Bob Dylan, Billy Bragg, Morrissey guitarist Boz Boorer and Robert Cray are just some of the famous names that own Ron Sargent guitars, and right before his death in 2009, Australia's legendary Rowland S. Howard was in touch with Sargent, praising his work and looking forward to acquiring his own Sargent Kustom guitar.
Ron Sargent and Danelectro
From early days in the Morays, one of California's original surf bands, Ron Sargent eventually ended up at the reborn Daneletro company, designing many of the modern Dano effects pedals, including the famous Dan-O-Wah, Sitar Swami and Wasabi, along with such acclaimed guitar models as the Innuendo and Hearsay, plus the Rumor bass.
Recycle
As can be seen by picture # 7, above, Ron Sargent builds some extremely cool guitars! The San Francisco based builder will often recycle old guitar parts, furniture components and more into a ripper new creation, as well as giving a second life to old fifties appliance badges on his headstocks, including Dinette, Symphonette, Ranchette, etc. The Symphonette logo here likely came from a sixties transistor radio or portable record player.
First ever!
Maybe not quite as "out there" as some of his later guitar art, this one however was Ron Sargent's first ever commercially built guitar! (There is a hand-written note to that effect on the back of the control plate, also listing a completion date of June 6, 1990. As well as the control plate note, RS001 is stamped on the body, just above the neck bolts).
Dano-Ric styling
The styling and carved hollow body looks suspiciously like an old Rickenbacker 400-series, with the addition of the crackle finish of Danelectro's original Coral Sitar. The 21-fret neck, (fitted with modern Cort tuners), remains something of a mystery, but it boasts a good, solid chunk of Brazilian Rosewood and plays nice and fast, with low and easy action. The carved body keeps the weight down to a smidge over 7lb, (3.2kg).
Pickups & controls
Be aware that this thing has been around the block a few times, (check out the pics), but also be very aware that nobody else is going to walk into the room carrying a Symphonette. Every Sargent Kustom job is a total one-off, so this is always going to be the only guitar like it in the room! And most other axes will have a hard job either looking cooler, or sounding better. We're not sure what the Tele-style pickups are – possibly hand wound by Ron Sargent himself – but they pack a helluva punch. Full and warm at low volume, but crank them even a little and they develop an upper-mid and top end that's truly amazing – crystal clear and sharp as a switchblade! A heavyweight bridge-plate and really effective and very useful tone & volume controls round out the package.
Instant vintage vibe
This is a very cool guitar that you will have an enormous amount of fun with. As well as sounding absolutely brilliant, it comes with an instant vintage vibe that can't be beat! And, as with all Just Guitars instruments, ships FREE, with FastWay couriers, to any address in Australia
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