nice MIJ Hohner jumbo acoustic

[Sparky6string]

Hi everyone, new to the Acoustic Guitars part here at HC.

 

I saw one of these guitars at a pawn shop recently and it really looked nice. It had ancient grimy strings on it that didn't do it justice though. The top was real spruce and the sides and back were genuine rosewood. It lookes like an awesome guitar.

 

Anyone have experience with these? It had a price tag of about $225 or so but I could probably talk him down to $200 or less.

 

Thanks.

[Sparky6string]

No one here has ever had any experience with a good quality Hohner? Is there another acoustic guitar forum that anyone knows about that might have more information?

[mc5nrg]

MIJ?You can check a few things out to evaluate it yourself.If it is MIJ I'd loosely estimate 70s-mid 80s.Does it have decent tuners?The better MIJ guitars usually had fully enclosed,sealed machine heads-Knockoffs of Grover/Schaller types.Can you figure out if the top is solid?Look at the edge of the soundhole and or use a dental or other mirror to compare the grain inside/top.Similarily you can compare the grain of the back and sides inside vs outer though solid back and sides is probably unlikely.Check out how the nut slots are cut and how the action is over the first fret.If the action is high especially over the frets near the body but the bridge saddle is real low the guitar needs too much work and should be crossed off your list.Is a case part of the deal?Check it out,play it,bring a knowledgeable,experienced friend.If it passes the audition offer $150-170 cash.

[Sparky6string]

Thanks mc5nrg...

I think the tuners were genuine Grovers, fully enclosed. I will go back and check the grains to see if they match up but I think they do. I'll also check the nut slots and action over the frets like you said. A case is indeed part of the deal. I don't have any knowledgeable friends as far as acoustics go though, only electrics.

The back has a stripe down the middle not unlike the higher end Martins. The rosewood really is striking. I thought that $200 would have been a good offer, but $150-170 eh?

I am currently buying a MIJ Fernandes RG style with Floyd Rose including a case for $100 from the same shop. I love the Japanese craftsmanship.

Thanks again for the help.

[54merk]

Originally posted by Sparky6string Thanks mc5nrg... I think the tuners were genuine Grovers, fully enclosed. I will go back and check the grains to see if they match up but I think they do. I'll also check the nut slots and action over the frets like you said. A case is indeed part of the deal. I don't have any knowledgeable friends as far as acoustics go though, only electrics. The back has a stripe down the middle not unlike the higher end Martins. The rosewood really is striking. I thought that $200 would have been a good offer, but $150-170 eh? I am currently buying a MIJ Fernandes RG style with Floyd Rose including a case for $100 from the same shop. I love the Japanese craftsmanship. Thanks again for the help.

Sparky,
I hate to burst your bubble or anything, but buying a 30+ acoustic guitar is not as easy as purchasing an old solid body electric. There can be plenty of things wrong, or it may be just fine, but unless you know what to look for, you could end up with junk. The price is low so it may be fine, but this ain't a Martin. Hohner is a brand name which has been put onto a number of inexpensive guitars imported from around the world, including Asian countries such as Japan, Korea, Indonesia, and China. Honers were, and continue to be inexpensive, modest instruments, not high end stuff. Nothing wrong with them or anything, but it's not worth much more than what you're planning to offer.

This thing may have a solid top but I really doubt whether the rosewood back and sides are solid. They rarely were for these relatively inexpensive Japanese made instruments. The back stripe is a cosmetic appointment to make you think of a Martin. Plenty of cheap guitars have these so having one is no guarantee of quality.

Japan cranked out many inexpensive guitars in the 70's until production was moved to Korea, and later Indonesia, Taiwan, and China. Certainly some were better than others. You also cannot tell darn thing by how it looks. Glossy finish, inlays, and back stripes don't mean a thing. It's easy and relatively cheap to dress up a guitar but that is never indicative of the build quality or tone. If this is truly a Japanese made guitar and does not need frets or a neck reset, and the top has not pulled up, and the braces are not loose, and there is no structural damage, then it may be a perfectly fine instrument. This is a 30+ year old instrument, isn't it? It's rare to find an old guitar that doesn't need some sort of repair. Bring a ruler with you next time you try the guitar. Place it across the frets pointing to the bridge. If the end sits on top of the bridge, the neck angle is correct. If it points into the top, walk away since it will require more work than it's worth.

Tell us how it goes.

[Sparky6string]

Thanks 54...

And you're not bursting my bubble since there is no bubble to burst. I'm just trying to get some info, that's all, and you two have provided it.

I'll let you guys know what the results are.

Sparky

[Sparky6string]

Ok, went and checked it out again.

The tuners are Grover copies, not the real thing. The grain on the rosewood looked to match up on the back and sides. The action over the frets looked good all the way down the neck with the saddle not too low.

The tone was nice even with the ancient strings. Since I am already making payments to him I'm thinking about asking him if I can put new strings on it and subtract the amount of the strings from the amount I owe him.

One thing I noticed though was the neck had no binding. The Takamini next to it did though.

What do you guys think?

[54merk]

Neck binding is just cosmetic. Has no effect on anything other than looks. Actually, it makes refretting trickier. The guitar sounds good and the price is low. A new set of strings is only $6.00, so just deduct that from the price.

[Sparky6string]

I think I'm going to do the string thing. Thanks guys for your invaluable help with this, since I am admittedly a bonehead concerning acoustics. You've helped tremendously.