This is an ultra rare 50′s Kay Stratotone. An early electric built in Chicago to compete with the Les Paul and with many similarities to the Harmony Stratotone of the era. It was also branded as an Old Kraftsman Speed Demon. Think it’s a ’57 but am unsure as I have seen some marked as being early 50′s models.

The neck-thru design and uber fat neck means big tone. The dual single-coil pickups deliver a classic retro sound and are hooked up to the coolest stack pots I have ever seen on a guitar. The neck is ridiculously beefy which matches the sound. Kluson-Deluxe tuners with pegs like old me’s teeth.

This guitar has the most amazing player’s wear. The neck laquer is down to the wood and the ultra-rare Silverburst finish body has a great elbow wear and cracked laquer finish.

Tags: 50's, 60's, chicago, dual single-coil pickups, fifties, gibson, guitar, harmony, kay, kluson deluxe, kraft, les paul, neck-thru, old kraftsman, rare, sixties, speed demon, stratotone, vintage

Tags: 60's, 70's, chicago, double cutaway, dual p90s, gibson, glued neck, guitar, les paul, les paul junior, rare, seventies, sixties, univox, vintage

Deadly sounding late 40′s Silvertone Lapsteel made by Harmony in Chicago circa 1948.

The electronics are very similar to Gibson’s early 40′s Kalamazoo units and it’s reckoned that Gibson sold the unused stock of these pickups too Harmony after WWII.

Very cool, ultra-light and powerful lapsteel that still sounds great nearly 70 years on.

Tags: 40′s, 50′s, blues, chicago, danelectro, electric, fifties, forties, gibson, guitar, harmony, kalamazoo, kay, lapsteel, nathan daniel, rare, sears, silvertone, single-coil pickup, slide, vintage

Tags: 1448, 60's, amp in case, beck, blues, chicago, danelectro, electric, guitar, lipstick pickup, masonite, nathan daniel, rare, recording, sears, sears and roebuck, silvertone, sixties, slide, sparkle, vintage, vinyl sidewalls

This beast is a 4-octave range, dolphin-nosed Silvertone 1444 U1 bass. This one is a 1961 model (I think) because of the lined pickguard.

It’s in mint condition. Super fast playing. You can solo away to your hearts content on this one. Comes with the original hardcase!

The 1444 was the first 4-string bass offered by Sears and was the longest running member of the 4-member Silvertone bass family that started out with the rare, and ahead of its time, 1373 6-string “Baritone” bass in 1958.

Feautures a Dano style U1 body and the famous Dano bridge and the Dano skate key tuner system.

This one sounds really cool, real twangy honky sounding and especially cool with a nice load of ratty distortion.

Tags: 1373 6-string “Baritone” bass, 1444, 4 octave range, 4-string, 60's, bass, blues, chicago, danelectro, dano u1 body, dolphin-nosed, electric, guitar, lipstick pickup, long scale, masonite, nathan daniel, original hardcase, rare, recording, sears, sears and roebuck, silvertone, sixties, skate key tuner, super long-scale, vintage, vinyl sidewalls

This is more commonly known as the Jimmy Reed Model for it’s association with the late, great blues man. It’s a much sought-after instrument. Its a heavy, fat-necked beast because of the huge pickup magnets and the electronics hidden behind the expansive pickguard and all fastened to a solid block that extends from the neck to the bottom of the body.

All this gives it great warmth and body. It’s a great playing guitar, fast frets and a really beautiful piece of 50′s design. Sounds amazing with lovely feedback tones up and down the neck, huge bottom end and a lush mellow presence.

The 1381 dates from ’55 / ’56. The Kay version was Jimmy Reed’s preferred guitar but Howlin’ Wolf and his sideman Hubert Sumlin also played these beauties.

Tags: 1381, 50's, blues, chicago, danelectro, electric, fifties, guitar, harmony, howling wolf, hubert sumlin, jimmy reed, kay, lipstick pickup, nathan daniel, rare, recording, sears, sears and roebuck, silvertone, slide, vintage

This is the guitar that started it all for me. It was the first vintage guitar I ever bought after being the proud minder of a Silvertone Twin Twelve (possibly the greatest sounding guitar amp ever made) for a friend of mine. After hearing that I was convinced this was the way to go so I hunted down a U1.

And I found this little mutant, which was put together by some other slide guitar loving friends of mine in Woodstock Atlanta Georgia. I think this is a modded ’59  as it has the top mounted jack out, and the Georgia lads handmade tele-style bridge and pickguard for her and also added the phat studio style control knobs.

Amazing sounding short scale lipstick tube pickup glory…

The Silvertone 1304 Wishbook model was the only model offered from the Sears & Roebuck “Wish Book” Catalog. This odd changeling was only available for 3 years between 1958 and 1960, with each yearly model having a few subtle differences like a top or side mounted jack, a circular cut-out or metal back panel or a straight or sweep cutaway.

All were a mid-positioned single lipstick (just like the classic 1448), but this was a unique pickup placement for the U1 series family, only available on these models.

This guitar has a coke-bottle headstock, loads of player wear on the neck, plenty of nicks and scratches, a circular back panel cut-out, and a straight cutaway unlike the 1960 version.

Tags: 1304, 50's, 60's, blues, chicago, coke-bottle headstock, danelectro, electric, fifties, guitar, lipstick pickup, masonite, mid-positioned lipstick pickup, nathan daniel, rare, recording, sears, sears and roebuck, silvertone, sixties, slide, u1 body, vintage, vinyl sidewalls

Norma guitars were built in Japan between ’65 and ’70 by Tombo and distributed out of Chicago.

This one is another unknown model with amazing sounding gold foil pickups and a decent whammy.

(The pickups in this guitar are often taken out and used in acoustic guitars to superb effect).

Tags: 60's, blues, chicago, electric, fish fin headstock, gold foil pickups, guitar, harmony, japan, kay, lightweight, norma, rare, recording, sixties, teisco, tombo, vintage, whammy

The Deep South Mascot. Used to be Southside’s mascot so i’m returning the favour. This mutant is going to have to be beaten from my hands. It’s the DS Vintage pet. A total mutant.

Its actually a Norma Burns Copy body with a 12-string neck to bring it back to a 6-string; but then it seems to have the original fretboard from the Norma Burns copy as the pearl inlays are the same.

Dont think it’s the original pickups either but who cares – when it sounds like this – it is deservid of the word awesome.

So the Jesus Saves Model made by… none other than The Man Himself. Double P90′s – blended – (both pickups on / both with volumes / and a low mid and high blender). Low blend is all wooly and fuzzy, but then you flick to the mid and the high blend’s to add the incredible bite, crunch and cut of the top pickup.

Killer sounding gitbox – not for sale – maybe.

Tags: 60′s, blues, chicago, custom, custom headstock, dual p90s, electric, guitar, harmony, japan, jesus, kay, lightweight, norma, pickups, rare, recording, sixties, teisco, tombo, vintage

Harmony were once the largest music instruments manufacturer in America. Founded in 1892 by William Schultz. Harmony made its name post-War making ukuleles and was eventually bought by Sears; and they went on to sell 350,000 guitars at its peak in ’65 out of Chicago and over 8 million before the doors closed in 1975.

This is a Jap built 80′s solid body, dual pickup, with a great blues tone. Lovely overdriven pickup sound. Very pretty orange-burst glossy finish and signature fish-tail headstock.

Not much info on this one. Great little guitar for mincing on. Also one that’s good for the Girls cause it’s really small and light.

Tags: 60′s, blues, chicago, dual humbuckers, electric, fish fin headstock, guitar, harmony, japan, kay, lightweight, rare, recording, sears, sixties, solid-body, teisco, vintage, william schultz