Hondo Longhorn Bass

1980 Japanese Hondo Longhorn Bass. 24 Fret 4 string 34" scale. Brass Nut and Bridge. Single Dimarzio Split Coil Pickup, Single Volume Single Tone and Phase switch. I do not think this is a solid body bass, bit I have been told it is. Mine (this one for the review) is a Cream Burst and it has passive electronics. Over the last 27 years, I have had to change both pots, the mini-toggle switch and the Jack 3 times. This bass has been through Hell and back, but plays like a dream! The neck is a Fender Jazz style 1-1/2" nut and feels wonderful. It was my first NEW bass I ever bought. I have had this bass since it was brand new in 1980. It had a list price of $750. I traded my Washburn and $50 for it. I have the Original Formed Hard shell case which is brown.

Since 1980, I have used SWR, Ampeg, Ashdown, Peavey, Fender and Accoustic amps. This bass performed as good as any other bass I have ever owned. I still pull it out to play it on special occassions. The tone is pure 80's. Rock and Roll. It grinds and growls with the best Music Man or Fenders. This bass is super quiet. It is one of the reasons I held on to it for so long. Currently it does not fit into my music (Jam), but in the beginning (for the first 20 years) I played Dance Rock covers and classic country. This bass has a versitility like very few others out there. It really does well live. With access to the up frets with the extra deep cutaways, this bass is for people who use the neck to play. I am good in the upper octive frets and this bass just wants to keep going.

Honestly, I have had this bass with me from Wisconsin to California to Wisconsin to Florida to Michigan and back to Wisconsin. I have had it set up 3 times in the 27 years I have owned it. Once, I took the bridge off and had it refinished through LeBlac Corp. When I put it all together, I had it set up because it was all apart. The finish on this bass is fantastic. Thick, rich, deep and hard. After 27 years of playing and touring all over the country sometimes 5 nights a week, the bass has held up to massive wear without giving up it's finish or luster. There are cymbol dents in the headstock, stand dents on the tail end, I hit my teeth on the upper horn (Long story), there are pick marks, parachute pant button scratches, and buckle rash, but nothing down to the wood and the finish still shines bright. The pickups are original and powerful. The fit well into the cavity and work perfectly. The frets are so perfectly finished and have a great wearability that I almost cannot beleive it is a Hondo.

As I stated before, I have probably played 5,000 shows on this bass. It has stood the test of time and then some. After 27 years, the knobs and tuners are still like new. The finish will last far beyond my willing the bass to my kids after I am gone in another 50 years. The original strap buttons were replaced back in 1981 with my first pair of Jim Dunlop Straplocs. I could not imagine all the jumping and running around I do on stage and not having my bass secured. This bass has never let me down. I believe in fate though. I never do a gig without a back up. I carry backups for my Modulus and my Music Man, but the answer is yes, I would confidently play this bass at a gig without a back up.

I did deal with Hondo, but at that time they were MBT International Music. I wanted an exact replacement mini-toggle switch for the phase. After a little talking with one of the support people, (this was about 1997) they mailed me a switch for free. At the time my bass was about 17 years old and they took care of me. I don't know if it was just because I talked the guy's ear off or what, but I had a good experience with them. Nothing before or after that though. The things I have had fixed, Pots, jacks, and the phase switch are all wear parts. I went to my local electronics store (NEVER Radio Shack or any place like that) but I replace everything with SwitchCraft and it is all good. Jacks and Pots wear out. Nothing more

I have been playing now going into my 28th year. I own 14 basses, 4 six string guitars, 4 Bass amps, Drum sets, a PA and Lighting Company and a retail store. This by far is my favorite bass and I am glad I blindly traded my Washburn Concert bass for this wonderfully built bass. I have had over the years 5 other LongHorns and I am sorry I ever sold them. This one is the only 1980 I have owned and it is by far the best one. If I ever lost this bass, I would search high and low for another. Over the years, this has been the bass that all others needed to compare to. I bought all of my amps with this bass playing through it. I would bring it to to music stores to try out new amps. I am certain over the years I have played hundreds of basses by dozens of manufacturers. None have ever taken hold of me like this one. It is funny that I have spent upwards of $3000 for my Modulus Q5 and at anytime I can pick this one up and it feels like it never left my hands.

Hondo Longhorn BASS, Early 80's , Japan, 24 frets, 4 strings, 34" scale, 1 1/2" @ the BRASS Nut, Solid Walnut Body w/ gloss finish, 1 volume, 1 tone, 1 pickup phase selector switch, single P Seymour Duncan P pickup, passive, 3 piece maple neck walnut stained w/ gloss finish, gloss finish on body with a great wood grain finish, 2 big horns just like a dano except not a piece of shit, solid heavy-duty BRASS BRIDGE, chrome gotoh tuners, very rosy rosewood fret board, fitted hard-shell tan case. All the features you'd need for a P bass.

It???s pretty ???plonky???, like a P Bass, with brilliantly clear notes all the way up the 24 frets! Gallien/Ampeg/Fender amps. Not noisy at all. A VERY full P bass ???BONK??? sound, which is what I bought it for... that and it's unique shape and excellent construction. I haven't played it on stage, but it sounded GREAT in the studio last week. a very solid full sound on all strings. the pickup phase switch cuts some of the low, making it sound like a "slapper bass tone", which is NOT FOR ME. it has an amazing attack with fingers and picktone.

Factory set up? This bass is 25+ years old. Nothing on this bass is of poor quality. It???s better than most USA basses you'll see when you walk into guitar center, by far. After 25 years, the neck is straight as an arrow (the way I like it, with no relief). I tuned it and set it up for CGCF tuning with new 105-45 medium gauge strings, and this handled the LOW end SWIMMINGLY. A great looking, playing, and sounding bass. The balance is a bit odd as the strap button is under the neck, but despite the fact it has a long full-scale neck and a short body, it DOES NOT NECK-DIVE! To hell with the cookie cutter P basses!

Like I said, this thing is 25+ years old and still going strong, like a steel mechanical bull. This bass will still be around when I die. maple/walnut/brass... you could probably take this and cut down a forest... although you might lose one of the body wings. I???m VERY happy I bought this sucker!

Hondo who?

I???ve been playing long enough, my friend. I own some musician basses, vintage mockingbird, Ibanez semi hollow body, and have owned too many other basses to list. if this was lost or stolen, I???d go fucking Rambo on somebody, take my shirt off, tie a red ribbon around my head, and sniff the ground and hide in the woods until i found the bastard that stole it and cut them into pieces. for real. I???ve wanted a something else with a P bass tone other than a boring fender P. the look of the wood, the quality of the instrument, and the fact that it was made in Japan in the 80's (EXCELLENT QUALITY) made me pick this sucker up. DANO LONGHORN BASSES SUCK- crappy masonite and pine, I could fart a hole through dano's lame stuff. that and their pickups are LAME. I saw Larry Boothroyd of Victims Family and Hellworms play a non-dano longhorn years ago, and it sounded amazing through his mesa 15's. i was like "that's not a dano longhorn"!!! and since then I???ve had it in the back of my mind??? and found it on EBAY! If you're bored you can check out some of my bass stuff (recorded with Musicman sterling/ampeg/gallien krueger) @ www.myspace.com/lightpupildilate