by Chilidog » Sun Sep 20, 2009 4:39 pm
Mark,
I have the same guitar, bought at an auction 8 or 9 years ago for about $50. I'd never heard of the brand and wasn't sure what to make of it, but it looked nice. When I got it home and plugged it in, I was disappointed to realize that it didn't work, so I took it to Guitar Center, hoping that someone there could help shed some light. At the very least, it would be a nice wall hanging. And that's exactly what the guitar tech at GC told me, not worth the expense of repair. So, it became a wall hanging.
Having not played for a few years, I got the urge to pick it up again, but selling my Les Paul Studio and picking up a semi-hollow body, narrowing my search to an Epiphone Sheraton. My shopping has taken me through eBay, Craigslist, local newspaper and used guitar shops. After awhile, I became curious about the "wall-hanging" Kent and decided to look it up.
That's when I finally came across this site, when suddenly
"Eureka!"...there it was: your question and photos of the Kent Whatchamacallit. It's identical to mine, right down to the Bigsby and "Made in Japan" plate. Mine is missing the pickguard and has a black drywall screw where the top strap lock should be. There's a short in one of the pots and the condition of the pickups is undetermined. But they're the same.
So, there you have it, two owners of the mystery guitar. I want to thank you for your post and photos. Without it, I might have spent $499-$1,000 scoots on a used Epi when I may already have one. The question is: how does it play? After a visit to a more seasoned guitar tech, I'll find out. In the meantime, I'll share what I learn from the local Seattle guitar shops. How does yours play?