Home | Scales | Tuner | Forum


Hondo II

Instruments and Gear
1 2
macandkanga  
30 Aug 2010 15:09 | Quote
Joined: 03 Oct 2008
United States
Karma: 21
A friend of mine gave me this guitar almost 20 years ago. He told me it's a Hondo II and he started to paint it but gave up. I've had it hanging in my garage all these years and decided yesterday to apply some Jaco paint remover to it and a belt sander and this is what I found:







It's a really cool guitar and a great project but I can't find a picture of this guitar anywhere on the net. Does anyone know anything about Hondo II?
btimm  
30 Aug 2010 15:26 | Quote
Joined: 14 Dec 2009
United States
Lessons: 2
Licks: 1
Karma: 16
Nevermind the guitar, your garage makes me jealous!
macandkanga  
30 Aug 2010 15:35 | Quote
Joined: 03 Oct 2008
United States
Karma: 21
lol! My garage is a mess. But it's my home away from home!
BodomBeachTerror  
30 Aug 2010 16:02 | Quote
Joined: 27 May 2008
Canada
Lessons: 2
Licks: 1
Karma: 25
Its got potential to be a VERY beautiful guitar. get some gold hardware. oooh. I'd leave it the natural colour. its awesome.
macandkanga  
30 Aug 2010 16:15 | Quote
Joined: 03 Oct 2008
United States
Karma: 21
Yeah. So far it looks like it's neck-through construction! I havent been able to sand down the sides yet to see how the wood is layered together yet but I hope it's solid or maybe solid on the bottom with a different top. If all goes well the plan is for a natural finish yes! I dont know what all the holes are for either. Maybe two vol and two tones and the three little holes for out of phase swithcing? I don't know but yeah I wish I would have looked at this before! I'm very excited!
BodomBeachTerror  
30 Aug 2010 16:23 | Quote
Joined: 27 May 2008
Canada
Lessons: 2
Licks: 1
Karma: 25
Well i found a whole bunch of Hondo guitars online, none with that shape though, I'll keep looking. they sure had some wacky designs. I found out that they were built between 1974 and 1987. So that is vintage stuff right there.

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

EDIT: I found a couple pictures of that model, but no info anywhere
macandkanga  
30 Aug 2010 16:48 | Quote
Joined: 03 Oct 2008
United States
Karma: 21
Where did you find the pics? I can't even find that yet!
macandkanga  
30 Aug 2010 17:08 | Quote
Joined: 03 Oct 2008
United States
Karma: 21
It's a BC Rich Eagle copy made by Hondo II in 1981. I'm still looking for more info on it!



BodomBeachTerror  
30 Aug 2010 17:15 | Quote
Joined: 27 May 2008
Canada
Lessons: 2
Licks: 1
Karma: 25




macandkanga  
30 Aug 2010 17:32 | Quote
Joined: 03 Oct 2008
United States
Karma: 21
That's it! The one I found has a different head with tuners on one side and it's made by Crestline. Could you post the link to this one?
BodomBeachTerror  
30 Aug 2010 17:43 | Quote
Joined: 27 May 2008
Canada
Lessons: 2
Licks: 1
Karma: 25
http://www.guitariste.com/forums/profil,materiel,264631.html
macandkanga  
30 Aug 2010 17:51 | Quote
Joined: 03 Oct 2008
United States
Karma: 21
Thanks man! This is as close as I've ever come to finding anything about this guitar! I'm going to try to restore it to look more like the BC Rich though. It give's me a better idea about the hardware I'll need too! Fortunately, I still have the brass nut.
MoshZilla1016  
30 Aug 2010 17:55 | Quote
Joined: 10 Jul 2010
United States
Lessons: 4
Licks: 19
Karma: 16
You gotta post a pic when you're done with it.
BodomBeachTerror  
30 Aug 2010 17:55 | Quote
Joined: 27 May 2008
Canada
Lessons: 2
Licks: 1
Karma: 25
no prob
macandkanga  
30 Aug 2010 18:16 | Quote
Joined: 03 Oct 2008
United States
Karma: 21
Should I make it fretless? I dodnt think I've ever played a fretless electric. Thoughts?
btimm  
30 Aug 2010 18:16 | Quote
Joined: 14 Dec 2009
United States
Lessons: 2
Licks: 1
Karma: 16
MoshZilla1016 says:
Copy and Paste quote here!


+1
MoshZilla1016  
30 Aug 2010 18:42 | Quote
Joined: 10 Jul 2010
United States
Lessons: 4
Licks: 19
Karma: 16
macandkanga says:
Fortunately, I still have the brass nut.

I went to a local guitar store/repair shop looking for a brass nut for my BC and the guy looked at me like I was crazy. He said he never heard of a guitar using a brass nut. I need to show him this pic.
macandkanga  
30 Aug 2010 18:48 | Quote
Joined: 03 Oct 2008
United States
Karma: 21
I actually have a brass nut on my old Warlock. It makes a difference with open chords an sustain and will last forever. Besides that it just looks cool!
BodomBeachTerror  
30 Aug 2010 18:53 | Quote
Joined: 27 May 2008
Canada
Lessons: 2
Licks: 1
Karma: 25
I have no experience with fretless guitars. but in my honest opinion i would be a bit leery experimenting on a neck-thru. if it was just a bolt on then you could just replace the neck if you messed up or didnt like it. on a neck through you would pretty much be stuck with it. unless you can refret guitars, i have no idea.
macandkanga  
30 Aug 2010 19:31 | Quote
Joined: 03 Oct 2008
United States
Karma: 21
Yeah, I was considering fretless cause I never refretted a guitar before. I're read about it and it looks pretty easy believe it or not. I think all you do is buy fretwire that comes in long pieces that you glue and press in then trim. I'm sure it's more than that but I think it's the last part of the project. It maybe cheaper and more efficient to pay a luthier to do it.
btimm  
30 Aug 2010 21:21 | Quote
Joined: 14 Dec 2009
United States
Lessons: 2
Licks: 1
Karma: 16
MoshZilla1016 says:
You gotta post a pic when you're done with it.


Forgot to include the actual quote and can't edit.
macandkanga  
31 Aug 2010 19:23 | Quote
Joined: 03 Oct 2008
United States
Karma: 21
Yeah I'll definetely post pics. I'll post pics of the progress too so I can look at what I'm doing!

I went to Stewmac.com, Warmoth, and even to Guitar Center today to look at hardware and electronics. It could cost me more to a restore than it would to buy a new decent guitar! I'm gonna do it anyways.
macandkanga  
2 Sep 2010 17:09 | Quote
Joined: 03 Oct 2008
United States
Karma: 21
Here it is. A 1980 Hondo II BC Rich copy.


Mici  
3 Sep 2010 04:25 | Quote
Joined: way back
Kosovo
Karma: 9
I don't think you should make it a fretless for the reason that BBT already stated. Don't really think it's worth the risk and even if it all went smoothly after the rewiring it still wouldn't be the same.
My suggestion is, since you already have all that space for the hardware it had before but aren't really sure what electronics to install, why not put in the most typical parts of hardware and add a built-in effect like overdrive, distortion, fuzz, tremolo, phaser or something like that.
macandkanga  
8 Sep 2010 15:59 | Quote
Joined: 03 Oct 2008
United States
Karma: 21
@Mici,

No. I'm not gonna do that. I'm either going to refret it myself or take it to my guitar guy who will do it for about 100 bucks.

Did some more sanding this weekend. I'm all the way down to the bare wood and there's no nicks or anything.




macandkanga  
8 Sep 2010 16:02 | Quote
Joined: 03 Oct 2008
United States
Karma: 21
It's not a neck through like I thought but a set neck. It hase a rose wood fingerboard with a maple neck and center (two pieces glued together)two pieces of walnut, I think, and magogany wings.
Afro_Raven  
13 Sep 2010 04:30 | Quote
Joined: way back
United Kingdom
Lessons: 1
Karma: 20
Moderator
Has to be said, that is a beautiful looking guitar - if it were mine, I wouldn't be trying to restore it to the original spec at all, I'd just seal the wood and then lacquer straight over the top. I think natural-look guitars are something rather sexy, and what's more that shape is kinda unusual, so it stands out more anyway.
And yeah, definitely refret the neck, for the reason already stated.

Afro
deefa  
13 Sep 2010 06:01 | Quote
Joined: 22 Dec 2007
United Kingdom
Karma: 8
@ macandkanga
Can you post a side view of the neck please? I'm trying to decide whether it's like a Gibson 50's rounded or a Fender 'C' shape. Lovely looking guitar btw!
Guitarguy0005  
13 Sep 2010 07:52 | Quote
Joined: 28 Aug 2010
United States
Karma
Afro_Raven says:
I wouldn't be trying to restore it to the original spec at all, I'd just seal the wood and then lacquer straight over the top. I think natural-look guitars are something rather sexy, and what's more that shape is kinda unusual, so it stands out more anyway.


That guitar would look really great as a natural finish, plus I personally don't care for the Black/wood look of the original. Good luck on the build!
macandkanga  
13 Sep 2010 11:23 | Quote
Joined: 03 Oct 2008
United States
Karma: 21
@Afro, deefa, guitarguy,

Thanks! Yeah, I'm definetly going to keep the finish natural. I will probably rub it down with an oil/laquer combo(several coats) and then rub the fretboard down with tru-oil. I don't understand why it wasnt finished naturally to begin with. They painted the mahogany pieces dark! Sanded down, in the pics it looks like the three pieces are the same color but the sides are mahogany and a little darker. It should contrast well when finished. I'll take some more pics soon and also some side view of the neck.

I just found out the electronics is set up as volume, pickup selector, volume, tone. The three minis are: out of phase, series parallel, series parallel. This guy will pre-wire a loom for me for $100 bucks or I might try it myself. I dont know.

nullnaught  
16 Sep 2010 01:35 | Quote
Joined: 05 Jun 2010
Karma: 22
I really like the natural wood look.
macandkanga  
16 Sep 2010 16:50 | Quote
Joined: 03 Oct 2008
United States
Karma: 21
I sanded the black finish on the headstock but it's made in two pieces so there is a line that goes accross the front. What should I do about that? I don't think it'll look right with a clear finish. Or will it?


nullnaught  
16 Sep 2010 16:54 | Quote
Joined: 05 Jun 2010
Karma: 22
I see what your saying.
tinyskateboard  
17 Sep 2010 11:25 | Quote
Joined: 28 Apr 2010
United States
Karma: 11


I would consider a decal or your own logo/crest that you make up.
Something that goes all the way across.
tinyskateboard  
17 Sep 2010 11:35 | Quote
Joined: 28 Apr 2010
United States
Karma: 11

?
macandkanga  
17 Sep 2010 18:12 | Quote
Joined: 03 Oct 2008
United States
Karma: 21
That's a good idea tinyskateboard! I'll see what I can do.
macandkanga  
28 Oct 2010 13:01 | Quote
Joined: 03 Oct 2008
United States
Karma: 21
I'm learning so much about guitars on this project! I've been working with this luthier at OC Guitar works. I told him I would like a comfortable neck for chords but I also like to play fast down low for solos and bends. The perfect neck for this is called a combination or compound radiused neck. The neck near the headstock is has a smaller radius like 10" and graduates towards the body to like a 16" radius. The smaller the radius the more comfortable for your hand for chords. The higher radius is faster and better for bends.

Vintage Strat: 7"
Modern Strat: 9"
Gibson LP and Ibanez: 12"
Jacksons have a 16" or a compound 12" to "16 (I like this one!)
Most others are somwhere from 10" to 12"

Do you know what radius your guitar neck is? For some of you that have problems with your hand could be that your radius is too flat.
TyborgHUN  
4 Feb 2011 13:30 | Quote
Joined: 04 Feb 2011
Hungary
Karma
Hy! I'm Hungarian. I just bought one of theese guitars. It's all original. I've got just one picture, because the seller posted me the gutar today.
Here is it:
http://kepfeltoltes.hu/view/110203/git_r2011_www.kepfeltoltes.hu_.jpg

One knob was lost, and changed to another type.
Sombody turned the neck pickup. (I don't know why)

I will post mor pictures, when the guitar arrived.
TyborgHUN  
4 Feb 2011 13:32 | Quote
Joined: 04 Feb 2011
Hungary
Karma
Sorry for my bad english!
TyborgHUN  
4 Feb 2011 13:33 | Quote
Joined: 04 Feb 2011
Hungary
Karma


Hondo H-1040
1 2


Copyright © 2004-2017 All-Guitar-Chords.com. All rights reserved.