Product: Hondo Deluxe 748 Mark II
Price Paid: US $200 used
Submitted
02/09/2000
at
05:47am
by
Reverend J.
Email: throbgod13<at>hotmail dot com
Features
:
8
this is a japanese Tokai made Les Paul copy.. Tokai just started up again, and the "Love Rock" models that are similar to this model are over 1000.00 USD. it was made between 1981-83. it's made of real Honduran Mahogany (neck and body) with a bound flame (solid, and thick) maple top in a faded amberburst. it was equipped with DiMarzio pickups (first imports to have US parts). the pots are mounted on a PCB and the switch and pickups are connected with PCB pin and sockets.. very different.. bound rosewood fretboard with trapazoid pearl inlay (kinda off, not perfect). the binding is aged to a creme color, really nice. the neck has a traditional gibson shape (think it's similar to the '60 les paul shape). has a import chrome (pitted) tune-o-matic bridge, and stoptail. the tuners are kluson keystone ripoffs, in chrome. knobs were a cheap creme color bell-type, changed to amber speedknobs w/o numbers. had a creme pickguard (removed). it has a gibson lawsuit headstock, just look a the new Tokai headstocks.
got a cheesy case with it..
Sound
:
10
just like a real Les Paul.. had a '81 Custom, a '82 Standard and a '69 Deluxe to compare it to.. it's pretty spooky how close this guitar is.. very thick, and the pickups are pretty high output. thinking of replacing pickups with Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates set..
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
8
this guitar was liberated from the oppression of a pawnshop.. so, the setup was non-existant. the nut was broken, etc.. it was covered in a grime from who-knows-what. after i took it to the guitarshop i work at. i cleaned, fixed and set it up.. the flametop is stunning.. i had it on a stand, and 6 people that walked in thought it was a real Gibson.. overall, the general fit and finish quality is very high for a early import.
Reliability/Durability
:
8
i plan on using it to gig with. it's sweet. it's lasted for 19 years, i'm sure that it will last..
Customer Support
:
1
haha.. i asked MBT International (owners of the name "Hondo") about this model, it seemed that i knew more about it than they did.
it's just another remarketed Tokai.. i don't have any dealings with Tokai themselves, due to Tokai electrics being banned from US sales.(no US dealers)
Overall Rating
:
No Opinion
i would buy another one in a second..
