VG Q&A: Determining the Fate of a Vintage Kay Tenor

I stumbled across a guitar at a garage sale. It has no labels or serial numbers inside or out, but a little research helped me determine it’s a 1931 Recording King Kay Kraft Venetian Tenor. I’m trying to learn more and wondering if it’s worth restoring. – Patrick Wilberding It is indeed a Recording King-branded Kay Kraft. These “Venetian-body” instruments were early products of Chicago’s Kay company, just evolved out of the Stromberg-Voisinet firm by 1931. It dates to the early ’30s, and the Recording King logo indicates it was made for sale via the Montgomery Ward catalog. That was their primary brand for stringed instruments, as Supertone was for Sears. The Kay Kraft Model A tenor listed at $25 in 1931; Ward’s retail price was probably lower. Kay were pioneers of using laminated wood pressed into an arched shape, which is how these were built with a spruce top on the mahogany body. The decorative stenciled gold scrollwork on top was used by several Chicago manufacturers. Four-string tenor guitars were popular at the time; the once-dominant tenor banjo was becoming passé and anyone who had played one could pick up tenor guitar without relearning the fretboard. As to restoring it, that’s difficult to assess without examination. It appears worn but intact and original except the poorly fitted nut and (probably) the floating bridge. The body looks solid, so the angle and straightness of the neck and condition of the frets would be the prime concerns. Many early Kay Kraft instruments had the neck angle adjustable via a large screw and wing nut accessed through the sound hole; if your guitar has this, that part is easy! The neck might also need straightening to play well. Any luthier with experience working on vintage instruments could assess this; I’d advise against any finish work as the original patina is nicely intact. Most dealers would price this piece under $1,000 even in playable shape, as there is simply not much demand for four-string Kay Krafts, though they are almost a century old and look pretty cool! – Peter Stuart Kohman This column addresses questions about guitar-related subjects, ranging from songs, albums, and musicians to the minutiae of instrument builds, manufacturers, and the collectible market. Questions can be sent to [email protected] with “VG Q&A” in the subject line. This article originally appeared in VG’s January 2026 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.