Hondo H28

I bought my Hondo H28H as my first guitar in about 1981. I talked the guy at the guitar shop down to about $175 with a case. I taught myself to play on this guitar. About 8 years later, my cat knocked it over and broke it in such a way that none of local shops seemed to be able to fix. So I bought another guitar but nothing was ever as easy to play as my Hondo was. Everything else hurt my finger too much (despite trying several types of strings). I???ve tried playing many other models since then but nothing has ever been as easy on my fingers as the Hondo was. As a result, I just stopped playing.

I think I am going to go out there and see if I can buy a used one from someone and relive my youth.

This is the first guitar I ever bought. I didn't know a thing about guitars when I bought it. I bought this brand new in 1985 and the music store had it listed at $225 but I ended up getting it for $175. It says Model 28Hs,Basically a Martin D-28 copy. The (s) is stamped behind the 28. I've seen these guitars with other letters stamped behind the 28. I don't know what the letter after the 28 indicates. This guitar has Solid spruce top, rosewood back and sides, Grover sealed tuners, thin frets, cheap fretboard inlays, beautiful binding around the trim, and beautiful inlays around sound hole. The nut and bridge were cheap. I had to have them replaced the first year. For the price paid I have to give this guitar a 9 in this catagory.

I don't go to music stores much. However in early 2000 I took a young friend and new musician to Denver to find a first guitar. We played guitars all day. I did not find any new guitars listed under $1000 that sounded as good as this guitar.

The guitar has a heavy urethane finish. If you get up real close you can see were the manufacture got a sloppy with the finish. Despite the sloppy heavy urethane finish the guitar sounds good. I can't imagine what it would sound like if it had a thin lacquer finish. The action was a 10 when I bought this guitar. I would rate it a 7 now. When you get up close you can tell the finger board inlays are cheap. On the other hand the binding, trim, and inlays on the body are really nice.

The nut and the bridge are the only things I've replaced on the guitar. Pretty minor items.

Don't Know?

For unplugged playing nothing beats this thing. It's a great utility guitar and I don't have to worry about it getting banged up. I put a Fishman Gold Plus Pickup under the bridge for a year. That was a mistake. The guitar is too resonate and it feedback to easy with the pickup. Now when I plug in I use my 1987 Ovation Collector Series, or my 1777 Ovation Legend. My Ovation's have superior action and sound when plugged in. However unplugged the Ovation's don't come close. This guitar is plenty loud, however the sound hole seems to be smaller then most? I would think larger would be better? I've learned I can't play a regular acoustic while standing on my feet. I find them very uncomfortable. The round back of an Ovation allows me to tilt the guitar slightly back while playing. I have never seen any other H28's except on Ebay. I think the H28 is a rare bird. I've never played any other Hondo acoustic that's even in the same class as the H28. Growing up it seemed liked everyone of my friends had an old Hondo under the bed or in the closet. But the material, action and sound on any other Hondo I've played has been terrible.

My guitar is a 1981 Hondo H28H.
Its basically a Martin based dreadnaught with no cutaway.
I really like the way this guitar was made. It seems to be of a MUCH higher quality than the Hondo's and comperable guitars made today.
I'd say this one would be in the $600-$800 range if produced today. Everone who sees it loves the thing. The action is a little high because of slight warping of the top aroung the soundhole, but by no means does that cause a problem. The finish is of unusally high qulity for a "Low end" guitar. This guitar came with Grover tuners stock so it holds a true tune and it handles alternate tunings well.

This thing sounds GOOD. The aging of the wood and the quality of the parts have made this thing sweet. I think its best suited to playing stuff where drones and plucking are used. Like "Last Night Of The World" by Bruce Cockburn or plucking on the Mississippi-delta blues type stuff.

I dont' know about the original set-up because I was born in 1984!
I just know that the quality of craft on this instrument is something unusual for its class. I own a Larrivee C-03RE and a hand made guitar made David Wren. The Hondo has its place among these guitars when I'm trying to get a certain sound.

It's in VERY good condtion for its age.
Only two scratches in the top an a little warping around the soundhole.

Don't know.

I've been playing for about 9 years and I own a Larrivee C-03RE, 1981 David Wren, a 1994 52 RI Telecaster, 1984 ESP Strat-Head-Strat from the New York 48th st. custom shop, 1979 Antigua hardtail Fender strat and a bunch of other stuff. I mainly a player but I also consider myself a collector. If this guitar were stolen I wouldn't stop looking till it was back in my hands. The only thing I'd have changed about this guitar is to add a solid top. That choice would have been in keeping with the quality of the other features of this guitar.

I think I bought this guitar in '96/'97. I paid around $275.00 Can. Great looking guitar.

Excellant sound for the money.A lot of people have played this guitar and cannot believe how good it is for the money. My friend just bought a $1200.00 yamaha and likes my old Hondo just as good.

I had the guitar set up after I bought it and I found it made a differance. The finish is great. Very tough. Only complaint is that some people find it a bit hard on the fingers.

Appears to be a tough guitar. I use it quite rough at times at it holds up well. Stays in tune very well.

never had a problem.

I've been playing for about 20 years. I keep planning to get a new guitar but I really can't find anything I prefer playing unless I pay over $1100-$1200.