Vintage Kay Barney Kessel Jazz Special - USA 1959

The 1959 Kay Barney Kessel Jazz Special is a standout piece of mid-century American guitar craftsmanship. Built by Kay Musical Instrument Company in Chicago, this model reflects the company’s ambition to produce professional-grade instruments that rivalled the big names of the era. Barney Kessel, a prolific jazz guitarist and session musician, lent his name to this signature model, combining stylish design with a warm, resonant voice perfect for jazz, blues, and beyond.

The Jazz Special features a fully hollow body with a spruce top and maple back and sides, delivering a rich, woody tone with plenty of acoustic resonance. The ornate single-cutaway design not only makes upper-fret access a breeze but also gives the guitar its distinctive, head-turning aesthetic.

This particular example is in player-grade condition. The original pickups remain intact, offering that classic, warm "Kleenex Box" single-coil tone – sweet and articulate in the neck position, with enough bite in the bridge for bluesy leads or punchy rhythm work. The pickguard and pickup rings appear to be replacements – an assumption based on their fit and finish. The knobs are also replcements. Additionally, the binding is coming away slightly at the waist, a common occurrence with guitars of this era.

The neck has a comfortable, chunky profile typical of late-'50s Kay models, making it a joy to play for jazz comping, blues bends, or soulful chord melodies. The action is smooth, and the guitar functions perfectly, with the electronics working as they should and the hardware maintaining solid tuning stability.

Super cool, undeniably ornate, and steeped in vintage mojo, this 1959 Kay Barney Kessel Jazz Special is a testament to a bygone era of craftsmanship. They simply don’t make them like this anymore.

Comes in its OHSC.

Features:

Action at 1st fret: 0.5mm

Action at 12th fret: 2.5mm

Neck depth at 1st fret: 24.01mm

Nut Width: 42.95mm

12 fret width: 51.02mm

Weight: 3.4kg / 7.5lb

Construction: Fully hollow, archtop design

Top: Spruce

Back & Sides: Maple

Body Style: Single cutaway

Finish: Sunburst (original)

Binding: Multi-ply

Neck Wood: Maple

Neck Profile: Chunky 'C'

Fingerboard: Brazilian rosewood

Radius: 12"

Scale Length: 25.75"

Frets: 20 

Inlays: Block pearl markers

Pickups: Original Kay "Kleenex Box" single-coils

Controls: 2 volume, 2 tone, 3-way toggle switch

Output: 1/4" standard jack

Bridge: Floating rosewood bridge

Tailpiece: Trapeze-style with ornate design

Tuners: Grover

Pickguard: Replacement

Knobs: Replacement

Case: OHSC