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The OFFICIAL (kinda) HONDO THREAD!!

#101
Hondo J's exist, but I have only seen a few, online, and they seem to either be the plywood nightmare's that hondo's are thought of (though plywood in of itself doesn't equal bad) or extremely gorgeous pieces of art. Either example is difficult to find: I know, I've been looking. I also missed out on a double neck 4/8 string on the bay. Oh well.
 
#102
Yeah the J's are rare. I seen a hot rodded one someone put mini gibson humbuckers in (like the bridge pickup in a eb3). He even had video of him playing it in the auction. And i just seen that double neck longhorn still up for $350 with 13 hrs left! GO FOR IT! :)................. IN THE TIME IT TOOK ME TO WRITE THIS POST AND GO BACK TO EABY TO LOOK AND THE LONGHORN IT JUMPED TO $717....... GEEEZ :)
 
#104
Here she is!!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=230287298653&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT&ih=013
This will make three, once it gets here, 4 if you count the strat copy I loaned to a buddy since he wants to learn guitar. I'm stoked b/c it looks like she has all the original hardware!! I will have to see once I get her if I'm leaving her like that, or putting the trimmings on my retro-frettless, as I have wanted to put the thumbrest/covers on that for a while now. Also debating on the j that's on the bay, but not sure if I wanna hold off and wait for a II series J to pop up instead.

*Edit* Wow. 800 pounds eh? so about 1600, 1700 us? :eek: I'm sorry to hear that. On the brightside, sterlings seem pretty popular, you could always flip it and look for another Hondo!! :ninja: :hiding: :D
 
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#105
Thats just like the one i have, its a cool bass. The pick up is real noisey but i don't mind for what i use it for. And the pick up is NOT a humbucker its a single coil under a "HB" case. They did that ALOT with that era hondo, guitars and basses. I found it was a single coil when i took it apart to bring it back to life. And a friend of mine bought that era hondo II les paul copy and it was single coil under a humbucker case.
 
#106
Yeah, I have two more just like this one, one was defretted by a previous owner, and needed major TLC, the other I found on ebay and haven't had time to fully straighten out. This one is the triplet (all the same color scheme, even) just has the covers and tug bar, which neither of my other two have. AFAIK P pickups are just a split single-coil, (just read this in another thread, so someone correct me if I am on crack) so they work somewhat like a hb but sound like a single coil. But these old Hondo's were equiped with dimarzio's, and sound WICKED. Really, the only bass I've played that can really touch them, let alone blow them out of the water, is my Valenti! (Thanks Nino!!) But yeah, I'm tired and slightly rambling, so I'm agonna wrap it up.
 
#109
My Hondo ll looks exactly like rogerbmiller's, except I have a bridge cover and a missing knob, otherwise spitting image! As i said in another post, Hondo was my first, could never part with it even though it presently needs a total overhaul. I play it when I like to remind myself of my beginnings......its a heavy body for sure. I'll send a pic when I can. Even though Im a Fender player now, its dear to my heart, and with all that said, may I join and have a #. Sentimental value.
 
#111
Pennydreadful said:
eaec_1.jpg

Hondo II. I actually really like it.
Click to expand...
Thats a good looking bass, really, I never seen so many different Hondo styles. I think this club may actually be interesting.....a group of players that have, or used, and love an inferior guitar.... in most peoples eyes. Kinda twisted.
 
#112
Yes, but if I sanded my headstock and put a Fender decal on mine, how many people would be able to tell the difference? I know there are a few that know enough about fenders that they would spot the fake, but IMO most people would never know. So 'inferior' in this case, I think, is mostly just a bad reputation. Sure, there were plenty of crappy Hondo's out there. Even Fender has it's share of lemons. But I think that most of the ones that have survived to today, were somebody's baby, and that they survived because they were the ones that Hondo got right.
 
#113
bluerimedeyes said:
Yes, but if I sanded my headstock and put a Fender decal on mine, how many people would be able to tell the difference? I know there are a few that know enough about fenders that they would spot the fake, but IMO most people would never know. So 'inferior' in this case, I think, is mostly just a bad reputation. Sure, there were plenty of crappy Hondo's out there. Even Fender has it's share of lemons. But I think that most of the ones that have survived to today, were somebody's baby, and that they survived because they were the ones that Hondo got right.
Click to expand...
That was well put blue. My Hondo ll has no mfg. flaws, the neck is solid nearly 30 yrs. later, and 3-4 owners. At one time is sounded....great, but it was my first, with nothing to compare it to. It was my first baby and was well taken care of by all owners....soo I see what u mean. But all this Hondo talk is making me want to get it fixed (replace pups) and find out whats rattling inside,lol. Its a heavy body bass, action very low....DANG IT!! Now I have to get it fixed so I can compare it to my 5 other basses, especially my J and Squier P, if I discover that the Hondo sounds better Im going to S**t myself! Hondo club member #13 and proud of it....just dont tell any body.;)
 
#114
I have what might be a Hondo Pro. I'll post pics of it later today - in the meantime:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Original-Hond...39:1|66:2|65:12|240:1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vintage-HONDO...hash=item320294293126&_trksid=p3286.m63.l1177

I also have this:

P6050085.gif


P6050086.gif


Which is a Vantage & may well have been built in the same factory as the Hondo Pros.

The instrument I think might be a Hondo Pro is a thru-neck P bass of the Matsumoko design i.e. the maple/walnut core sandwich with mahogany wings - it may well be an Aria or a Satellite, or one of those other brand names produced. I'll put a pic up soon & see if anyone can identify it. It's a problem, because a previous owner painted the face of the headstock black & I'm reluctant to strip it back.

It plays really well and the only problem with it is that someone has completely stripped the truss-rod nut and as it's a through-neck and the adjustment is at the heel end, I find it impossible to remove, although I have bought a replacement nut.
 
#119
Sorry, been in the field. Army training. Am going back out in the morning, just in for a shower. Anywho, the new baby is AMAZING. Only thing was that the humbucker?- took it apart, not a p style underneath, have picks will post later.) pickup wasn't tight and slid in and out of the bass body. So's I tried having a go at fixing her. Was doing ok, attempting to figure out how they used two screws w/springs to keep it tight to the pickgaurd, without being too high, or sliding, and realized that I had broke the solder connection for the ground wire. Damn. And the only person I know of with a soldering iron, well, his is broke. So when I get back, between moving, trying to fix my car, and sleeping, I need to order a soldering iron and try to fix her. Intresting though, I will have to check the other two, but this one is unmistakeably plywood. It is also, so far as I can tell, the most amazing sounding. And she weighs like an abrahms tank. But hey, the sound is worth it. Anywho, lemme try to upload the photos to photobucket and I will put a link to my files.
 

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