1960 Old Kraftsman by Kay – K8990S Upbeat – ID 6135

A truly beautiful rarity from the American guitar scene of the 1960s: the 1960 Old Kraftsman by Kay K8990S Upbeat.
While many Kay instruments from this period were built with a relatively simple bolt-on neck, this Upbeat has a glued-in neck.
Maple body, spruce top, Rio rosewood fingerboard, and the original, sparkling “Batwing” pickguard— top-of-the-line specs, nothing off-the-shelf.
The sound comes from the two so-called “Tissue Box” Kleenex P-90 pickups, which sound truly outstanding on this guitar—with a distinct tone and the character you’d expect from a “Kessel & Co. Hollowbody.”
And the best part for vintage fans: it's completely original. No modifications, no upgrades—this is exactly how a rare 1960 Old Kraftsman should look and sound.
The Rio rosewood fingerboard, of course, comes with a CITES certificate. At 2,785 grams, it's also surprisingly easy to handle.
Vintage Guitar Oldenburg and Tobias Hoffmann present this Old Kraftsman by Kay Jumbo Cutaway Up Beat from ca. 1960 - YouTube - Video

✅ Year built: 1960
✅ Model: Old Kraftsman by Kay K8990S Upbeat
✅ Body: maple
✅ Top: spruce
✅ Neck: Glued-in, U-shape
✅ Fretboard: Rio rosewood
✅ Fingerboard radius: 9.5"
✅ Pickups: 2 Kleenex
✅ Pickguard: Original Sparkle “Batwing”
✅ Saddle width: 42.2 mm
✅ Width at the 12th fret: 52.4 mm
✅ Neck thickness at the 1st fret: 24 mm
✅ Neck thickness at the 10th fret: 24.7 mm
✅ Weight: 2,785 grams
✅ Condition: Completely original
✅ CITES: Certificate available
✅ Suitcase/Case: Not included