c.1964 Kent Model 551 Americana Hollowbody Electric w/ Case
$ 600.00
This was made in Japan circa 1964 by the Guyatone company. Guyatone was one of the first Japanese manufacturers of electric guitars to market to the US. In addition to other factories like Kawai and Teisco, Guyatone got in on the guitar bonanza of the 1960s in a big way. Often these companies contracted out to each other bodies, necks, and hardware in addition to outsourcing hardware to now forgotten companies. This muddles the history of Japanese guitars quite a bit and it's not uncommon to see two guitars very similarly designed with all the same hardware to have been made in two different factories, or assembled there from parts outsourced originally to the same company or home-based workforce. One thing is certain, most Kent guitars can be attributed to the Guyatone factory, particularly all the ones with the large "K" logo, as this logo closely resembles the large "G" logo of Guyatone branded guitars of this era.
Regardless who exactly made it, this particular example is stunning. It's atypical for Japanese electrics of this era in that it's a full hollowbody and is of high build quality. Top is spruce. Back is beautifully figured maple. As of this posting, there is a bad volume pot, which will be replaced.
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