The Unique Guitar Blog 1960s Kent Guitars
Badges? We don't require no stinkin' badges! I beg pardon, but back the 1960's, the companies that were importing Asian manufactured guitars into the USA believed differently. They were afraid no one would purchase a guitar with the brand name of Matsumoku, or Hoshino Gakki, or Fujigen Gakki on the peghead. Therefore these import companies developed their very own American, or English sounding brand names, such as Holiday, Decca, Kingston, Lyle, Kent, and so many more. In my high school times, when I began playing guitar, most guys or girls family members couldn't afford a Fender or Gibson guitar for his or her young Beatle-want-to-be. You may not know it, but the Gibson ES-335 was given that designation, because in 1958 when it had been created, the guitars price was $335.00. The common U.S. income in 1958 was $3700.00. So the cost of most fresh, domestically produced guitars had been beyond the reach of the common worker. So most of my close friends played Kent or Silvertone guitars.
At that point I figured those brands originated from the Silvertone or Kent factory. Some Silvertone guitars were made in Chicago, by the Kay or Harmony businesses, but there was under no circumstances a Kent factory in the usa, or all over the world for example. There was a drum distribution company from New York City named Buegeleisen and Jacobson, that began importing Japanese manufactured electric, and acoustic guitars to the U.S in 1962. And those instruments were usually constructed by two different Japanese businesses; Teisco, or Guyatone. The guideline is that the lower end solid body versions were generally built by Teisco, as the more expensive semi-hollow, or hollow body electrics were manufactured by Guyatone. However determining the factory of origin is fairly confusing, since some of the less expensive Kent versions were the same instrument under the Guyatone badge. Early Kent top quality instruments generally experienced a glued on badge with a metallic "K", which sometimes covered up another brand.
Some of the Guyatone types of the same era had a steel "G" badge. Nevertheless we can concur that the better models had the Kent logo inlaid in the headstock. The distribution and import strong of Buegeleisen and Jacobson was there to fill the demand for inexpensive electric guitars. This company got their begin in business back 1897 as a wholesale distributor of guitars, and brass instruments for music shops. This company first turned to Teisco in 1962, and that romantic relationship continued until 1967. That same season they contracted with another Japanese firm, called Guyatone, and began importing guitars and started importing and distributing from both manufacturers. You can find no exacting information, but Buegeleisen and Jacobson may possess used other Asian musical instrument manufacturing companies. We realize in old age they utilized a Korean company, best known for building pianos, called Kawai. From 1962 to 1967 the U.S. Once these guitars found its way to the United States, the Kent brand name, or another brand, was added to the guitars headstock. These brands or badges included Silvertone, Lyle, Encore, Beltone, Winston, Kimberly, Audition, Decco, and even more.
But we will concentrate on Kent Guitars. Teisco had already began importing guitars to the United States as soon as 1960 under their very own brand name, In 1964 the U.S. Teisco Del Rey. The Teisco firm was sold in 1967, at that time the brand name ended. This clarifies why Buegeleisen and Jacobsen ended the contract. Like many Asian producers, Teisco, Guyatone, among others found a key niche market in distributing instruments in mass to American importers. The first Kent guitars I remember seeing were listed because the 500 series, which came with the glued on "K" on the instruments headstock, and the 600 series, which acquired the Kent name in metallic letters glued on the headstock. best beginner electric guitar under 200 were the versions that showed up as early as 1962 and were usually sold by shops, through catalogs, and pawn shops. Music shops of the day got franchise agreements with the major guitar companies. If click the next web page offered a Kent guitar, it was usually since it was taken in as a trade. Hagstrom 1st Kent top quality guitars got their begin in the U.K.
Hagstrom of Sweden produced some budget instruments to be sold through a French company known as Selmer. Since these instruments got vinyl bodies, the owners of Hagstrom feared that any harm due to poor developing would besmirch their popularity, so those guitars were stamped with the Kent logo. In 1963 Buegeleisen and Jacobson started importing this model of Kent guitar to america and distributing it. From a prior article, you may recall that Jerome Herschman's company had been importing Hagstrom guitars under the Goya brand, and later under the Hagstrom name. Though they're the same guitars and basses, if it says Kent, it was brought right here by Buegeleisen and Jacobson, if it says Hagstrom it had been imported by Herschman. These spending budget Hagstrom-produced Kent instruments began becoming imported to the U.S. Besides the Series 500 and 600, there were the Series 700 and 800 versions. Kent also distributed some hollow body guitars with one and double cutaways. A few of the 800 series versions resembled Gibson ES-335's or ES-175's.
