Although Kay basses haven’t been made since the late 1960s, they’re still quite sought after by bluegrass players today. In fact, both case queens and beat-up Kay basses can still be seen and heard at nearly every bluegrass festival worldwide. Now, there’s good news for bass players: thanks to Gary Upton, you can now purchase a new Kay-style upright.
The Kay Musical Instrument Company began building laminated upright basses in Chicago, IL, in 1937. They made several models including C, O, M, and S versions until they closed in the late 1960s. An auction was held in late 1969 to sell assets from the company and former employees Bob Englehardt and Allen Link purchased the physical molds, jigs, tools, and materials that were used to create the beloved line of instruments. Shortly afterward, the Englehardt-Link company was formed and began making their own line of basses in 1970. They tagged an “E” to their model numbers and changed them to EC, EM, and ES designations, and fabricated basses until ultimately closing their doors in 2019.
In 2019 the production of Englehardt instruments came to a close. At that time Gary Upton, of Upton Bass in Mystic, CT, purchased the contents used in the manufacturing process and stored them. I recently had the opportunity to catch up with Upton, and he told me that when he visited the factory where the Englehardt instruments were made, he paid particularly close attention to the items that had been used to create the much older Kay models, and inventoried them extensively. His first bass was a blonde Kay, which helped spark his interest in purchasing the inventory.
At that time, Upton didn’t necessarily have plans to release a Kay-like instrument. Upton Bass String Instrument Company is known for repairing and restoring vintage, sometimes centuries-old, basses and creating exceptional new instruments that are faithful reproductions of major models produced throughout history. While speaking with Upton, he stated, “If you play bass, I love you.” That seems to be his company’s approach to instruments. They offer an assortment of models ranging from Bohemian, Mittenwald, and Prescott-style basses, to a copy of Victor Wooten’s own 18th century Vincenzo Carassi bass that has been modernized.
Upton wasn’t a bluegrass guy until recently. He says that not long ago, he “fell in love with playing again” through it. He has founded the New England-based bluegrass band, Beyond Dixon, and was elated to share they had played the latest Podunk Festival in Connecticut, and were making plans to attend both a band competition in August and the International Bluegrass Music Association’s festivities in Chattanooga later this year.
It’s been several years since Upton’s company has made laminate instruments. Generally speaking, most players prefer solid wood over laminated musical instruments because they typically deliver superior acoustic performance. Upton, however, has a special place in his heart for tradition, and has re-vamped his Kay molds to produce something truly special. Upton shared that his new model has received rave reviews from players.
The Chicago model bass, named after the town where Kay double basses were once produced, is a tribute to the iconic Kay M-1. In fact, the development of the Chicago involved using the original Kay rib molds and factory tooling. It has the same look of the originals, while improvements to the internal structure and performance have been made. Upton’s updates include substantial corner, endpin, and neck blocks. An Upton-designed bass bar is also used rather than the vintage style. It gets its blonde finish via shellac. The bass is also offered in brown finishes and is available with inlaid purfling for an additional price.
With an advertised price of $7,500, some readers may be hesitant to purchase a new Kay-like instrument when several original examples are available. However, it’s a relatively low price when compared to other American instrument manufacturers. Upton considers the Chicago a lifetime instrument, and here’s to hoping they’re around for many years to come. Personally, the chance to purchase a new Kay-like bass would be an exciting opportunity!
For more information, please visit Upton Bass online.
