1950s ? 1960s? El Ray Electric Archtop – Made in Italy – w/Hardshell Case

El Ray Electric Archtop Italy, Late 1950s / Early 1960s We love it when an oddball walks through the front doors. Its pretty rare that a guitar shows up that completely stumps us, but this one managed to do exactly that. The interior label simply reads El Ray Made in Italy, and despite digging around through our usual channels we havent been able to turn up much of anything about the brand or who may have actually built the guitar. If you happen to know the story behind El Ray, wed genuinely love to hear it. What we do know is that this thing is cool. At a glance it has all the hallmarks of a classic European archtop from the late 1950s or early 1960s. The body shape, the proportions, the construction detailsit all feels very much of that era. The body measures 16″ wide and 20″ long, with a thickness of about 2-7/8″ at the waist tapering down to roughly 2-1/4″. The top is laminate spruce, and the back is laminate as well, likely with maple on the outer layer. Whatever the exact recipe is, it looks great and has that unmistakable vintage European jazz box vibe. Condition is solid overall for a guitar of this age. There are no body cracks. The back has a small area near the output jack where the laminate is starting to separate slightly. It appears to be limited to the outer veneer and should be an easy glue repair if someone chooses to address it. The back and sides themselves remain structurally intact, so this is more cosmetic than structural. The electronics are interesting. The pickup appears to be original to the guitar and has the look of a humbucker at first glance, but its actually a single-coil design. Slick. The volume and tone pots work as they should. They carry no visible date codes but appear to be original or at least period-correct. Since we dont have solid documentation on the brand, its difficult to say with absolute certainty what components were factory installed, but the tailpiece and strap endpin appear original. The bridge and pickguard have been changed at some point along the way. The neck is maple with a rosewood or walnut center stripe and a comfortable, slightly chunky profilesubstantial without feeling oversized. Nut width measures 1-5/8″, and it features a zero fret, another detail commonly seen on European guitars from this era. The fingerboard inlays have a distinctly Framus-like look, which suits this style of archtop perfectly. Scale length measures 25″. The neck is straight and, like many guitars from this period, does not have an adjustable truss rod. Relief is right where it should be when tuned to pitch, the action is nice and low, and the neck angle is healthy with no reset needed. The tuners have been replaced, while the ornate headstock cap appears to be original. Overall fit, finish, and sound are exactly what you would expect from a European archtop of this vintage. It feels old, looks old, and has that mellow, slightly raw jazz box voice that makes these guitars so fun to play. Its perfectly playable as-is, but it could also make a great starting point for someone who wants to customize an old archtop platform. We cant help but imagine how sharp this guitar might look in a darker finish. A hardshell case is included. This guitar is available for a test drive in our Jamestown, Kentucky showroom. We ship worldwide, and if you have any questions just let us know. Weight: 4lbs 1oz Cost - $25 Free Shipping We offer free shipping on orders over $30. Please check the free - shipping eligibility at checkout. Delivery Time It usually takes [3-5] business days for standard shipping. Please note that this is an estimated time frame and may be affected by local holidays, and unforeseen circumstances. Be the first to write your review!

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