FS - Hondo (by Tokai) Professional Lead II copy

impmann · April 2023

I bought this recently from here, so shall offer it here for the same as I paid...

Lovely vintage 1980s Hondo Professional Lead II copy - made, it is believed, by Tokai. The neck is truly lovely on this instrument - nicely worn in, with a fits-the-hand perfectly feel for me. The frets are low but there's plenty of life in them before you'll need to think about any remedial action - imho.
The body is covered in a Candy Apple Red finish that bears the marks of being played, gigged and enjoyed for around 40 years. There is an attempt at repairing some buckle rash on the back that isn't the best, but could be tidied up with some T-cut if it bothers you... it didn't me.
The electronics - I'm pretty sure the bridge pickup is a replacement. No idea the brand - there's no markings on it. The neck unit is particularly nice and fruity, and I think is from the same factory that made the Matsumoko pickups - it certainly looks 'right' for that. There is supposed to be a phase switch plus the normal three way. That phase switch does nothing except act as a kill switch in the mid position of the other one - so it either needs rewiring or replacing.
Its an enjoyable little guitar with a big voice - I've enjoyed having it around but its not a keeper for me. I have too many other instruments and not enough money or time, so it needs to go.

I bought it for £150 plus shipping (Overland Express - usually about £25 inc insurance)

and that is what I'm after. Sorry, no offers at that price - I'm offering it here for that price for a short while for Karma reasons and then it will head towards eBay/Reverb for considerably more. You are welcome to collect from near Kettering, Northants (jct 10 A14) or we could do a meet up within reason. Try me!

I'm borrowing the previous owner's pictures (hope you don't mind mate), as they are great, nothing has changed and I'm struggling to remember to take some!

guitarmangler · April 2023

Yours is the brother to my two! Although, mine both have truss rods at the other end. Great guitars, both of mine have had a refret and I gig them exclusively on a weekly basis. GLWTS

impmann · April 2023

Thanks! These are great instruments that are far better than you’d think based on the name.

This one is unusual being a twin humbucker version - I think it’s original looking at the routes and the pickguard.

prowla · April 2023

I think that's probably a fair price for this instrument, though the pickup cutouts look a bit square.

I think the story is that Hondo (made by Samick in Korea) tried to the brand shift up-market and commissioned Tokai and Matsumoku to make their "Pro" range (I think Mat did the basses); they didn't particularly take off, so you don't see many about.

simonhpieman · April 2023

prowla said:

I think that's probably a fair price for this instrument, though the pickup cutouts look a bit square.
I think the story is that Hondo (made by Samick in Korea) tried to the brand shift up-market and commissioned Tokai and Matsumoku to make their "Pro" range (I think Mat did the basses); they didn't particularly take off, so you don't see many about.

Sort of - the timeline goes something like:

Mid 70s: Crudely made in Japan (black bolt on Les Pauls and the like)

Late 70s: Quality Matsumoku and Hondo made in Japan (which allegedly nearly bankrupted the parent company IMC).

Early 80s: IMC (pretty sure the guy was called Miles Freed) were instrumental in upgrading the tools at the Samick factory in Korea, supposedly with help and guidance from engineers from Tokai. The majority of Hondos were made in Korea after this with a few being made in Indonesia in the 90s before the name stopped being used.

For what it's worth, Hondo never actually made any guitars, IMC just imported and marketed them, sticking their own name on the headstocks. A bit like the Ibanez/Antoria/etc etc situation where music shops could just import guitars and stick the name of their music shop on the headstock. Grant is another good example of that.

Anyway, I'm tons of fun at parties.

And glwts impmann, the neck on that Hondo really is great!

prowla · April 2023

simonhpieman said:

prowla said:

I think that's probably a fair price for this instrument, though the pickup cutouts look a bit square.
I think the story is that Hondo (made by Samick in Korea) tried to the brand shift up-market and commissioned Tokai and Matsumoku to make their "Pro" range (I think Mat did the basses); they didn't particularly take off, so you don't see many about.

Sort of - the timeline goes something like:

Mid 70s: Crudely made in Japan (black bolt on Les Pauls and the like)

Late 70s: Quality Matsumoku and Hondo made in Japan (which allegedly nearly bankrupted the parent company IMC).

Early 80s: IMC (pretty sure the guy was called Miles Freed) were instrumental in upgrading the tools at the Samick factory in Korea, supposedly with help and guidance from engineers from Tokai. The majority of Hondos were made in Korea after this with a few being made in Indonesia in the 90s before the name stopped being used.

For what it's worth, Hondo never actually made any guitars, IMC just imported and marketed them, sticking their own name on the headstocks. A bit like the Ibanez/Antoria/etc etc situation where music shops could just import guitars and stick the name of their music shop on the headstock. Grant is another good example of that.

Anyway, I'm tons of fun at parties.

And glwts impmann, the neck on that Hondo really is great!

Ah, so these preceded the Korean/Samick ones?

impmann · April 2023

FWIW - this guitar was made in Japan
:-)

simonhpieman · April 2023

prowla said:

simonhpieman said:

prowla said:

I think that's probably a fair price for this instrument, though the pickup cutouts look a bit square.
I think the story is that Hondo (made by Samick in Korea) tried to the brand shift up-market and commissioned Tokai and Matsumoku to make their "Pro" range (I think Mat did the basses); they didn't particularly take off, so you don't see many about.

Sort of - the timeline goes something like:

Mid 70s: Crudely made in Japan (black bolt on Les Pauls and the like)

Late 70s: Quality Matsumoku and Hondo made in Japan (which allegedly nearly bankrupted the parent company IMC).

Early 80s: IMC (pretty sure the guy was called Miles Freed) were instrumental in upgrading the tools at the Samick factory in Korea, supposedly with help and guidance from engineers from Tokai. The majority of Hondos were made in Korea after this with a few being made in Indonesia in the 90s before the name stopped being used.

For what it's worth, Hondo never actually made any guitars, IMC just imported and marketed them, sticking their own name on the headstocks. A bit like the Ibanez/Antoria/etc etc situation where music shops could just import guitars and stick the name of their music shop on the headstock. Grant is another good example of that.

Anyway, I'm tons of fun at parties.

And glwts impmann, the neck on that Hondo really is great!

Ah, so these preceded the Korean/Samick ones?

Yes, this guitar was in the 79 and/or 80 catalogue as I recall. The whole professional series was about 77-80 or early 81, again from memory without looking it up.

impmann · April 2023

Last chance bump

Dan_1 · April 2023

PM’d

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FS - Hondo (by Tokai) Professional Lead II copy

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