he was selling. If you must own a Kay then £2.5k will get you this. If you want a double bass then £2.5k will get you some choice. Rant over 🤣 Quote
PaulKing Posted 7 hours ago Author Posted 7 hours ago 15 hours ago, Woodwind said: Other than the cachet of the name I have never really understood the fuss over Kays. The one I played on... 'The one I played on'! ONE! Think what you're saying! I'm sure you can imagine the amount of variety there is in these old cheaply made basses. Some have such a wonderful sound for roots music when strung and set up properly. Depends on when it was made, which model, what condition, strings, sound post etc etc. And if losers like me get off on the cachet of the name, what's so wrong with that? There is such a thing as cultural and historical value, and that contributes to financial value for those that choose to let it. As you say, you don't understand the fuss over Kays. Doesn't make them all great sounding basses, but no-one is saying that. Jack will tell you mine is a bit of an old dog with a horrid fat neck and a sometimes flat acoustic sound because the sound post needs adjusting, and its a bit of a pig to play on ... but I still love it, and I know how to coax a great live sound out of it. (Plus, I scored an ebay steal off a school orchestra...) Now, shall we discuss King Mortones? 😁 Quote
Beer of the Bass Posted 6 hours ago Posted 6 hours ago 37 minutes ago, PaulKing said: Now, shall we discuss King Mortones? 😁 Those really do seem to be a rarity over here. I've not encountered one I'm the flesh but they look lovely, definitely at the deluxe end of laminates. Quote
PaulKing Posted 6 hours ago Author Posted 6 hours ago 7 minutes ago, Beer of the Bass said: Those really do seem to be a rarity over here. I've not encountered one I'm the flesh but they look lovely, definitely at the deluxe end of laminates. Come to my house, I got two lined up next to the Kay! One is my main gigging bass, wonderful thing. Quote
Burns-bass Posted 6 hours ago Posted 6 hours ago 1 hour ago, PaulKing said: 'The one I played on'! ONE! Think what you're saying! I'm sure you can imagine the amount of variety there is in these old cheaply made basses. Some have such a wonderful sound for roots music when strung and set up properly. Depends on when it was made, which model, what condition, strings, sound post etc etc. And if losers like me get off on the cachet of the name, what's so wrong with that? There is such a thing as cultural and historical value, and that contributes to financial value for those that choose to let it. As you say, you don't understand the fuss over Kays. Doesn't make them all great sounding basses, but no-one is saying that. Jack will tell you mine is a bit of an old dog with a horrid fat neck and a sometimes flat acoustic sound because the sound post needs adjusting, and its a bit of a pig to play on ... but I still love it, and I know how to coax a great live sound out of it. (Plus, I scored an ebay steal off a school orchestra...) Now, shall we discuss King Mortones? 😁 I don’t think he was personally trying to offer you. If you’re happy with what you have, then who else cares? I used to think all ply basses sounded the same but I know now that they don’t. These basses are highly prized on the Bluegrass scene where people want authentic instruments played on those classic recordings. That authenticity has a clear value. (I’m at a Bluegrass festival in Sweden now and a bass like this would be a huge hit!) What else are we going to spend our money on? Quote
PaulKing Posted 6 hours ago Author Posted 6 hours ago No offence taken, honestly! though it did sound a bit that way innit? More in the Partridge 'lets have a heated debate' spirit Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.