Bad Memories ( Kay )

[kodiakblair]

Saw this and thought "Oh NO"

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/121510646394?_trksid=p2047675.m570.l5999&_trkparms=gh1g%3DI121510646394.N36.S2.R1.TR13

I'd one of these after the £1 hollowbody with the nailed pickup and tuners a'La pliers. Bought out the catalogue.

I don't remember " Awesome vintage tone " more I mind weak pickup, building grade plywood body,short scale neck and flatwound
strings.Try sounding like Geezer with that.

It got painted black with a Skull, defretted,then had the horns sawn off after I saw the Steinberger. That was a bad idea so the horns were nailed
back on.

None of these mods improved the looks or sound any

[BassBus]

Can't imagine why anyone in their right mind would pay £30 for one of these. I started on something very similar only labeled as "Raver". Anything but. Cost all of £26 in 1977. I think I prefer my Status basses. [size=4] [/size]

[kodiakblair]

I'm of the same mind BassBus.

Can't be anyone who played these back then bidding. I mean they were built for Sears in the US and Woolies over here.

There was no difference between the bass and the guitar bodies and both used the same pickups. Everybody I knew who
bought the Kay 50W amp had them blow up.

These set music back 10 years, if it was a choice trying to play one of them or a wee casio keyboard. Casio won every time.

[BassBus]

I might mock it after 37 years but it got me started on the bass and that has been a passion ever since.

[FlatEric]

[quote name='BassBus' timestamp='1418555570' post='2631075']
I might mock it after 37 years but it got me started on the bass and that has been a passion ever since.
[/quote]

Yep, me too - mine was the Tulip one???

I was a guitarist and then the band needed a bass player - way back in the 3 day week era.
It was the only thing I could get my hands on/could afford.
Opened up a whole new world to me.

About 4 years ago, I can across one, about in the same condition mine was.
Bought it, plugged it in, expecting it to be totally NAFF.
It wasn't.

Can't say it was brilliant but it passed muster!

Notstalgia, Eh??

[spacey]

We are seeing a fools rush to old bass gear to get that "Classic vintage tone"
Now as someone a bit older than most on here, I can tell you we cried to the sky when Trace elliot launched and the japanese started making basses.
Until then you had very poor valve amps like Orange, yes Orange, total pants distorted awful amps.
Fender basses thatcost £700 and weighed 3 tonnes and had action you could keep your sandwhiches under and then an abundance of Kay/ Czechoslovakian rubbish that was unplayable.
Out came the Westone thunder 1, a bass you could actually play that cost under £150
A revolution was born.
Squire launched to compete, others came in on market, Aria,Tokia, Ibanez, all with playable instruments that you could afford, Trace elliot made a bass amp you could carry and gig with and it stayed working.
We would not go back to the Good old days if you paid us.
Before the revoution, bass gear sucked and it sucked big time.

[kodiakblair]

The revolution gave us choice an option unheard of in my hometown.

Our local shop Thomson Music sold pianos and organs,then their own branded guitars appeared a Strat , Tele and a P bass.
No colours just a greyish stain. P bass cost £119.99, nearly 2 months wages and weighed about 12lbs, played great though.

Man I wish I still had that bass. Years later I A/Bd it against 6 Fenders. Never bought a Fender in my life on strength of that.

Think of the money I saved

[gelfin]

Well somebody wanted it.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/121510646394?_trksid=p2047675.m570.l5999&_trkparms=gh1g%3DI121510646394.N36.S2.R1.TR13

[inthedoghouse]

I seem to remember Kay being a model the local Woolworths sold? :-)

[kodiakblair]

That's right doghouse.

Woolies the fine purveyor of musical instruments.

[spacey]

I would say they ended more bass players futures than created them.
They were at best unplayable, intonation was impossible and the action was of legends.
Todays players do not know how lucky they are, £120 buys you a new bass you can play and learn on.
As said in those days, it was Fender and they were hit and miss as well.
Rickenbackers had a pick up problem that ran on too long, you just could not get any bass out of them with the poor amps and speakers available.
I think the first to arrive from Japan were Hondo basses with a p pick up that you could afford and play.
They had playable action and intonate correctly.
The poor sod buying this will get vintage alright, back to the days when it was a two horse race.

[icastle]

[quote name='spacey' timestamp='1418597933' post='2631657']
The poor sod buying this will get vintage alright, back to the days when it was a two horse race.
[/quote]

...and one of those was a bit under the weather...

[inthedoghouse]

[quote name='kodiakblair' timestamp='1418597648' post='2631654']
That's right doghouse.

Woolies the fine purveyor of musical instruments.
[/quote]
Lol! :-)

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='kodiakblair' timestamp='1418547251' post='2630976']
That was a bad idea so the horns were nailed back on.

[/quote]

I'd pay good money to see that bass ...

[kodiakblair]

Happy Jack

It was burned for crimes against music

Now here's a thing that Kay ended yesterday at £30 with 19 bids yet it's re-listed today?

Did the men with white coats cart him off before he could pay ?

[spacey]

[quote name='kodiakblair' timestamp='1418676428' post='2632298']
H
Did the men with white coats cart him off before he could pay ?
[/quote]

[Lozz196]

My first bass was a Kay EB-O like bass. Action must have been an inch if not more. I really wish I`d kept it for nostalgia but hey, I can live without it, and it`s not like I`d ever try and play it anymore if it were still around.

[the hand of john curley]

My first bass in 1986 was exactly the same as this Kay. I remember collecting it, having saved paper round money and was so excited.
Yes, in hindsight it was beyond dreadful.....however.... It turned me onto a whole new world, and I've never looked back.....
Not so much the Sound City amp I had that sounded like sh*te, distorted beyond belief at any volume past 2......and weighed more than my dads legendary Rover 827 SLi!....yea readers that's right.....an SLi! 😂😂😂