Comments on: Is more better? (1967 Kent Model 742 Electric Guitar)

By: Kirk Bolas

Kirk Bolas — Tue, 28 Jan 2020 19:14:37 +0000

A buddy of mine had one of these things he picked up at a garbage…maybe that should be garage sale around 2010. He loved it except for the crappy output. In 2017 I built him a buffer/preamp that ran off a rechargeable lithium battery I built into the guitar with the buffer/preamp. I put a mini USB port in the pick guard so he could charge the battery as needed. Of course this probably destroyed what modest collector value the guitar had, but at least it sounded a whole lot better.

By: chip

chip — Fri, 10 Aug 2018 21:17:08 +0000

The 742 shown is using a non-stock tremelo, which may explain why the cost was so low. The PU’ps are indeed pretty feeble; my 742 is stock and has the outputs enhanced with additional magnets on the bottoms of the PU’s (inside). Now it sounds pretty knarly. I own many guitars; the 742 is the best looking. Burl maple!

By: Thornton Davis

Thornton Davis — Sun, 15 Oct 2017 16:22:38 +0000

I own a Kent 1967-68 solid body Series 700 model 743 bass factory finished in Sunburst. It`s 100% original except for the strings, and in fabulous condition and nicely setup which means it plays and sounds great.

It`s now been 50 years since these were made, I wish someone would confirm which Japanese factory made the 700 & 800 Series.

By: Eugene Smiley

Eugene Smiley — Mon, 26 Oct 2015 10:50:05 +0000

eugenesmiley3@hotmail.com

Looking to purchase a Kent 742 to replace my dad’s. Sunburst preferred. Thanks!

By: Eugene Smiley

Eugene Smiley — Mon, 26 Oct 2015 10:43:48 +0000

My dad had a Sunburst Kent 742 when I was a kid from the late 60’s to the early 90’s. It was partnered with his Kustom “glitter” silver half stack. Both his Kustom and Kent paid his bills throughout the early 70’s until he purchased better or newer equipment. Well, 40 years later and the old guy still has Kustom amp but his dumb but sentimental son sold his Kent 742 for a wedding band in 1991. The marriage didn’t last and with my old man now retired and reminiscing I am hoping to replace it. If anyone has one for sale, no matter the condition, Sunburst or blonde, I am interested. Thanks!

By: Jose

Jose — Mon, 06 May 2013 15:13:47 +0000

check thnis site about the Kent 820 guitars and the subject of the zero fret:

http://www.kent-820.com

By: Randy King

Randy King — Mon, 21 May 2012 20:37:54 +0000

I also owned a Kent 12 string of the same vintage as the one shown on this page. I don’t even remember what happened to it. What we would do now with what we know. Crud.

By: Randy King

Randy King — Mon, 21 May 2012 20:35:51 +0000

I owned a 1968 Goya Rangemaster Psychodelic from 1968 to 1980 and sold it and now kick myself daily. It is the same guitar (I am certain) you will see if you google Goya Rangemaster and click on images. It is one with the orange, yellow and red flowers and paisleys lying in it’s beautiful plush case. I’d love to talk to anyone who had one, saw one or played one and since Jimi Hendrix is dead (there is a famous pic of him on the same images page playing one of the other designs…upside down of course)I have not been able to find a SINGLE human being on the planet who can commiserate with me. If you are out there send me a message. We are undoubtedly a very small community of guitar players.

By: Brian

Brian — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:08:23 +0000

Love ti see any pictures …will swap some of mine…Sorry missed your previous E mail
Thanks brian

By: TC

TC — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 17:08:27 +0000

I got a couple nice things at the mart trading post back in the early 90s myself… I suspect there was a lot of great weird stuff that went through that place.

By: MIster Coffee

MIster Coffee — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 16:26:56 +0000

I must respectfully disagree with your assessment of the sound. I have one of these (mine has its original Kent-branded tremelo mechanism — yours looks like a Bigsby-type replacement) and it gets a whole range of great tones. A couple of my faves are the bridge and neck together (a rock-a-billy-ish plunk similar to using both pups on a Mosrite) and the neck with its immediate neighbor (out of phase like a strat but mellower). The bridge pup by itself is like an edgy P-90, though not as hot.

My two cents.

By: Thomas

Thomas — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 14:10:11 +0000

Love it! Grabbed my first four-pickup Teisco, an ET440, from a store in the corner of the Pennsauken Mart back in the ’70s. Despite my visual love affair years later with my 742, I sold it a few years back (along with my Kent 820) after reading your article(s), which verified my suspicions about the pickups. Still have my Blonde 740 though. The wood, and weight, reminds me of my school desk from 6th grade. It’s a keeper.

By: Bill Arthur Jones

Bill Arthur Jones — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 13:47:46 +0000

I had this exact guitar (1980s) except in bright red. Looked very cool, and yes, I had to turn everything up to 15 just to get a worthy sound. It was my second on-stage guitar in case I busted an E string…..which I did at a major gig and had to finish out the set with this beast. Quite a workout to get to get any kind of tone. Heavy as hell, I used it often a slide guitar when we did our Elmore James stuff.

By: JohnyP

JohnyP — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 10:43:17 +0000

I have a two pickup model in sunburst that I bought with a Epiphone amp from an old blues player. Needs restoring but the open back amp was full of stuff. Sheet music, cords, picks. Oh…and a 1967 Vox wah. NICE!

By: dave

dave — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 19:49:18 +0000

yea , he would say something like that because he does not have one to hang on his wall . dont let him fool you into giving that guitar away fir nothing . , maybe he should be hung on the wall .

your friend ,
DAVE

By: DAVE

DAVE — Mon, 16 May 2011 17:47:07 +0000

hi,
got a nice Vintage Aria Diamond electric hollow body. let me know if you’d like to see it . still got my nice 1960’s kent KE3B with the case it was sold in . great shape and plays sweet .SEE IT AND MY OLDER TELSTAR ELECTRIC BLACK BEAUTY ,SOLID BODY AT daves-antiques-collectables

THANKS
DAVE

By: Brian E. Fairfax

Brian E. Fairfax — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 07:34:26 +0000

I have a lemon/white Model 6538 i just discovered in a dingy and dark pawn shop . Had my lutherian friend do some work …basically cleanup the electronics and the intonation It is a 3 pickup model with a bgsby like whammy bar….3 volume and 3 tone controls and separate on off switches for the pickups and a not sure what it does 4th switch. Plays fast and sweetly in mint condition.The shop owner told me it was only good to hang on a wall and priced it accordingly 🙂 E mail me at the4faxes@shaw.ca for pics of it and my Vintage Aria Diamond 335 beauties.

By: DAVID BROWN

DAVID BROWN — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 21:37:25 +0000

HI,

GOT A REAL NICE EARLY 1970’s KENT ELECTRIC, LES PAUL MODEL NUMBER KE3B AND IT IS THE BLACK BEAUTY MODEL SO SWEET SOUNDING AND EASY TO PLAY .
WANT TO SEE PIC’S EMAIL ME AT davesbizz@aol.com

p.s….. can you sent me pic’s of your #742
thanks
dave

By: DAVID BROWN

DAVID BROWN — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 21:30:48 +0000

Hi,
Got a real nice hollow body electric DAIMARU AND SEEN ONE IN A YOUTUBE VIDEO WITH JOHN OF THE BEATLES PLAYING THE SAME MODEL I HAVE BUT I JUST CANNOT SEEN TO FIND OUT MUCH INFORMATION ON THEM, THEY WERE NOT A CHEAP MADE GUITAR AND IT HAVE MOTHER OF PEARLS INLAID FRETT MARKERS AND IS A THIN REALLY NICE SWEET SOUNDING GUITAR. I CAN SEND YOU PICTURES IS YOU WOULD LIKE .
i WAS JUST WONDERING IS YOU KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT THESE . I KNOW ABOUT THE DAIMARU STORE IN JAPAN AND THESE WERE MADE IN JAPAN . THE NUMBER ON IT IS 2167735 WITH DAIMARU ON THE TOP OF THE NECK IN BETWEEN KEYS .
THANKS
DAVE

By: George Hovey

George Hovey — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 18:55:05 +0000

I had this guitar when I was 14 years old. First axe I owned, bought by my Mother at “Metro Music” in Lowell, MA. I have to admit it sounded awful but what did I know at the time. It was a beaut…4 pickups, nice finish, etc…I always wondered if anyone else had one of these.

thanks for the memories..