Hondo 12-String Strat Copy

Bought new around 1997 I think; different to the others in this review because mine has three Strat-style single coils, 5-way selector, 1 volume, two tones. Tailpiece and bridge Les Paul-style, finished in black. 21 frets and black Grover machines. No serial number anywhere. I don't know what the wood is, but the body is very heavy. The octave strings are to the left of the normal strings, like most 12-strings. It's tuned to normal pitch.

I bought it to replace the Vox Teardrop XII that I foolishly sold for a fraction of its value... there weren't too many 12-string electrics around, and this one looked nice.

The pickups sounded ok - the front one in particular had a nice tone - but the output was a bit weak, so I fitted some modest replacements (I forget what they are, I think they came from a Squier that was getting a set of EMGs) and a Thetatronics tone filter. I also fitted a Schaller transducer pickup, as the body seems to have some semi-acoustic characteristics despite being very solid. I get an extraordinary range of sounds. With the transducer pickup on, a bit of reverb and chorus and the tone controls set right, it does a very good acoustic 12-string imitation. Everyone who's played it has commented on what a nice guitar it is. They never guess it's a Korean cheapo.

I nearly didn't buy the Hondo, because the action was poor and it wouldn't stay in tune at all. I went back to the shop to look at it again, and realised that it had a very nice neck and I could probably tweak it. Upon examination, all the nuts holding in the tuners were only finger-tight and the adjustment screws were all loose, too. I tightened everything up, dropped the bridge, and voila - a nice low action, no rattles, and solid tuning. Amazing!

The action is as low as any 6-string electric I've tried. So I've never bought a 6-string, and use the 12 for everything - even lead (light gauge, 008-040). It still has the plastic nut - a brass one would be nice, but this one is well-cut so I'm not bothered. The frets are well finished, no rough edges. My only complaint is that with each string pair sharing a saddle, the intonation on the G strings can be out - adjust one so it's perfect at the 12th fret, and the other one's wrong, so you have to compromise. The neck has never needed any adjustment.

I seem to have got lucky and picked up a nice quality guitar that was poorly assembled. Most other Hondos I've seen have been pretty bad in comparison.

The hardware seems decent quality stuff, no rust or paint loss. I've chipped the body paint in a couple of places but the finish is pretty good. It's metallic red - the guitar would look great all-black. The comfortable neck feels rigid with a tough clear finish on it that hasn't marked; the maple has picked up a nice warm tone with age. The surprisingly heavy body makes the guitar feel reassuringly solid. I'm actually a bass player so the Hondo has never been gigged, but used a lot in the studio.

I never had any dealings with the company - as I replaced all the electrics within a couple of weeks of buying the guitar, I'm sure they would've washed their hands of me, anyway!

I've been playing for 25 years, but mostly as a bass player. I have Steinberger and Rickenbacker basses, and an old WEM Sapphire bass from the 60s. I even have a Hondo Stick bass I picked up as a curiosity - terrible until the frets were removed, but made a rather good fretless! Amplification is a big Trace Elliot stack. I've picked up an acoustic six-string that I'm refurbishing.

I bought the 12-string Hondo as a cheap experiment, not expecting marvels from it; it has turned out to be my favourite guitar. I changed the electrics, but there was no real issue with the originals - I was just upgrading them once I discovered how nice the neck was, and how much more playable the guitar was than I'd ever expected. I'd still like my old Vox Teardrop back, but the Hondo beats it hands down in sound and playability. Yes I know... that's not something that can be said about most Hondos - I've seen some that were appalling quality - guess I just lucked out! If it was stolen I would be devastated... I might get one of Eastwood's Vox Teardrop 12-string copies, but I doubt it could be much better than this one...

Korean-made strat body with 12 string neck, 2 HB pickups, a Les Paul type bridge and stop tail piece. 3-way switch, 1 vol, 2 tone. Tuners are mini-grovers. Rosewood fingerboard on maple neck w/Fender type skunk stripe. Was purchased from Sam Ash in early 1985 for $200.

The guitar was purchased mainly for recording Rickenbacker 12 string parts. The front pickup is acoustic-like, kind of muddy when the gain is turned up. Rear pick-up is instant Byrds' "8 Miles High" tone. Middle setting is a blend of the two. Sounds best through a solid state amp with a bit of distortion & reverb. Knobs are a bit noisy. Pickups are cheap but have character. Better pickups might be better but might also be more generic.

Have never had any problems with the neck or hardware, unlike the other reviewer. I put a little bit of pencil lead in the bridge saddles and only occasionally break the drone G string, which is .008. I tune down a whole step. One thing I did modify was the nut, had a brass one installed cut like a regular 12-string, with the drone strings to the left of the main ones, as opposed to the Rickenbacker standard setup, which the Hondo emulates. Have tweaked the neck maybe twice in 22 years.

Have played this on stage only a handful of times, but never had any problems. Since I don't play electric 12-string regularly, but only as a "specialty" instrument, it hasn't been exposed to any road rigors worth noting. It spends most of its time in a cheap nylon hondo gig bag.

Other than the nut replacement, never had need for servicing.

Been playing 30+ years, styles ranging from rock/folk/blues to world beat/ambient, now playing Christian rock & worship music. Own several Les Pauls, Hamers, Epiphone, Firebird, as well as a number of acoustics (see my other reviews on Harmony Central),etc. Amp collection includes Music Man, Peavey, Yamaha, Epiphone. At the time of purchase, there wasn't anything else around for the price. Now, of course, Danelectro has their reissue, and Samick makes dozens under various names, all of probably better quality than the Hondo. It does its job and holds its own, though, so I can't complain. It has 3 sounds and does them all well. If these were still at the same price, I could get 6 of these for 1 Rickenbacker, not that they're better, but just to give a perspective. It's like the Danelectro sitar - you wouldn't use it every day, but it has THAT sound (or a close enough approximation) to make the track if you need to.

Made before 1985, Strat-style contoured body, 12 strings, 21 frets. Two double coil pickups. One master volume and 2 tone knobs.

I was 16 at the time and wanted to experiment with a 12-string electric. Sound was ok. Noisy pots.

Bridge had sharp edges, sharp enough to cut your hand. Also, strings were uneven height within each pair, both at the bridge and the nut.

Imitation Grover tuners, one of which broke. Plastic nut (which broke). Sharp edges on bridge wouldn't break strings, but cut them. The neck warped and bowed over time, and with the single truss rod only going halfway down the neck, it was useless. Cheap metals in the hardware that turned to pure rust in only three years. Never gigged out with it, and never will. Period.

There was customer support? Non-existent.

I was young and stupid at the time I bought this cheap and stupid guitar. About the only thing worth keeping from it was the body. Neck was bad, bridge was bad, electronics were bad. I gave it away to a friend who can work miracles on guitars, and he said that this was the first time he ever saw a guitar that wasn't worth salvaging, so he saved the body, and turned the rest into wall decorations.

Oh, the lessons I have learned.

Don't ever buy a Hondo, unless you plan to smash it on stage!!!