At that point, the product line consisted of 485 different models. These models were sold until 1983, alongside the Korean lineup (which became the Deluxe Series in 1981). In 1980, the Professional Series was introduced, featuring higher-end Japanese-made models, produced by Tokai and Matsumoku (Only the Professional Series models were made in Japan, all other Hondos were made in Korea). In 1979, over 790,000 Hondo instruments were sold worldwide. By this year, a number of Hondo II models featured designs based on classic American favorites. Hondo was one of the first overseas guitar builders to feature American-built DiMarzio pickups on the import instruments beginning in 1978. The company also made improvements to the finish quality on their products, introduced scalloped bracing on acoustics, and began using a higher quality brand of tuning machines. In 1976, over 22,000 of the Bi-Centennialbanjos were sold. They are almost always on either the top of the neck plate (the piece of metal on the back of the guitar near the neck), on the headstock (the top part of the guitar where the strings attach), or close to the body at the bottom of the neck.īy 1975, Hondo had distributors in 70 countries worldwide, and had expanded to producing stringed instruments at the time. Finding your serial number on your Fender should be very easy. These models are good quality and very collectible instruments, similar to contemporary Ibanez. Between 19 Hondo produced guitars in Japan. Hondo is currently a company that produces entry-level electric guitars and basses, usually based on the designs of more expensive models such as the Fender Stratocaster and the Gibson Les Paul.The Hondo concept was to offer an organized product line and solid entry-level market instruments at a fair market price. IMC's intent was to introduce modern manufacturing techniques and American/Japanese quality standards to the Korean guitar manufacturing industry. The Hondo guitar company was originally formed in 1969 when Jerry Freed and Tommy Moore of the International Music Corporation (IMC) of Fort Worth, Texas, formed a joint-venture with Korean manufacturer Samick Company. A “KC” prefix was introduced on Korean-made instruments in 1997, designating instrument made in Korea at the Cort factory. History Ī seven-digit serial number beginning with six, for example, indicates 1996 a seven-digit number beginning with seven denotes 1997 an eight-digit number beginning with 98 denotes 1998, etc. From 1972 to 1989 the guitars were mainly produced in Korea by Samick, with the short-lived Professional Series being made in Japan. Hondo was an American guitar company and brand owned by IMC, and later Musicorp, that produced a range of entry level to high-end acoustic guitars, electric guitars and basses with designs primarily based on those of classic models such as the Fender Stratocaster and the Gibson Les Paul.

Electric guitar serial number lookup