Up for sale, a 1950\'s Silvertone Model 1365 Aristocrat in exceptional condition and in perfect working order. Manufactured in the USA by the Kay company for the Sears catalog, the Aristocrat is essentially one of Kay\'s high end Upbeat models (very similar to Kay\'s Barney Kessel in fact), yet featuring the \"Speed Bump\" chrome topped pickups popular on many of Kay\'s other models. This archtop features a full 17\" lower bout, spruce top and figured curly maple back and sides, with a gorgeous, unfaded red sunburst finish. The tone is nuanced and warm, with a percussive quality that adds definition to single note lines and complex Jazz chords. The balance between the volume of the two pickups is great, and both Speed Bumps have strong output. The bridge pickup can twang and jangle, while the neck position is warm and full, with very round bass notes.The neck has a generous chunky C shaped profile with 1 11/16\" nut width, and the profile is firmly in \"baseball bat\" territory, filling the palm and chording very comfortably. The rosewood fretboard sports pearl block inlays and original frets that show very little wear, with their full original height and well rounded crowns. Kay used a surprisingly robust fretwire for a guitar made in the \'50s, and these particular frets have a bit more width than you usually see in this era, playing cleanly up the neck with no buzzing or dead spots. The headstock is easily one of the best features of this instrument with an overlay that looks like a medieval crest, with gold \"Silvertone\" script etched at the top. This is no mere veneer and there is depth to the design, which is immaculate and features vibrant colors. A set of reissue chrome Kluson single line strip tuners are installed on the headstock, matching the footprint of the original tuners perfectly, and holding pitch as they should.On the body, all of the electronics work as they should, with individual Volume and Tone controls for each pickup coupled with a three-way pickup selector lever with a heavy duty metal tip. The original nickel trapeze tailpiece is present, along with the carved rosewood bridge. Even Kay\'s signature flag pickguard with etched Silvertone \"S\" is intact and in fantastic shape with the stock mounting bracket. The original creme bakelite \"cupcake\" knobs are present as well.
Cosmetically, this guitar shows its fair share of honest wear, with lacquer checking across the entire body, some wear in the pick path, and a couple notable scratches on the top between the bridge and tailpiece, where a previous owner couldn\'t decide the proper position of the bridge (and didn\'t think to detune the instrument when experimenting with bridge placement). Some buckle rash is present on the back, with chips in the finish around the parameter of the guitar, as well as in two small spots on the back of the bass side upper bout which have been touched up (photo #12). The finish is otherwise original and very vibrant, with a deep shade of reddish brown on the edges and an amber center. The guitar is structurally sound with zero cracks or repairs, and the neck angle is excellent, with a very secure neck joint that shows no separation.The Aristocrat was the tip-top of Silvertone\'s archtop offerings in the 1950s, and this particular example sounds excellent and looks stunning!Please check out our shop \"Mike & Mike\'s Guitar Bar\" on the web, and feel free to call us directly with any questions at 206.399.8518.
Shipping in the continental USA will be $55, fully insured. We will happily ship WORLDWIDE, but please contact us for an accurate international shipping quotebefore offerding or buying, as cost varies by buyer location.
International orders will be declared as “merchandise” and the value of merchandise will be declared as the amount paid. We cannot declare anything as a gift or for a lesser value. No exceptions! The customer is responsible for all taxes and duty, which may be collected upon delivery.
We do our best to describe all items with honesty and accuracy but to be sure, pleasecontact us with any questions or concerns prior to offerding or buying. We require payment within 48 hours of sale end. In the unlikely event of a return, buyer pays all shipping costs. Your positive response and five star ratings are very important to us and we appreciate your communication in resolving any issues!
