SOLD. Hondo Fame 760 series Strat. £50

Flanging_Fred

Hondo Fame 760 series strat

Right, it’s time for a spring clean so it’s time to say goodbye to this Strat copy. I think the Hondo Fame series were supposed to be some of their posher models (in relative terms anyway!) and the logo is very dodgy indeed!

Im pretty sure this an early 80’s made in Japanese job,  The body is made of the finest plywood known to humanity and weighs like it too! I think the neck is similar to those found on Cimar guitars if anyone remembers them?
The tuners are the original Grovers.

It has some mods made to it:  the lacquer on the neck was pretty chipped when I got it so I stripped and tung oiled the neck, leaving the original lacquer only on the face of the headstock, CBS transition stylee. It certainly plays better for the change.

The original pickups were crap and two were microphonic so I changed ‘em for a set of pickups out of a Squier Strat. You’re welcome to have the last remaining original pickup along with the guitar if you wish. The others went in the bin.

The jack socket was replaced with a proper switchcraft one.

The lower tone control has been wired to the bridge pickup. It’s missing the tremelo arm but to be honest, its probably safer to do what I did and block off the trem anyway.

Ive given it a clean up and put a new set of D’Addario so 10’s on it.

That’s about it really. I can get it delivered at cost if by some miracle someone really wants it. I’m up for trades or offers as it has to go as I have something truly spectacular incoming to replace it with...  

Sarge

Fyi the only Hondos to come from japan were the Professional series, the Fame lot were early Korean.
Nice chunky necks on these, have a bump fella. 

Flanging_Fred

Sarge said:

Fyi the only Hondos to come from japan were the Professional series, the Fame lot were early Korean.
Nice chunky necks on these, have a bump fella. 

Hmm, that’s odd, I’m pretty sure it had a ‘made in japan’ sticker on the back of the neck before I stripped it. 

Sarge

Could be, I could be wrong ,I was wrong once before.... back in 1979 it was, never forget that day...  

simonhpieman

Sarge said:

Fyi the only Hondos to come from japan were the Professional series, the Fame lot were early Korean.
Nice chunky necks on these, have a bump fella. 

Sarge is right. Only the Professional series was MIJ. The QC sticker on the back of the neck is the typical Korean QC sticker.

Nonetheless, a lot (possibly all) the Korean Hondos were made by Samick, with the whole production plant supposedly set up and modernised with the help of the guys from Tokai Japan thanks to their prior relationship with Hondo's owners (Tokai made the MIJ Fender copies while Matsumoku made the Gibson-y ones).

You'll notice that Samick Epiphones of a similar vintage are stragely sought after now despite their abundance in the 90s. Weird world we live in.

Flanging_Fred

Thanks for the info.  

This is in now on hold pending a sale.

Fuengi

Many thanks to @Flanging_Fred ;for driving 40 minutes to meet me with a £50 guitar. Top effort. He even brought a battery amp and a cable so I could test it in the car park! 

Been playing it for an hour tonight. Gotta say, I think I prefer it to my MiM Strat which is a bit of a problem as this is supposed to be for my son!

Thanks again Julian. 

Flanging_Fred

No worries Mark, it was good to meet you. I'm glad you like the guitar.