Kay 1951 C-1 Acoustic Bass

Vintage 1951 Kay C-1 Model Double Bass Viol

This classic gamba pattern upright bass is in fair condition and perfect for bringing out to your gigs.

There are wear marks, scratches, and scuffs on the finish.  

Kay basses were mass produced plywood basses that were very durable and also affordable, there are still a lot of them being played today. Traditional fully carved European basses, sought after by professional orchestra players, are more fragile and do not hold up well to the rigors of touring, in addition they could easily cost many times the price of these Kay C-1’s.

All of the early rockabilly, blues, country and bluegrass recordings, not to mention jazz, have an upright bass as the electric bass was yet to be invented, and many of those recordings have someone playing a Kay bass. The fact that these Kay basses have survived all these decades speaks to the rugged strength of these instruments.

Along with Kay there were other manufacturers, like Epiphone and American Standard, but Kay was the most widely available and remains popular to this day.

Come see us in-store and try it out this vintage upright for yourself!