1965 "Airline" with Barney Kessel Pickups
Sold through Montgomery Wards
19 frets
Three Barney Kessel "Kleenex Box" pickups with adjustable pole pieces
Bound Curly Maple Body
Bound Rosewood fretboard
Kluson Deluxe tuners
Original Price in 1965: $129.95
Cost in today's dollars if adjusted for inflation: $774.26 as of 2005
Bought: November 23 2006
Price I paid on eBay: $729

     Airline guitars were sold through Montgomery Wards Department stores and were made by several manufacturers. This particular model was made by the Kay guitar company in Chicago in 1965, which was the only year the "Gold K" Kleenex box style pickups were available on this model. Although this was the cheapest "professional series" model in its time, it is the Gold "K" pickups that really make this guitar especially desirable since they are the same pickups featured on the high end professional guitars made by Kay and endorsed by (jazz guitarist) Barney Kessel in the 1950's and early 1960's.

Original 1965 Montgomery Wards Catalog Description:

Archtop Dual Cutaway.
Golden-Tan polished, celluloid bound Curly Maple body shell with celluloid guardplate. Celluloid inlay bound oval rosewood fingerboard, Nickel-silver frets. Adjustable neck rod. Chromed tailpiece. Adjustable pole pickups. Separate controls; three way switch plays treble or bass alone or in unison. 40¼ x 15 x 1 7/8 in. Instruction book included. Shipping Weight 13 lbs. $6.50 monthly.