Michael Kelly 1953 Electric Guitar, Ebony Fingerboard

zZounds Gear Experts Say...

With a throwback '50s design, coil-tap electronics and an eye-catching flame maple top, the Michael Kelly 1953 delivers vintage vibes and modern versatility.

What's special about this item?

Feature:	What it does:
Alder body	Light weight with a wide tonal range
Ebony fretboard	Dark color, tight grain; premium fretboard wood
Flamed maple top	Premium wood grain with bright, projecting tone
Maple neck	Bright tone, full sustain and strength

Overview

Just the right amount of vintage magic makes the 1953 the choice for those that are seeking a more traditional instrument. The '53s all-Alder body is capped with flame maple and the pickup configuration is vintage traditional. Well at least that is how it appears. Actually Michael Kelly put an MK electronics mod on the 1953 it is called the Quad Mod. As the name implies you get 4 great sonic options instead of the expected 3 options. The 1953 has a 4 way switch and in that fourth switch position Michael Kelly gives you both pickups in series. It is like having a nice fat humbucker as those two pickups work together. The 1953 also has some nice and hot single-coil Rockfield's designed especially for this instrument. Traditional has never been more evolved.

WARNING: Cancer and Reproductive Harm - www.p65Warnings.ca.gov.

Specs

Top: Flame Maple
Body: Alder
Binding: Alder
Construction: Bolt On
Neck: Maple
Fretboard: Macassar Ebony, Blue Jean Wash available in Maple fingerboard version
Fretboard Radius: 10.5"
Number of Frets: 22 Medium Jumbo
Inlays: Dots
Headstock: 1950
Scale Length: 25.5 in / 647.7 mm
Truss Rod Type: Dual Action
Neck Profile: Modern C
Nut Material: Bone
Nut Width: 43mm
Strings: D'Addario EXL110 (.010-.046)
Boutique Mod: Quad Mod (models made after April 2016)
Electronics: Master volume - master tone - 4-way blade switch (position #4 gives you Neck & Bridge in series for a unique added humbucker like tone)
Neck Pickup: Rockfield TexPlus Single-Coil (Alnico V Magnet, 9.5k DC Resistance)
Bridge Pickup: Rockfield TexPlus Single-Coil (Alnico V Magnet, 10.5k DC Resistance)
Hardware Finish: Chrome
Tuning Keys: Die Cast
Bridge Type: Traditional

Dimensions and Weight in Packaging
Caramel Burst: Shipping Weight: 10 lbs; Shipping Dimensions: 42 x 18 x 4 in; Manufacturer Part Number (MPN): MK53SCBERO
Open Box (Very Good), Caramel Burst: Shipping Weight: 10 lbs; Shipping Dimensions: 42 x 18 x 4 in; Manufacturer Part Number (MPN): MK53SCBERO
Caramel Burst, with Gig Bag: Shipping Weight: 13 lbs
Caramel Burst, with Hard Case: Shipping Weight: 21.5 lbs

Documents and Manuals

For support or warranty questions, please contact the manufacturer:
Phone: (516) 870-7240

Reviews

(2 ratings)

Submitted October 13, 2021 by Steve R in Bend, OR

"Sounds pretty good, but a few issues!"

Overall:

(see rating details)

Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.

I'm not all that impressed with this guitar. It sounds pretty good but frets have some sharp edges. The neck was dry as a bone. I oiled neck 3 times to bring the wood back to life. 3 of the 6 tuning keys had loose nuts. The pick guard was making hissing and crackling noise when touched from static electricity. I lightly sanded the backside of the pick guard and painted 2 coats of conductive paint. I soldered a wire to the volume pot and sandwiched the other end between the pick guard and around a pick guard screw, that fixed the problem. After oiling the neck it has improved the feel of the fret edges. The neck needed a 1/4 turn on the truss rod to get rid of some fret buzz. The action was a tad high so I did a set-up to my liking. The finish is real nice and I didn't find any imperfections. I like the 4 way switch tone and a nice feature. I'm now happy with the guitar but took some work to make it right!