Description
This is a Cobra model guitar, made by Kapa of Maryland in 1965. It features a solid, Strat-style shaped body, a rust/metallic red finish, a single pickup, a white plastic pickguard on which all of the electronics are mounted except for the pickup, white numbered knobs with metallic labeled tops, a height adjustable bridge, two metal strap pins, and whammy tailpiece. This guitar may be a very early model or a prototype to test the Corbra line of Kapas. It is 100% original, in good condition and very rare. Its thin neck and flat fingerboard makes riffing a breeze. With its fast action and terrific tone, this guitar plays and sounds terrific.Description from VintageSilvertones.com
CONDITION:
This guitar is 100% original and it is in good condition. There are small lines of crazing on the body and about five very small spots of wear to the finish on the front. There is some general wear around the sides and a larger spot of paint wear on the bottom of the guitar, near the strap pin. From there, a harline split to the wood comes up the back about a centimeter and there are about five very tiny spots of wear to the finish in the back. If you look closely you can also see two tiny splits on the pickguard near the screws. Even with this wear that one would expect from an approximately fifty-one year old instrument, it is a beautiful guitar that plays nicely and sounds sweet.
TUNERS:
The six individual opened-back tuners with deluxe plastic buttons, are in very good working condition. All of the tuners are smooth and hold the pitch well.Description from VintageSilvertones.com
NECK:
NECK:
It has a straight, bolt-on, neck with circular inlays on a rosewood fretboard, a plastic nut, 22 frets a 25″ scale. The headstock, featuring a natural finish and the crown and shield Kapa logo, has a little wear on the top. There are a few spots of wear on the back of the neck that gives it a little bit of a texture that does not impede playing. The top three frets have some wear that does not affect the sound or playability of the guitar. The neck is kept straight with an adjustable a truss rod. With its fast action, this thin neck feels fantastic under your fingers.
PICKUPS:
This guitar has one single coil pickup with a strong, clean, bright yet warm and round tone that is suitable for rock, blues, country, rockabilly, soul, funk, and jazz. This guitar has one volume and one tone pot. Both are clean sounding although the variation for the tone pot is very subtle. Description from VintageSilvertones.com
The Dimensions are:
Overall length: 38″Description from VintageSilvertones.com
Body width: 12″
Body thickness: 1.5″ with neck 2″Description from VintageSilvertones.com
Scale: 25″ approx.Description from VintageSilvertones.com
Width of the nut: 1.75″ (depth 7/8″)
String height at 12th fret: 1/16″Description from VintageSilvertones.com
Here’s the original description from a 1968 Kapa catalog:
Cobra
This solid body electric guitar is designed for the student who desires a fine quality instrument at a reasonable price.
The extra slim neck with built in truss rod is carefully made; even the beginner can play this guitar with perfect ease. The powerful double coil pick-up gives a wonderfully rich sound.
The body is gracefully shaped for fime balance and is finished in Metallic Red, Thunderbird Blue or White.
Description from VintageSilvertones.com
Complete with line cord……………$119.50Description from VintageSilvertones.com
Available with KAPA vibrato………$134.50Description from VintageSilvertones.com
Well made soft case………………..$12.00Description from VintageSilvertones.com