 |
| Kapa 12 String |
In 1965 I was taking guitar lessons at my local music store. The Byrds had just come on the scene with Mr. Tambourine Man, a song that featured an electric 12 string guitar. Man, how I loved that sound and wanted it. My teacher went down to the showroom and brought up a Kapa Continental 12 string guitar. It resembled a Fender guitar, but with two pickups. It was so comfortable to play, and sounded great. But at only 13 years I could not afford the price of $185 for the guitar.
Mr. Veneman was the owner of Veneman's Music Emporium, a musical instrument store based in Silver Spring Maryland.
Due to the store's popularity and the guitars popularity the store branched into several locations in the Maryland area.
During the early 1960’s Mr. Veneman made the decision to build his own unique line of guitars. This was the years of the British Invasion and the Guitar Boom and Mr. Veneman wanted his piece of the pie.
 |
| Veneman's Music |
During the early 1960’s Mr. Veneman made the decision to build his own unique line of guitars. This was the years of the British Invasion and the Guitar Boom and Mr. Veneman wanted his piece of the pie.
 |
| Hofner Guitar with a Watkins Amp |
Many of the guitars in stock at the Veneman store consisted of guitars that were imported from Germany and Italy.
His connections with these European companies provided him with an excellent opportunity to purchase supplies from overseas manufacturers. His plan was to order guitar parts from European suppliers, then assemble them in Edsmonston, Maryland where the guitars bodies were created. He was unable to obtain a Fender franchise, so he decided to create his own solid body guitars.
 |
| Amka Archtop |
 |
| Amka Archtop |
 |
| The Hofner Factory in Bubenreuth - 1960's |
The tuners were made by Schaller. Kapa made his own bridges and tremolo assemblies. Most KAPA guitars are equipped with the tremolo.
 |
| Koob Veneman and wife |
Veneman named the instruments after himself, his wife and children by using an anagram of their first names. Of course his name is Koob, his son’s name, Albert, his daughters name, Patricia and his wife’s name Adeline. Later Koob’s brother joined the family business.
 |
| 1960's Kapa Neck |
KAPA necks were quite thin, which was sort of a ’60 thing. Guitarists wanted to play fast and for some odd reason, manufacturers equated this with skinny necks instead of low action. In fact, some Gibson ES-335’s of this era had thin necks.
 |
| 1965 Kapa Wildcat |
The bodies also were thin in comparison to Fender and Gibson bodies.
KAPA was able to sell it's instruments at a price well below the competitors.
It was rumored that the Fender Corporation threatened to file a lawsuit against Kapa in the 1960's.
I cannot seen to find anything to verify a suit. If anyone knows about this, email me.  |
| 1965 Kapa 12 and Fender XII |
It is also interesting that KAPA 12 string guitars came out around the same time that Fender released the Fender XII.
But the cost of the KAPA was almost half of the Fender instrument.
But the cost of the KAPA was almost half of the Fender instrument.
To the unfamiliar, one could mistake a KAPA for a Fender guitar, based on it's Jaguar and Stratocaster-like shapes and the shape of the headstock. Veneman admits that he used exaggerated body styles from Fender and Vox to create the body shapes.
The KAPA instruments also used script on the headstock for the guitar model that was very similar to what we call the Fender Spaghetti script. However the KAPA logo was a circle with a crest in the middle that was similar to the Veneman family crest.
KAPA guitars were founded on some great principals set up by the Venemans. The instruments were well made, playable and affordable. Plus they were made in the USA.
KAPA guitars were founded on some great principals set up by the Venemans. The instruments were well made, playable and affordable. Plus they were made in the USA.
The guitar boom eventually wound down. Competition was fierce. And Asian made instruments were getting better all the time.
During the companies final years some of the production was outsourced to Japan, no doubt due to the high cost of labor.
 |
| Kapa Series 500 and Kapa Challenger |
 |
| 1965 Kapa Challenger |
The Continental was available with one or two pickups.
The Continental was available in six and twelve string models. One unusual feature on KAPA twelve string guitars was the fact that many of them came with a tremolo bar.
Kapa also offered a Continental bass guitar with one or two pickups and a 32 inch scale.
The Cobra was a slightly smaller instrument with just one pickup.
The Wildcat was another instrument that slightly resembled a Stratocaster and it had three pickups.
One of the more well known KAPA guitars was called The Minstrel.
This was a three pickup guitar that had a tear drop shaped body sort of resembling an electric lute.
 |
| 65 Kapa Minstrel |
One of the more well known KAPA guitars was called The Minstrel.
This was a three pickup guitar that had a tear drop shaped body sort of resembling an electric lute.
 |
| Kapa Minstrel 12 and Bass |
These instruments were also being produced during the same time Vox was selling guitars and the Vox Teardrop was one of their most popular models. The Minstrel also came in a twelve string and a bass version.
 |
| Kapa Model 506 |
KAPA also made a hollow body model called the 506. It resembled a Gibson ES-335. The headstock on this guitar was three-on-a-side. The KAPA script was engraved, instead of being placed as a decal.
The metal trapeze tailpiece was also engraved with the KAPA name and was similar to one Hofner used on their guitars.
The metal trapeze tailpiece was also engraved with the KAPA name and was similar to one Hofner used on their guitars.
This guitar was built in Japan with German parts. There were other guitars in the KAPA 500 series, all were made in Japan.
KAPA guitars are still available through collectors and sellers. If set up properly they are nice and affordable players.
It is also wonderful that most KAPA guitars were a product of the United States.
KAPA guitars are still available through collectors and sellers. If set up properly they are nice and affordable players.
It is also wonderful that most KAPA guitars were a product of the United States.
Koob Veneman passed away in 2010. He left a wonderful legacy and earned an interesting chapter in the history of the electric guitar.
Click here to watch a brief video about Koob Veneman.
May God bless him and his family. He left his mark in the history as a luthier and entrepreneur.
©UniqueGuitar Publications (text only) 2025
Click on the links under the pictures for sources
Click on the links in the text for further information
No comments:
Post a Comment