This incredible little Custom Kraft guitar, called the "Red Fury", is perfect for that "Pure Sound" that's needed for that warm "Blues / Boogie" sound. These vintage hand-wound pickups have that sparkling and clarity that only a single-coil can deliver.
Now, no one did more for the dissemination of guitars in the United States in the 1950's & 60's than Montgomery Ward and Sears. But another company that falls into this category is St. Louis Music (SLM). This distributor... from the banks of the Mississippi River, provided a significant number of guitars... made for them by other manufacturers, which included this Kay-built 1961 Custom Kraft guitar.
In 1961, SLM changed orders with Kay and converted its Thinlines... to a new series of Custom Kraft "Color" Dynamic Electric Guitars. Basically, these were identical to the earlier Kay Guitars except for being available in cool new colors. This Custom Kraft, model 4153, was affectionately referred to as the "Red Fury" because of its Very Bright Fire Engine Red exterior.
The "Fury" is made of laminated maple with a bolt-on maple neck. The top and rosewood fingerboard are bound in cool checkerboard binding. The Kay Thinline series was offered through 1965, but SLM's Custom Kraft Dynamic Colors series seem to drop from sight after '62. Whether or not they also made it through '65 is not known. These Kay "Custom Kraft" Guitars were used by legendary blues players such as Howlin' Wolf to Jimmy Reed.
