It's a Kent...but what is it, REALLY?

[The Hollowbody Man]

I have owned a lovely looking old Kent-branded bass since the mid eighties, and stumbled across its near twin here in these pages: http://www.vintaxe.com/boards/viewtopic.php?p=8602#8602

It's near-identical to mine—same color, finish, twin cutouts, f-holes, bindings, size, headstock and damn near everything...but on closer viewing a couple of major differences...the lack of a pickguard and of course, the branding. I'm wondering what manufacturer built it—having like many here now gotten into sussing out the provenance of these nice, old axes. But this one leaves me at a loss.

(On edit) A couple of other differences—mine has the pearlized inlays on the fretboard, an older-looking bridge and chromed pick-ups—but other than that, it looks identical and I have been trying to find the provenance of this monster for years.

As so many of the Japanese companies used a seemingly common supply chain, this could well be a Matsumoku-built jobbie, but the pearl-block inlays on the neck don't quite jibe with Matsu's style on the basses. It smacks more of the Teisco/Kawai Kents. Although the neck is shimmed at the base with cardboard, and is missing a screw on the back plate, so maybe it's had a neck swap for an older Kent's. I dunno!

Here are a few snaps of the mystery (Teisco? Teisco/Kawai? Guyatone? Matsumoku? Fujigen?) Kent I'm getting fixed up (At Long Last!)

Best,
Hollowbody Man

http://gallery.me.com/yusufsoul7#100008 ... olor=black

http://gallery.me.com/yusufsoul7#100008 ... olor=black

http://gallery.me.com/yusufsoul7#100008 ... olor=black

http://gallery.me.com/yusufsoul7#100008 ... olor=black

http://gallery.me.com/yusufsoul7#100008 ... olor=black

http://gallery.me.com/yusufsoul7#100008 ... olor=black

http://gallery.me.com/yusufsoul7#100008 ... olor=black

http://gallery.me.com/yusufsoul7#100008 ... olor=black

[VintAxe]

Hollowbody Man,

All of your observations are right on. There are so many stock Japanese parts on this bass it makes it hard to attribute it to any particular company. Right now, my vote is with Matsumoku. This is partially due to the fact that they were the largest Japanese exporter during this period as well as the fact that they used the tailpiece design on your bass on several models. I'm far from sure (as you are) but that's my best guess.

[The Hollowbody Man]

...thinking Matsumoku or maybe Fujigen Gakki.

It screams Matsu except for that telltale engraved lettering on the back-of-neck plate those seem known for. The cut-ins seem a tad more extreme on this than the Aria Matsu too...but everything else seems so dead-on.

Fujigens were big around the time of this thing's styling, too. And she's got a strong “Epiphone-y” look too.

It's a monster. 46 inches from top to bottom.

[wietse]

that narrow and long neckplate is very common on kawai made guitars, it's not a matsumoku, and i doubdt that it's fujigen too, kawai was in the 70's also a big player.
the tuners are identical to those i took of a old sakai bass, long time ago, i used these a few months ago to fix an old musima bass with it.


that's the problem with these old cheapo's, it's sometimes almost impossible to find the builder.

[The Hollowbody Man]

My tuners are the exact same ones from the Matsumoku-made Aria (noted at the top of the post) that seems to be the odd “half-brother/sister” of mine.

But you have a point—which I noted as well...that neck seems sorta Kawai-ish.

The damn thing BOOMS when played, though. Getting her gutted an re-wired.

So many common parts...so much confusion...