1969 Kustom K-200D
Kustom is remembered almost exclusively for their
amplifiers: high-powered transistorized circuits that were among the first to
seriously compete with tube amps. The extensive use of stuffed Naugahyde
coverings gave them a unique look that has since become iconic. However, in its
early years, Kustom tried to become a much more diverse manufacturer; they
produced PA systems, organs, electric pianos, guitars and basses. None of these
products survived into the 1970s, but the guitars and basses have achieved
recognition as professional-quality instruments.
Bud Ross founded Kustom in 1964, creating a factory in
Chanute, KS to manufacture amplifiers. He discussed the possibility of
manufacturing Kustom guitars with Holman-Woodell, a Neodosha-based company who
produced guitars for Wurlitzer, La Baye and other brands, but the talks
ultimately went nowhere. By 1967, Kustom had taken onboard a couple of former
woodworking teachers, Doyle Reeding and Wesley Valorie (Reeding was a former
employee of Holman-Woodell), who proceeded to design a line of guitars for the
company.
The resulting K-200 series have been described as a mix
of Gretsch and Rickenbacker, occasionally with a hint of Mosrite as well. The
semi-hollow construction is a mix of convention and innovation: the top was
carved out and a center block glued in down the center, and these two pieces
were merged to a matching pair that formed the back. The neck was then bolted on
and the electronics installed. All guitars and basses shared the same body. The
top-of-the-line K-200A guitar featured DeArmond 2000 pickups, multi-dot fret
markers and a Bigsby vibrato. The K-200B featured less ornate markers, cheaper
DeArmond pickups and a trapeze tailpiece. The K-200C had the fancier fret
markers but with the cheaper pickups and trapeze tailpiece, and it also had a
slightly less ornate headstock shape. The K-200A and K-200C were all maple,
while the K-200B was built of ash for what Kustom called their “zebra” finishes.
The K-200D bass represented only a small fraction of all
the instruments built in the series. It had single-dot fret markers (three dots
at the 12th fret), a maple body and neck, trapeze tailpiece, and the
larger headstock shape. The pickups were essentially 4-pole variants of those
found on the K-200B and K-200C. Like the guitars, it was offered in a variety of
finishes including a couple of remarkably hideous multi-colored bursts. Like the
guitars, it often appears in finishes not documented in the
catalogs. While this bass appears to
have a greenish tint, the original color was blue; the original color is still
visible under the pickguard, which protected the clear coat from sunlight and
prevented it from yellowing. The K-200D featured a short 30” scale and a fuller
neck profile than the guitars (which had wafer-thin necks), making it very easy
to play. The only notable design flaw is the “reverse” mounting of the trapeze
tailpiece, which has caused the mounting flange to bend under the tension of the
strings. The pickguards have a tendency to crack as the plastic shrinks over
time, though the same can be said for any number of guitars from the period.
Despite being excellent instruments, the K-200 series
were only produced for about three years. Their demise was probably due to lack
of sales; the last catalog to feature them shows significant price drops. It’s
possible that the easy availability of Gretsch and Rickenbacker guitars reduced
the market for the Kustoms, though the K-200 series have a very different feel
from either of their major competitors. It has been estimated that 3000 guitars
and basses were produced at the most. This particular specimen is all original,
including the case, and has no damage apart from some scattered finish wear. The
DeArmond pickups produce a very clear tone with emphasis on the mid-range. The
bass is surprisingly light given its all-maple construction.
