A 1959 Kay Custom Kraft “Sizzler” K4144 electric guitar owned and played by David Roback, founding guitarist, songwriter, and sonic architect of Mazzy Star — acquired directly from Techno Empire, who handled the sale of Roback’s personal instrument and equipment collection following his death in February 2020, working with his widow Hedi Roback. This guitar was acquired prior to the public Reverb launch of the collection in September 2021. Includes the original case and a cable.
Video Documentation
Historical Context
David Roback (1958-2020) was the founding guitarist, primary songwriter, and sonic architect of Mazzy Star, the Los Angeles-based dream pop and psychedelic rock act whose recordings defined an entire strand of 1990s alternative music. Before Mazzy Star, Roback was a central figure in the Los Angeles “Paisley Underground” scene of the early 1980s through his work with Rain Parade and Opal. Mazzy Star’s albums She Hangs Brightly (1990), So Tonight That I Might See (1993), and Among My Swan (1996) established the band’s signature blend of reverb-soaked guitar, hazy atmosphere, and Hope Sandoval’s distinctive vocal. Their most enduring song, “Fade Into You,” remains one of the most recognizable recordings of the decade.
Roback was widely known among collectors and musicians as a connoisseur of instruments and equipment. His widow Hedi Roback told Techno Empire: “David was well known as a connoisseur of instruments and equipment. He was a natural producer who paid incredible attention to the detail of sound. He collected instruments and equipment throughout his life and what is left now are the pieces that were significant to him. Therefore, all the pieces were precious to David and had a use for him.”
His preference for idiosyncratic, character-rich vintage instruments — over conventional or fashionable alternatives — is directly reflected in the Sizzler. The Kay Custom Kraft line, produced in Chicago in the late 1950s, represents exactly the kind of raw, tonal, unconventional instrument Roback sought out. Roback is documented playing this model during Mazzy Star’s July 9, 1994 performance on Later… with Jools Holland, performing “Fade Into You” at the height of the band’s global recognition following So Tonight That I Might See. This is one of multiple Sizzlers owned by Roback during this era.
Specifications
· Manufacturer: Kay Musical Instrument Company (Chicago, Illinois)
· Brand: Custom Kraft (Kay’s house brand for Spiegel catalog sales)
· Model: Sizzler K4144
· Year: 1959
· Body: Asymmetric offset solid body, single cutaway; two-tone sunburst finish (black edges fading to warm amber/orange center on top; back finished entirely in black); likely poplar or similar lightweight wood construction common to Kay solids of this period; heavy checking, chipping, and finish loss throughout consistent with decades of active use
· Pickguard: Large cream/white plastic pickguard with pointed, angular shape; some yellowing and minor surface wear consistent with age
· Pickups: Two single-coil pickups with chrome covers and rectangular pole pieces
· Controls: Three knobs (volume and two tone) with gold/cream tops and metal skirts; 3-way toggle switch; side-mounted output jack with metal cup
· Neck: Bolt-on maple; rosewood fretboard with dot inlays; frets show visible wear but functional
· Headstock: Black finish with “Custom Kraft” in white script; Kay-branded tuners with white plastic buttons and metal bushings — oxidation and pitting consistent with age; significant paint chipping at edges and back revealing wood beneath
· Bridge: Chrome-plated with individual saddles; separate metal tailpiece; both show heavy age-related patination
Condition
Good — heavy but honest vintage wear throughout consistent with age, handling, and professional use across decades. The black body finish exhibits extensive checking, dings, scratches, and paint loss across the top, sides, and back. The headstock shows significant paint loss and chipping at the corners and edges, with orange undercoat and raw wood visible, and similar wear extends down the back of the neck. The bridge and tailpiece hardware show heavy patina. The pickguard is intact. The original case shows substantial wear consistent with its age and use. Plays and sounds well.
Included Items
Original hardshell case; cable.
Contemporary vinyl album sleeve (used) for So Tonight That I Might See (Mazzy Star, 1993).
Original Mazzy Star fabric patch — black canvas with “Mazzy Star” in the band’s signature handwritten script above the band’s spiral sun logo, printed in white. Raw-edge cut construction typical of period merchandise patches.
Provenance
Acquired directly from Techno Empire (North Hollywood, CA), who handled the sale of David Roback’s personal instrument and equipment collection on behalf of his estate, working with his widow Hedi Roback. This guitar was acquired prior to the public Reverb launch of the Roback collection, which was announced September 8, 2021 and covered by Reverb and NME. The collection comprised over 150 items from throughout Roback’s career.
Nostalgia Bandit Letter of Provenance
This lot will be accompanied by a Nostalgia Bandit Letter of Provenance — a document printed on official Nostalgia Bandit letterhead, signed by Nostalgia Bandit’s principal, and affixed with the official Nostalgia Bandit embossed seal. The Letter of Provenance reproduces the complete final auction description for this lot in full, memorializing all provenance documentation, attribution, supporting evidence, and condition details as presented herein. It is designed to travel with the lot through all future ownership transfers as a permanent, platform-independent physical record of the item’s documented history.
Shipping & Measurements
FIRST AND THIRD PARTY SHIPPING OPTIONS AVAILABLE. Contact Nostalgia Bandit for a shipping quote: shipping@nostalgiabandit.com
» Guitar: 38 x 14 x 2.5″ · 5.66 lbs.
» Case: 40 x 15 x 3.5″ · 3.70 lbs.
