FACTOIDS & TRIVIA

Kay acoustic archtops were generally designed for the budget market in the post-World War II years. However, they did make several models of professional quality archtops - 4 non-cutaway and 2 cutaway. The K-44 model was fourth in this line with a solid (pressed) spruce top and laminated maple back and sides. Still, it provided a good sounding alternative to the much more expensive 17-inch Gibson and Epiphone archtops. Like all archtops, this one has the less common blonde (natural) finish.

 Body:  Hollow; solid 1-piece spruce top, laminated 1-piece figured maple back, and laminated figured maple sides, double  bound top, single bound back

 Finish:  Natural, nitrocellulose lacquer

 Neck:  1-piece maple, set-in; single bound headstock with engraved celluloid overlay

 Fingerboard:  Brazilian rosewood, single bound; pearloid "W" markers

 Number of Frets:  19

 Pickguard:  White, plastic

 Bridge:  Brazilian rosewood on rosewood base with nickel trapeze tailpiece

 Nut:  Plastic

 Tuners:   Kluson Deluxe, nickel

 Pickups:  None

 Controls:  None

 Scale Length:  25 1/2 inches

 Neck Width at Nut:  1 1/2 inches

 Body Width at Lower Bout:  17 1/4 inches

 Body Depth:  3 1/2 inches

 Weight:  n/a