For sale today is a beautiful Kay Rex 125 electric guitar. This guitar features some unique things that you just don't see on modern guitars. It comes with its original hardwired cable, pickup, (cellulose) plastics, original tuners, and gold frets. It also comes in its original (albeit a little worn) case.
Here's a write up from another website on these guitars that does a great job describing the story;
Rex Guitars were made in the 50s by Kay and sold through Gretsch distributors. This Rex is identical to the Kay K-125 the first solid body electric guitar produced by Kay, except the cut away is pointier. It features the blade pickup also used on the hollow-body Thin Twin and its solid 'through neck' design construction is similar to Harmony's H44 Stratotone, but with a longer scale length. Kay and its main competitor, Harmony, were both Chicago based companies. Kay made its own pickups. The K-125s were manufactured in 1952, the same year the Les Paul was introduced. The K-125 or the "Peanut" guitar, as it was called because of its peanut-shaped silhouette, was slightly crude looking but reflected that early raw Rock 'N Roll era. Elmore James, The King of The Slide Guitar, who embodied the essence of urban Chicago Blues of the 1950's and early 60's, used a K-125! More recently it was revived by Tom Waits.
This particular guitar is in good shape with some oxidation to the metals (particularly the ones touching the cellulose pickguard and control plate. The pickup cover is also oxidizing but it works as it should. It frets true up the neck. Those plastics show age and oxidation. The finish is in relatively good shape too with only a few little chips or dings. If you have any questions on this fantastic piece of guitar history, please don't hesitate to reach out and we will do our best to help. Thanks for looking and have a great day!
We are a brick & mortar retail space in Saint Charles, MO (15 minutes from St. Louis) and serve our customers with sales, repairs, appraisals, and estates of musical instruments, amps, pedals, and more. All of us at Driftwood share a passion for music and instruments, and are here to help with any questions Monday-Friday 10-6, and Saturday 10-5.
