John Kay Ltd. Ed. Owners?

kennyhowes · Post by **kennyhowes** » Wed Jun 11, 2003 8:58 pm

Hey, just taking a survey. Who's got 'em? Speak up.

kennyhowes · Post by **kennyhowes** » Fri Jun 13, 2003 7:13 am

So...no one here owns a John Kay model. Hmm.

doctorwho · Post by **doctorwho** » Fri Jun 13, 2003 12:08 pm

Kenny,
Sorry, I saw your post and just have been too busy. I have one, serial # F6 7401 (I don't have the number of it right now - I'll see if I can find it, or a picture of the certificate, on my laptop computer later). I think the 381JK is an outstanding, versatile guitar, and absolutely love mine.

By the way, we really should do lunch some day - I'll bring my '93 370/12v64 FG along for you to check out ...

corey · Post by **corey** » Fri Jun 13, 2003 1:14 pm

I would be curious to read a compare/contrast between the 381v69 and the 381JK. Specifically, how the HB's in the JK model alter the tone from the toasters on the vintage series model.

brian · Post by **brian** » Sun Jun 15, 2003 9:06 pm

I have two John Kays a 1991 and a 1995. I really like the guitar as well (obviously). The 1991 is in mint condition, the 1995 while structurally sound and plays well has numerous chips in the paint a cracked lower pickguard, some lifting of the paint around the lower strap button and needs one new control knob. It was in that shape when I bought it. Both guitars have the certificate.

doctorwho · Post by **doctorwho** » Mon Jun 16, 2003 7:30 am

Brian,
Under the thread "Rickenbacker Basses: Whos the guy who makes pickguards here?" I will be posting later today, if available, some pictures of replacement 381JK pickguards (upper one without signature, naturally) that Don Adamek made for me. Now that he has templates for both the upper and lower, he could make a replacement for you if you wanted to do something about that cracked one, and an upper one to 'preserve' the signature guard, if you're into that.

Also, what control knob do you need? I will be ordering dome replacement parts from Mike Parks shortly which will include some control knobs, and I will wind up with some odd ones - maybe the one you need. Let me know.

johnhall · Post by **johnhall** » Mon Jun 16, 2003 12:58 pm

Kenny is being a bit coy asking about this. He and I spent an evening retrofitting a spare John Kay circuit in a vintage 330 of his, along with some HB pickups, to see what it would sound like. Other than a bit of electronic noise (it was a reject circuit after all), it has a rather nice sound to it.

I think he was afraid that I might have some issues about letting it be known he has such a guitar but there has to be SOME perks to work around here!

kennyhowes · Post by **kennyhowes** » Mon Jun 16, 2003 1:02 pm

The man with the mustache is correct.

krick · Post by **krick** » Mon Jun 16, 2003 2:16 pm

My dream guitar would be a Fireglo 370/12 WB with a "Roger McGuinn LE" compressor circuit installed under the pickguard

jwilli · Post by **jwilli** » Mon Jun 16, 2003 4:16 pm

Kenny, how do you like it?! I was wondering how this might sound with a 12 string & HB pickups. But I don't work at RIC ;-0

kennyhowes · Post by **kennyhowes** » Mon Jun 16, 2003 5:29 pm

It's actually a 6-string, a '65 360 OS. I'll post pics soon. (Doesn't look much different than stock, except for the phase switch.)

doctorwho · Post by **doctorwho** » Wed Jun 18, 2003 12:47 pm

By the way, my 381JK is #210 of the 250 made.

Kenny, if you need a 381JK for comparison, let me know and I'll bring mine over for you to borrow, you know that the RIC facility is only 1.5 miles from where I work ...

brian · Post by **brian** » Sun Nov 16, 2003 10:04 am

Kenny, I know this is an old posting, but wonder if you ever tried like John williams was inquiring above with a 12 string and HB pickups, like maybe in a 381v69/12 ?

kennyhowes · Post by **kennyhowes** » Mon Nov 17, 2003 9:20 am

Whew! I think it would sound brash...I do love those HB-1 pickups on 6 strings, though...

kennyhowes · Post by **kennyhowes** » Tue Mar 23, 2004 9:44 am

Linking topics from one forum to the other! See also http://www.voxtalks.com/cgi-bin/UltraBoard/UltraBoard.pl?Action=ShowPost&Board=V17&Post=289&Idle=0&Sort=0&Order=Descend&Page=0&Session=kennyhowes.108007366879413