USED 1967-1968 Kent (Teisco/Kawai) Model 740 Electric Guitar - Sunburst

The photos listed are of the actual instrument for sale. All instruments are shot by our in-house photography team.

This Guitar:

Weight: 8 lbs 15.5 oz

Serial Number: 1070

This guitar is excellent vintage condition. It was made in 1967 or 1968 in Japan. The Kent Guitar Company was a subsidiary of the New York based Buegeleisen & Jacobson. In 1967 manufacturing shifted from Guyatone to the Hayashi Mokko factory and the quality of these instruments dramatically improved. This quality is on display in spades! The body features a seven ply binding on the top and "rally stripe" binding on the sides. The neck and headstock also have triple-ply binding. There are abalone inlays on the body, fretboard, and headstock. The pickups have a unique clear acrylic bobbin with Kent branding on them. The bridge comes stock with a string mute and chrome ashtray cover. 

Guitars from this two year period are highly sought after by collectors. If you were to judge these guitars from the catalogs of the era, it would seem they were sold exclusively for hot rod enthusiasts and beach parties. The Kent 740 also made an important cameo in the hands of the ghost of Jerry Garcia in the 1998 generational classic film Half Baked.

This guitar is in very good vintage condition. There are scratches, dings, and small finish chips all over. The binding is separating in some spots. The pickguard is missing two screws near the bridge. The neck is in very good vintage condition. The frets are in excellent condition and the fret ends are beautifully crowned. The abalone inlay on the 3rd fret has a little damage. The back of the neck was likely banged at some point. There is a ding with missing finish and finish cracks that reach up and downward from this ding. The crack appears to only be in the finish and not deeper. The binding and sides of the neck have some small dings as well.

The control knobs seem to be replacements. All other electronics and hardware appear to be original. The hardware has a patina consistent with age. The potentiometers are Violet branded with "N 24" visibly stamped on them. The bridge pickup bobbin has a couple of cracks on it. The string mute could use new rubber. It doesn't seem to make the correct contact with the strings. All hardware and electronics are fully functional. 

Body -

• Top Material: Flame Maple
  Body Material: Book Matched Two Piece Flame Maple Solidbody
• Binding: Kent Rally Stripe Binding - Seven-Ply on Top, One Ply on Back & Sides
• Finish Color: Sunburst

Neck -

• Neck Material: Maple
• Fretboard Material: Rosewood with White/Black/White Binding
• Inlays: Abalone Block
• Neck Finish: Gloss
• Scale Length: 25.25"
• Number of Frets: 22 Nickel Silver Frets
• Nut: Bone, 41mm Width
• Neck Construction: 4 Bolt Construction with Dual Action Truss Rod Steel Reinforced

Hardware -

• Bridge: Kent Fully Adjustable Tune-O-Matic Style Roller Bridge
• Tremolo: Kent Tremolo with Chrome Bridge Cover and String Mute
• Tuners: Sealed Back with Chrome Buttons
• Pickguard: Faux Tortoiseshell
• Hardware Color: Chrome with White Plastic Rocker Switches and Gold Plastic Knobs

Electronics -

• Bridge Pickup: Original High Output Kent Single Coil, 9.31 ohms
• Neck Pickup: Original High Output Kent Single Coil, 9.22 ohms
• Knob Configuration: Bridge Volume and Tone, Neck Volume and Tone, On/Off Pickup Switch Rockers, Rhythm/Solo (Boost) Switch