Comments on: Rob’s Crazy eBay Finds: 1960’s Kent Short Scale Bass Guitar

By: Jesse

Jesse — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 00:47:56 +0000

I have a bass guitar very similar to this. The neck, pickups and bridge cover are identical to mine.however, mine is a true violin-bass shape with a yellow sunburst on both the front and back. I don’t know if it is a Kent, or silver tone or guyotone as it doesn’t have a name anywhere on it. Would really love to know its age and what it’s worth.

By: Bass Player

Bass Player — Mon, 10 Sep 2018 21:31:34 +0000

I cannot believe these made it this long. I bought mine in 65 at Dayton Band. Weak Pick ups but at the time I was not into politics in music so I followed McCartney. Guess Ill never get to England but that bass was on a couple demos. Older kids playing games got me to do one for a Chicago Band in 67 and supposedly one for a local dude with his new lyric old release by Sonny Flaherty. Miss not having the forethought of refitting this and my Goya Greco with that rosewood body with unusable parts. Fake email go ahead and ditch the post. Bye Lowe’s, Bruggeman and Blackburn. No harm intended but wish I could go back. Even a player from Ivan and the Sabres that dropped out before Green Tamberine ended up with a similar fate as my own. Keep on playing for those that know how.

By: patrick adcock

patrick adcock — Tue, 27 May 2014 22:47:08 +0000

I played on of these all the way thru high school and would love to have another.

By: Doug

Doug — Sat, 30 Nov 2013 18:55:26 +0000

I have this Kent model 833 Bass, Kent model 834 6 string, Kent model 835 12 string, and the Kent model 836 mandolin. All of them are sunburst front & back, All of them are totally complete. The 6 & 12 string both have palm mutes. The 6 string has a Bigsby type vibrato bar. All of them have the “violin” shaped body. 7 ply binding around the top. 3 ply around the headstock. Mother of Pearl inlays in the headstock, and in the word “Kent” in the upper bout, and all with Mother of Pearl block inlays in the neck. Love lookin’ at them! Only the 12 string shows any checking. I’m planning on selling them as a collection. I think that this a deal where “THE WHOLE IS GREATER THAN THE SUM OF ITS PARTS”.

By: Jose

Jose — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 14:22:02 +0000

the Kent 800 Series are very good playing guitars, unfortunately their prices have shot up from $50.00 to nearly $300.00 (they used to sell new for $110.00 with case from 1967 thru 1970). I have three of the 820 Series, (the thin-hollow body Gibson ES-330-style but with cutaways like the Gibson EMS-1235 style of 1959). The mother-of-pearl inlays and binding work in these guitars is very impressive.

By: Mike

Mike — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 04:11:53 +0000

I just purchased the guitar model of this tonight… what an awesome guitar! I’m just blown away… I can’t wait to fix it up as a player… It came with 20 year old strings which were half in tune, with a slight tuning before I set it down tonight, the thing didn’t sound half bad acoustic.

I’m stoked!

By: Glenn Govier

Glenn Govier — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 04:17:32 +0000

Nice to see pics of the model that was my first bass! Right color, too. Purchased brand new off the wall of Pequannock Music in May ’69 for the princely sum of $90. Came with a chipboard case. All you need is a coiled cord and you’re in business… 😉

By: jim blakemore

jim blakemore — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 04:36:18 +0000

most of the natural or blonde versions have sunburst backs

By: Gary McCormick

Gary McCormick — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 03:48:57 +0000

I have this same bass,but mine is sunburst on the front as well.Not sure of the value,but I saw the guitar version on ebay for $1500.00. Mine is almost mint except for stress cracks in the finish behind the bridge. Plays great and I love it!

By: rob roberge

rob roberge — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:48:00 +0000

Ge.: Strangely enough, I’ve had two more of these basses AND the matching guitar and they all had the same front and sunburst back (minus the stars and floral that are stickers…and only on this one…somebody put them on). All these Kents had the natural-looking front and the heavy sunburst back…so the front isn’t stripped. Odd, but true. Thanks for reading!

By: Ge.

Ge. — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 01:01:55 +0000

The sunburst on the back is likely an indicator that someone stripped the front. The stars and the floral under the bridge also lead me to believe this. Mine does not have the floral. It does have mailbox stickers spelling “JAKE” Elvis style on the lower bout. I wonder who he was

By: Geodi

Geodi — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 19:23:28 +0000

I have one just like this, except it is missing the bridge cover. Can anyone send me detailed pics or dimensions for this? I’m looking to make one.

By: patrick

patrick — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 19:34:11 +0000

I have one of those as well, sans stars. No neck warpage here. It’s a beauty.

By: Zymurgy

Zymurgy — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 10:06:49 +0000

I have a Kent bass exactly like that except mine does not have stars on it.

By: Michael R.J.

Michael R.J. — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 04:57:55 +0000

That’s a beauty. I wrote you before, about guitars with no truss rod in neck. Its still in tune. mrj