9 String, Pt 2, an interview with Sargent Guitars!

How long have you been making guitars?

At a very young age I became interested in 60's music, my first records were a few my mother had given me from her teenage years, The Ventures in Space, The Champs Tequila, and so on... It formed the basis of my musical tastes, and a fascination with the era that brought on some of the most unusual & interesting electric guitars ever made. I received my first guitar as a Christmas gift, around 1982, a very cheap Harmony from J.C. Penney's. I soon decided to paint that guitar turquoise with model car paint, and likely (laughingly) that was the beginning of it all! Really, I made my first complete guitar from scratch in 1985.

You have your own unique style of guitar making. How would you describe the guitars you create?

They reflect many influences & fascinations I have for design, music, & fashion.

Would you say you have any trademark traits on all of the work you do?

Well, as a standard they have to play well and sound/look unique! I have many different styles I like to produce, so I would say there are different traits, they vary with the style.

You seem to use varied sources of materials for the different things you create... sometimes it's old guitar bodies, sometimes it's found objects. How do you come up with them?

Since the very beginning, being young & not having a lot of money, but being very resourceful, it formed a challenge in utilizing any materials I could get my hands on , sometimes the material itself suggesting the style of the guitar. I am extremely into recycling and using as much of the material as I can.  For example, on some of the western cowboy style guitars I've made, I've used particular pieces of finished weathered wood, discarded interior paneling from an old Chris Craft boat yielded 3 guitars, and the side of an old upright piano about 4.

How do you chose the body for the guitar you make?

Some are influenced by obscure guitars of the past, quite a few are formed without any prior planning & just a notion, in other words, often, right on the bandsaw !

How did you come up with your 9-string design?

There were various 9 strings made in the 1960's, notably The VOX teardrop 9 string and the Framus. The shop I was working in had a VOX, it became an interesting concept to me, as well as the electric mando-cello ( a long scale mandolin ). there was a surplus of n.o.s 1960's short scale Silvertone Danelectro necks at the time, and It seemed like this would be a good use for them.

I know you worked for a time at Danelectro. How did that come about, and what particular designs did you create there?

I was referred to them by a shop I worked at , they were tracking people down who had knowledge of the early Danelectros, so I met with them and showed them my portfolio , and I was hired on the spot! Some designs I've done:


        *Pickguard & peghead shape for the "Mod " model guitars

        *Dan-O-wah & Wasabi pedals

        *Rumor, Hearsay, Innuendo guitars ( the ones with effects built in)

        *Various graphics, Sitar Swami, etc.

        *Paint colors

What are the top 3 guitars you are most proud of?

The first one would be the Rockin' Lloyd Tripp cowhorn double-neck guitar*.  I think that one will always be my favorite,  because he is a great friend of mine and one of the coolest guys I know, of which this sentiment went into making it. It also has unusual construction from other guitars I've constructed: real cowhorns, body made from pine & an oak / black walnut side section of a discarded upright piano, it also has the first neck I ever built.
*see photo

Second would be another guitar / mandolin double-neck I built, I called it "The Cats", built from an old door, that was turned into a workbench, and then this guitar, it has these mid-century modern "cat" pickgaurds that are my favorites, and a very '50's classic style. . . it is now owned by Max Butler, a very talented player of all styles, probably best known for his work with country / western swing and pedal steel work.

Third, I have so many others I like, but I think that it would have to give some special notice to all of the electric sitars I've made. There is almost always someone interested in obtaining one from me, and whether it's a cheap guitar fitted with a sitar bridge, or one of my more involved works ,  the process of hand-shaping the bridge & making it play right, (sometimes a love/hate thing. . .!) is always overall, fulfilling to me.

What are you favorite vintage body styles to use on your new items?  I recall seeing the Danelectro longhorn hollowbody, various Harmony shapes, a sitar and even a Tele body in your models.  

I have made a lot of guitars that have similar shapes from guitars of the past , but these were done with more of a tribute to , or appreciation for these guitars. . .I have many different levels of what I do with guitars . . .not unlike a writer, who might write an epic novel, but often writes short stories, articles,  interviews  , blogs , etc. . . regardless of what level, it's all related to what they enjoy doing. I would say my favorites are the ones I am yet to make!

Do you have any new ideas on the horizon that you have not explored yet? What are some new ideas you would like to try?

Yes, and there is always something new to learn. I have many ideas I haven't utilized yet, and I appreciate having them . . .that way I can never be bored! I have many other things I would like to try as well; I've been interested in sewing lately , which is another endless world of creativity. . .!

Do you do custom orders for people?

For my more artistic stuff, I prefer people to come along and appreciate the creations I have already made . I have found custom orders that aren't within my own style can often zap my creativity , it just doesn't work for me. Occasionally , upon request , I will build a duplicate of a guitar I have made in the past, i.e.; an electric sitar. . . I will assemble kit style guitars out of parts for people, & do most modifications, as will also make custom pickgaurds. One of my specialties!

Where can people find your guitars?

Usually there are pics of the latest guitars here:

www.myspace.com/ronniesargentkustomguitars

Coming up, there is a gallery show of my guitars on May 1st.  @ the Lucky JUJU pinball gallery in Alameda (Santa Clara & Webster)
It is called "ROCK 'n' . . . ROLLLL!" . . .Guitars made from pinball machine parts!

info here:

http://www.ujuju.com/item.php?id=658

Thanks Ronnie!