Kay Guitar Neck (1960s–1970s)

Vintage Kay Guitar Neck (1960s–1970s) – SG Style

A relic from the golden age of guitar craftsmanship, this vintage Kay neck is ready for restoration, reinvention, or reverent display. Originally paired with a Kay SG-style body, it likely dates from the late 1960s to early 1970s—a period when Kay was known for bold design and solid build quality.

Finished in a deep, Heritage Cherry-style gloss and adorned with the original Kay logo, this neck carries the patina of decades while retaining its structural integrity. The original tuners are still fitted (though replacement is recommended), and the heel-adjust truss rod remains fully functional.

Whether you’re rebuilding a vintage Kay, crafting a custom piece, or curating a collection, this neck offers a rare blend of character, playability, and provenance.

Specifications

  • Era: 1960s–1970s
  • Frets: 19
  • Scale Length: 24.5″
  • Nut Width: 1.656″ (42 mm)
  • Heel Width: Approx. 54 mm (± 0.5 mm)
  • Truss Rod: Heel-adjust, fully functional
  • Finish: Original gloss, dark cherry tone
  • Hardware:
    • Original string retainer
    • Original strap button
    • Original tuners (recommend replacing)
  • Mounting: Heel holes pre-drilled
  • Condition: Good used condition
  • Logo: Original Kay headstock decal

Kay guitars from this era are prized by players and collectors alike for their distinctive tone, rebellious spirit, and enduring build. This neck is more than a part—it’s a fragment of musical history, waiting to be reawakened.

The Phoenix Rises

Salvage, Soul & Sonic Rebellion

‘When you pick up a guitar, you’re not just holding wood and wire—you’re gripping history. Not just the hands that played it, but the scars it carries, the timber it was born from, and the battles it survived. Rat Bait Guitars don’t chase perfection. Each component has its own previous life story, resurrection and metamorphosis. If you’re interested in an instrument with a story, Rat Bait Guitars are worth considering.’

Built from Ruin, Made to Scream

Take the body featured above: a Frankenstein of salvaged wood—fence post, roof offcut, shed panel, and the carved heart of a guitar once devoured by woodworm. Treated, reshaped, and reborn into a retro 60s/70s silhouette inspired by Teisco and Kay designs, it’s a slab of tone with old-world charm and unapologetic grit.

  • Neck Pickup: from a Manson Guitar (Matthew Bellamy)

  • Bridge pickup: early 2000s ceramic single pole.

  • Tailpiece: retro chrome clamshell, because why not?

This isn’t a museum piece. It’s a relic with soul. Read more here

Imperfection as Identity

Rat Bait guitars are built in a shed that smells of glue and sawdust, not sterile polish. Parts are from the 1970s to the 2020s, mixing eras to create instruments that sound better than the homogenised clones flooding the market. They’re rugged, battle-scarred, and ready to scream.

  • Reclaimed materials: furniture, fence posts, roof timbers, flooring.

  • Custom-built bodies: Telecaster, Stratocaster, and the occasional Japanese oddity.

  • Body prices start at £35.00. Each one is unique. Each one is alive.

What Players Say

  • “Lovely Telecaster copy in scavenged wood, looks great and plays beautifully! Rat Bait are great luthiers!”
  • “Arrived on time—very good guitar, best I’ve ever had. Sound is deep, all perfectly set up.”
  • “Item was very well packed, as described and arrived very quickly. Excellent comms all round. Very happy—thanks! :)”
  • “A really nice guitar, unique and obviously made with great care. Exceptional value. A great addition to my collection!”
  • “Awesome, I would deal with again… lovely looking guitar, leaving to settle and look forward to playing it.”
  • “Perfect little Telecaster body.”
  • “Lovely Telecaster copy in scavenged wood, looks great and plays beautifully! Rat Bait are great luthiers!” 
  • “Arrived on time—very good guitar, best I’ve ever had. Sound is deep, all perfectly set up.”
  • “Item was very well packed, as described and arrived very quickly. Excellent comms all round. Very happy—thanks! :)”

These aren’t just guitars. They’re outsider art. Punk relics. Sonic protest pieces.

Why Salvage Matters

Every salvaged guitar is a strike against waste. A nod to sustainability. A celebration of character over gloss. By repurposing discarded timber and broken parts, a voice is given to materials that would otherwise be silenced.

Each guitar built is a story stitched together with defiance and solder. And if you’re the kind of player who values raw tone over showroom shine, welcome home.

Because each guitar body is handcrafted, genuine Rat Bait Guitar products are few and far between. Their rarity is why purchasing one of these creations should be seen as an investment.

1960s Japanese Inspired Barnwood Guitar

Rat Bait Guitars

Rat Bait Guitar – part built in 2021 and finished in November 2024 from new and reclaimed parts. Full scale.

This great versatile electric guitar has 2 pickups, like a Telecaster. This Kay / Jedson  inspired guitar design is made from salvaged materials including, Mahogany parquet flooring, a chunk from a piece of furniture and pieces of scavenged wood from various places, constructed and shaped by hand in a shed in North Devon. The neck on this guitar is slim and is made from fine quality materials
 
This Barnwood 1960s Japanese Style Guitar is a great choice for any right-handed player looking for a solid body electric guitar. The guitar features a humbucker pickup and is made with recycled wood, giving it a unique and eco-friendly feel. The body is a natural colour, with painted areas and the neck has 22 frets, making it perfect for any level of player. Handcrafted in the United Kingdom, with a maple / rosewood (type) neck adding to the overall sound and playability of the guitar. This is a great option for anyone looking for a versatile and stylish British electric guitar.

The Barnwood body is routed to take a Humbucker pickup and standard Telecaster bridge pickup. A handmade UK body that has dents and scratches in places.

Rat Bait Guitars

  • Three way switch
  • Lightly nitro finished neck
  • Humbucker pickup, Vintage raw sound
  • Black Telecaster bridge pickup – vintage tone
  • 3 saddle bridge
  • Body made from salvaged timber
  • Slightly contoured body
  • 22-fret maple neck (reclaimed from a new 2024 guitar)
    New 10mm Machine Heads
    Nut Width: 1.656 In. (42 mm)
    Scale Length: 25.5″

Rat Bait Guitars

Reused and reshaped, these discarded bits of timber gems have been given a new life. This timber has been upcycled, repurposed and recycled.

The size of the guitar is 4/4, and it is an electric guitar that is perfect for any musician who wants to play music in a unique and stylish way.

UK sale only – No International purchase accepted on this item.

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Body Based on Japanese Tulip Guitar

Tulip Style Contoured Body made from recycled materials, part loaded. For scale length: 25.5″



This 1970s inspired body was made in the UK in March 2023 from salvaged timber and a piece of 1950s parquet flooring.

The design of the body is based on Japanese Tulip Guitars from the 1960s / 70s which were marketed by Kay Guitars. This full size body is routed in a HSH configuration and is designed to take a modified Stratocaster scratchplate, see photos to view modification. Originally this guitar was fitted with a bridge and clam shell string retainer taken from a Jedson 1970s guitar.

This body has a slightly road worn / relic look to it, with a few dents and bumps. This is a fantastic base for a DIY, 1970s type project. 

The scratchplate, jack plug and pickups are included in the sale.

1970s inspired design.

  • 44mm thick (Approximate)
  • 56.5mm neck pocket (± 0.5 mm Deviation)
  • Weight of loaded body 2.14kg
  • HSH routed
  • Handcrafted
  • Loaded scratch plate
  • Jack socket and boat
  • Fully wired up

Rat Bait Guitars are Made in Devon, UK.

1960s Teisco, Kay, Guitar Body, Made In Japan

Teisco ET-200 'Tulip' Guitar Body

Genuine vintage Teisco, Kay, guitar body. Made In Japan

£65.00 UK Post Free – Contact for International Shipping 

Here is a rare opportunity to purchase an original vintage Teisco / Kay guitar body in red, yellow and black sunburst.

If you’re looking for something that is out of the ordinary that offers old-world charm for a very reasonable price, this is a great guitar body to consider.

Original laminated plywood body from the 1960s / 1970s. It has a few scuffs, scrapes marks and indents but would be a good base for a project for someone. Overall good condition with the usual wear and tear for its age.

3 tone sunburst Kay / Teisco ET-200 ‘Tulip’ Guitar Body. Ideal project guitar!

Teisco ET-200 'Tulip' Guitar Body

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kay ET-200 'Tulip' Guitar Body

Please remember – Non-UK clients must contact us before purchasing products. Shipping must be added for international shoppers. If you are from a non-UK country your order will not be dispatched unless you contact us before purchase. All UK shipping is free of charge.

We carry a small amount of stock which changes constantly – contact us if you are looking for a part.

1960s Tremolo Unit – Vintage Guitar Part

Genuine vintage 1960s Teisco, Kay, Raver, Kawai guitar tremolo bridge. Made In Japan

£65.00 UK Post Free – Contact for International Shipping

Here is a rare opportunity to purchase an original vintage Jedson / Teisco / Kay guitar tremolo bridge. If you’re looking for something that is out of the ordinary that offers old-world charm for a very reasonable price, this refurbished, and awesome 1960s guitar part is what you are looking for.