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Hondo Guitar. Rare?


MaxVolume

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I have done a lot of research but I still can't find the answer to the question I have. I have a Hondo Les Paul Deluxe 740 Mark II. Has anyone else had or have this guitar? If so, can you please give me some more information on it, because you will still have more information than I do. Here's what I can tell you. It's red-to-black fade everywhere. It's got what looks like white Dimarzio pickups, although I'm a noob, so I probably can't tell a dime's difference. It also has pearl inlays and the serial number is HS740BGS. The HS-740 seems pretty obvious to me, but I have no idea what BGS could mean. Any suggestions?

 

MV

 

P.S. I'll get some pics up when I can.

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Hondo is a brand of Samick which is a brand of Cort which started back in the 50's [iIRC] as Tiesco founded by Jack W. who is responsible for importing all the Jap-crap back in the day.

 

If it has Dimarzio pickups, they are not stock. Hondo's were/are pac-rim clones. Some are great, others not so.

 

The dearth of info has to do with the fact they are not that highly regarded IHMO.

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Thanks for the heads up RC, but my post is "historically correct" as that's what they were called back then by pretty much everybody. Not disparaging the nation-state or the people, just the junk they were dumping over here at the time.

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as Tiesco founded by Jack W. who is responsible for importing all the Jap-crap back in the day.


If it has Dimarzio pickups, they are not stock. Hondo's were/are pac-rim clones. Some are great, others not so.


The dearth of info has to do with the fact they are not that highly regarded IHMO.

 

It was rumored that a lot of the early Hondos had DiMarzio pickups, actually. I have always had my doubts about that rumor, though.

 

The early Hondos (and alot of the other import stuff) were manufactured in the Matsumoku plant. http://www.iqui.de/ has a lot of examples of Matsumoku-made guitars.

 

Here's a Hondo II LP:

Hondo_II_LesPaul_01.JPG

 

FWIW, my first 'real' electric was a Hondo 'Deluxe 767' flying V (exactly like the one pictured on the website I linked above). It was a colossal POS, but I threw several hundred dollars into it (Schaller FR, EMGs, etc) anyways hoping to make it a worthy instrument. But in the end, it was still a Hondo :cop:

 

MaxVolume, if yours is one of the 'newer' ones (and I suspect that it is), it's probably made of plywood like this V I picked up last year (you can clearly see the plywood layers in the pickup cavities):

4071990666_6eacc9830f.jpg

 

It now looks like this, btw:

4586328749_81775ce7fd.jpg

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I can't help you with your particular model as I'm having the same problems getting info on my Hondo.

 

I have a MIJ 'Fame Series 7601' strat copy (H-S-S pickup config) with toggle switches for each pickup and I simply love the the guitar for it's playability. The action is the lowest possible without the fret buzz and the neck is fast and smooth. The toggle switches allow for easier pickup combinations than a single 5 way switch. A toggle switch gives a few more pickup configurations than a 5 way and it can also act as a kill switch.

 

I love my Hondo!

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I had got one off of craigslist a couple of years ago. Only one of the pickups was original, and it was a Dimarzio.

 

If you take out one of the pickups, you'll see that the body is hollow. It's plywood made, and the archtop is really bent plywood. Mine wasn't burst but a nice ivory color.

 

I didn't keep it long enough to bond with it but it was a cool project.

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I have read that begining around 1982 Samick started building guitars for the company that owned the Hondo name (Link)

 

"Samick formed a joint venture with Texas-based International Music Company (also known as the Hondo Guitar Company). The new company introduced modern U.S. production methods to the Korean market, while taking advantage of the low-wage level in Korea to offer inexpensive, entry-level guitars.

 

Hondo initially produced a line of classical and folk guitars before adding its first electric guitars in 1972. By 1974, the company's electric guitars had achieved a certain level of quality, and Hondo became one of the largest-selling entry-level brands by the mid-1970s. Hondo added a variety of instruments to its line during the 1970s, including banjos, while continuing to make product improvements. By the end of that decade, Hondo was selling nearly 800,000 instruments per year before fading out in the 1980s. "

 

In the late 80s and early 90s both Hondo and Samick used the same headstock inlay design on some Les Paul copies

 

DSC08692-1-1.jpg100_9191-1-1.jpg

 

I have a Samick from that era and it is nice guitar

 

100_9183-1.jpg100_9195-1-1-1.jpg

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While my post may come across as a tad disparaging I actually use an early 90's Hondo body on my frankenstrat. The body is plywood, but on a Strat all the body really does is hold all the bits together, so it sounds as Stratty as the next one and I'm really the only one that knows so it doesn't really matter. Aside from the cheap pot metal trem bloc [that even Fenders have] the Hondo trem is actually quite nice. I has a shelf on the back of it so you can use the heel of your palm to bend up, instead of the whammy bar. A nice touch.

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Thanks for the heads up RC, but my post is "historically correct" as that's what they were called back then by pretty much everybody. Not disparaging the nation-state or the people, just the junk they were dumping over here at the time.

 

Very true and I got zero beef with someone using the term. But, the powers that be on HC take a different view, and so far it's been just about zero-tolerance. Be careful. :wave:

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I've played quite a few various Hondos over the years, starting in the early 80s.

 

Some were utter {censored}, some were more than decent.

 

I had my hands on a Hondo 8 string bass once that I would really have liked to take possession of. It played and felt really nice.

 

Incidentally, there's nothing wrong with plywood guitars. I've had some killer plywood cheapies.

 

For quite a while my #1 gigging guitar was a plywood Vester Telecaster copy, totally stock. It was a great little guitar.

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My very first guitar was a Hondo 2 Les Paul copy. I swear i remember it not having a 3-way toggle switch but having those white dip switches instead. But I googled for a few and couldnt find a image of one with dip switches. Mine must have been the real bottom of the barrel Hondos then...lol.

And they did come with dimarzio pickups..

page8.jpg

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as Tiesco founded by Jack W. who is responsible for importing all the Jap-crap back in the day.


If it has Dimarzio pickups, they are not stock. Hondo's were/are pac-rim clones. Some are great, others not so.


The dearth of info has to do with the fact they are not that highly regarded IHMO.

 

 

for the bagillionth time... Samick is NOT made by Cort!!! Cort and Samick are the largest guitar manufacturers in the world and are each others COMPETITION:mad: and FYI, LOTS of Hondo's came stock with Dimarzio's, as did many Japanese made guitars of the '70s-'80s(i.e.- my Westbury Standard has Dimarzio's stock in it)... in fact, i was in the process pf trading forum member SOLARPIMP my TTM for a Hondo ES-935 that had Dimarzio's stock in it...

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It was rumored that a lot of the early Hondos had DiMarzio pickups, actually. I have always had my doubts about that rumor, though.


The early Hondos (and alot of the other import stuff) were manufactured in the Matsumoku plant.
http://www.iqui.de/
has a lot of examples of Matsumoku-made guitars.


Here's a
Hondo II LP
:

Hondo_II_LesPaul_01.JPG

FWIW, my first 'real' electric was a Hondo 'Deluxe 767' flying V (exactly like the one pictured on the website I linked above). It was a colossal POS, but I threw several hundred dollars into it (Schaller FR, EMGs, etc) anyways hoping to make it a worthy instrument. But in the end, it was still a Hondo
:cop:

MaxVolume, if yours is one of the 'newer' ones (and I suspect that it is), it's probably made of plywood like this V I picked up last year (you can clearly see the plywood layers in the pickup cavities):

4071990666_6eacc9830f.jpg

It now looks like this, btw:

4586328749_81775ce7fd.jpg

 

 

yep, Matsumoku... that's who made my Westbury... and it's a damn good guitar!!!

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for the bagillionth time... Samick is NOT made by Cort!!! Cort and Samick are the largest guitar manufacturers in the world and are each others COMPETITION:mad: and FYI, LOTS of Hondo's came stock with Dimarzio's, as did many Japanese made guitars of the '70s-'80s(i.e.- my Westbury Standard has Dimarzio's stock in it)... in fact, i was in the process pf trading forum member SOLARPIMP my TTM for a Hondo ES-935 that had Dimarzio's stock in it...

 

 

okay - may not be correct but keeps the thread going...

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From Wilkipedia so can't swear it's true...

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hondo_%28guitar_company%29

 

Hondo (guitar company)

Hondo was an American guitar company and brand owned by Musicorp that produced, well regarded acoustic guitars, entry-level electric guitars, and basses with designs that are usually based on the designs of more expensive models such as the Fender Stratocaster and the Gibson Les Paul. These models are of good quality and very collectible instruments, similar to contemporary Aria Pro models. From 1974 and 1983 the guitars were produced in Japan, and in Korea from 1984-1987. In 2005, the J.B. Player brand replaced the Hondo name.

[edit] History

 

The Hondo guitar company was originally formed in 1969 when Jerry Freed and Tommy Moore of the International Music Corporation (IMC) of Fort Worth, Texas, combined with the recently formed Samick Company. IMC's intent was to introduce modern manufacturing techniques and American quality standards to the Japanese and Korean guitar manufacturing industry. The Hondo concept was to offer an organized product line and solid entry-level market instruments at a fair market price. The original Korean products were classical and steel-string acoustic guitars. In 1972, the first crudely built Hondo electrics were built. However, two years later the product line took a big leap forward in quality under the new Hondo II logo. Hondo also began limited production of guitars in Japan in 1974. Hondo acoustic guitars were particularly noted for having a sweet tone.

 

By 1975, Hondo had distributors in 70 countries worldwide, and had expanded to producing stringed instruments at the time. In 1976, over 22,000 of the Bi-Centennial banjos were sold. The company also made improvements to the finish quality on their products, introduced scalloped bracing on acoustics, and began using a higher quality brand of tuning machines.

 

Hondo was one of the first overseas guitar builders to feature American-built DiMarzio pickups on the import instruments beginning in 1978. By this year, a number of Hondo II models featured designs based on classic American favorites; these copies were very good instruments and have become highly collectible. The Gibson L5 copy, nicknamed FatBoy, was the top of the line, a superb instrument with very good woods and excellent sound. In 1979, over 790,000 Hondo instruments were sold worldwide. All guitar production returned to Korea in 1983. At that point, the product line consisted of 485 different models.[citation needed]

 

In 1985, IMC acquired major interest in the Charvel/Jackson Company, and began dedicating more time and interest in the higher end guitar market. The Hondo trademark went into mothballs around 1987. However, Jerry Freed started the Jerry Freed International Company in 1989, and acquired the rights to the Hondo trademark in 1991 (the "Est. 1969" tagline was added to the Hondo logo at this time). Freed began distribution of a new line of Hondo guitars. In 1993, the revamped company was relocated to Stuart, Florida; additional models added to the line were produced in China and Taiwan.

 

The Hondo Guitar Company was purchased by the MBT International (now Musicorp) in 1995. The Hondo product line was revamped for improved quality while maintaining student-friendly prices. Hondo celebrated their 25th year of manufacturing electric guitars in 1997. Musicorp also owns and distributes J.B. Player instruments which replaced Hondo in 2005.

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other than the fact that the guy's an uber douche... no... and i'd rock the shit outta your Hondo buddy:thu:

 

Thanks, man! I only got it for $30 from my grandfather. ;)

 

Can't complain about that. It has some pretty nasty tones, so it's definitely a rocker from the looks to the sound. :rawk:

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