Old Kraftsman (Kay) Archtop acoustic at Jersey Shore for $175

I am always suspicious when a seller says "This guitar has not been played much at all" about a 50 year old guitar. Really? Why not? Must be something wrong with it, correct?

In the case of this old Kraftsman I am not so sure. It looks as nice as I can imagine one of these looking after so many years.

Just about all of these pre-1970 USA made acoustics are solid wood guitars (not laminates). They have nice "woody" tone because the wood they used tended to be thicker than their higher end cousins like Gibson and Martin who used more complex manufacturing methods to get beter projection and resonance out of thinner more responsive wooden bodies.

Of course a Gibson ES-335 is an all laminate semi-hollow guitar and nobody ever complained much about those, LOL.

This one is definitely a looker. Doesn't have a silly "faux flame" and instead appears to have a nice finish and perhaps even a fully bound neck.

This is an older listing and there is a good chance it is sold. However, as regular readers of this blog know, the goal here is not so much to jump online and try to buy this guitar as quickly as possible. My real goal is to educate, entertain and hopefully picque your interest in these vintage instruments that might otherwise have escaped your notice. I guarantee that if you keep your eyes open you will find another Kay or Old Kraftsman or Harmony acoustic. If you see one in a pawn shop or local music store, pick it up and try it. You may be pleasantly surprised. - JC

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Vintage 1950's Old Kraftsman Archtop - $175 (LBI)

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Date: 2011-11-04, 5:17PM EDT
Reply to: sale-wjqbb-2649100581@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]
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Vintage 1950's Old Kraftsman archtop acoustic guitar. The guitar is in excellent condition, no cracks, finish is really nice, very little checking, Brazilian rosewood fingerboard and bridge, original white pickguard and black tuner buttons. There are two codes stamped inside the body, P-3, and N-15, I am not sure what they mean. Neck is straight, and action is fine all the way up the fingerboard, frets have no wear, body is 15 1/2" wide, and 3 1/2" deep, this guitar has not been played very much. Asking $175.

•Location: LBI