Hondo II Les Paul Custom origin

[zyonmetal]

hi folks, i´m new in the forum. I have a very nice Hondo II guitar, Les Paul Custom model, i used to believe that it was japanese, because it has dimarzio pick ups, but some guy told me that the guitar is from korea, no matter that the pickups are dimarzio, my question is, there´s other way to know the real origin? well, tanx for any answer, this forum is great!!
oh, one more thing, im from argetnina so sorry for my english, xoxox.

[jedistar]

bit of history
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hondo_(guitar_company)

This LP had DiMarzios - but no indication of age..

http://www.wietsesguitars.nl/pagina161.html

You may find some features to compare with others in the HC Reviews

http://reviews.harmony-central.com/revi ... rand/Hondo

[Bassassin]

Most Hondos - particularly the 70s "copy era" ones - are Korean, built, as far as I know, by Samick.

However it's known that some later original designs were Japanese - Tokai is a name that's bandied about in relation to some models, others are Matsumoku - "MMK" brand pickups & Matsumoku-stamped neckplates have been reported.

As far as the LP copies are concerned, it's suggested that the higher-end, set-neck guitars were MIJ. Personally, I'd really like some clarification about this, because I have a set-neck Hondo LP which I'm restoring/ rebuilding at the moment - and to be honest, it's a complete mass of contradictions!

Mine's a model HS-740, it has a long-tenon set neck, carved top & appears to be constructed entirely from maple, making it light for an LP. I'd guess it's from around 1978-ish, since it has Hondo's "post lawsuit" headstock shape, but does not have DiMarzios, which I think started to be fitted from about 1979.

The body/neck is very well constructed & finished, which makes me tend to think it's MIJ - however the hardware & electrics (with the exception of the unbranded pickups) are pretty cheap & poor quality - identical to a low-end plywood Hondo LP I owned previously. It's almost as though the body/neck & hardware are from two different instruments - although this is obviously not actually the case.

This is quite likely going to remain yet another of those unresolved questions about vintage Oriental guitars!

Jon.

[Big Beat]

Those Hondos came stock with DiMarzios circa 1978-79. So they are original. It was a big selling point for Hondo, American pickups. These were probably the best Korean Les Paul copies of their day.

Very few set-neck Hondos were made in Japan. If it's a bolt-neck, it's certainly Korean.