The Kay-built 640 family consisted
of three guitars, identical except for the finish and headstock decoration. A big ol' soundbox with a
spruce top, curly maple back and sides, big faux MOP fingerboard markers (and
three side dot markers!), and a newer style 'S' branded pickguard added up to
some fine axes for the couple of years they were offered. The 644/49 seemed
to be the best-seller of the bunch,
followed by the 640, with the blonde 642/51 in last place.
Introduced: 1958
Retired: 1960
The 640 family of 'Aristocrat' acoustics finished
up the line of Kay-built Silvertone archtops in style. The only real difference
between these guitars and their predecessors the 666 and 668 was in the 'wavy'
pickguard. Where does the
'Aristocrat' nickname
come from?
Ya got me!
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