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Kent / Hagström I- Model Chronology

1.1:

1.2:

1.3

1.4:

1. “Globular headstock + thick neck“ (1962-1964)

Distinctive headstock shape.
Fret dimensions like Fender vintage.
Pretty clubby neck profile (similar to Gibson SG)
Headstock and neck covered with black celluloid.
Square fretboard end on body side.
Pickups not adjustable in height.
Old style Tremar vibrato (with strings fastened by pins).

Finishes: red (60%), blue (39,9%) (exceptionally orange or lavender). Cheese grater is often (but not always) coloured to match body finish.
Production: 6,216 guitars + 2,545 basses.

Distribution: in the beginning mainly U.K. (under the names Futurama II Deluxe / Futurama Bass), then Scandinavia (with a Kent logo but often without any logo at all), sporadically Germany, Benelux, France, USA.

1.1. Gibson-style nut

Brass frets
Black plastic strap-buttons
Almost all instruments are branded ‘Futurama’
(Earliest basses have small guitar machineheads, soon substituted with bigger ones with ‘elephant ear’ buttons)

1.2. Fender-style nut (i.e. wedged into fretboard)

Some instruments have a ‘King’s Neck’ sticker on the back of headstock.
Futurama logo increasingly rare

1.3. Slanted string retainer above the nut

Silver-nickel frets
Clear yellowish strap buttons
‘King’s Neck’ sticker becomes frequent (but not yet systematic)
No more Futurama logo

1.4. A Hagström logo shows up on the body in the end

2.1:

1964 - The “fastest neck in the world” is there!

2. “Stratoid headstock + logo on body“ (1964)

Raised silvery plastic Hagström logo on body.
Definitive headstock, inspired from Fender.
Classic super-skinny Hagström neck with very thin frets.
Headstock and back of the neck are painted black (that finish is often affected by bubbling and chips, making visible a funny pink primer coating).

There is always a ‘King’s Neck’ sticker on the back of the headstock.
Fretboard end is rounded-off on body side.
Tremar vibrato of 2nd generation (definitive).
Strap buttons are again black.
Cheese grater always in natural aluminium
Two black plastic plugs on the back on the body.

Finishes: red (40%), blue (25%), black (20%), lavender (15%)
Production: 1,675 guitars + 475 basses
The rarest generation.
Distribution : mostly in USA

2.1. Earliest version devoid of the plate showing control functions (rare)

2.2. Aluminium control plate is there

2.3. Pickups adjustable in height (at last!)

3. “Hagström I on headstock + rounded pickups“ (1965)

No more logo on body, a golden ‘Hagström I’ decal on headstock instead.

This one is by far by far the most common generation, and the only one in which some off-standards instruments may be found : a few ones have a natural finish on neck and headstock.

Finishes: red (51%), black (31%), blue (10%), lavender (8%)
Production: roughly 6,900 guitars + 2,800 basses
Distribution : almost only USA

3.1. ‘King’s Neck’ label and plastic plugs on the back survive.

3.2. No more ‘King’s Neck’, no more plastic plugs.

3.3. Both strap buttons are made of metal.
Long awaited fret markers appear on fretboard side

3.4. A golden cheese grater foretells the final generation.

4. “Rectangular pickups“ (1966-1967)

Very homogenous final version, distinguished by rectangular pickups like those fitted on contemporary H-II and H-III model but without nickel surrounds.
Golden cheese grater.

Breakdown of finishes is totally different of what it used to be. Red is no longer the dominant colour. A sort of negative of the black top finish is introduced.

Finishes: black (40%), negative black/white (40%), red (13%), blue (6%), lavender (1%).
Production: about 3,300 guitars + 2,800 basses.
Distribution only in USA.