Also see Headstock Styles and Logo Styles for help determining when your guitar was made (particularly helpful if there is no serial number). Note: Any guitar with a serial number with the prefix 'SI' is Indonesian-made. Note #2: Guitars with no serial number were produced at many different times. Samick branded models. Download Omron Plc Password Unlocker Software. Valuation Reports for Used Hondo Guitars Musical Instruments Products.

This article needs additional citations for. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (October 2008) () Hondo was an American guitar company and brand owned by IMC, and later, that produced a range of entry level to high end, and with designs primarily based on those of classic models such as the and the. From 1972 to 1989 the guitars were mainly produced in Korea by, with the short-lived Professional Series being made in Japan. In 2005, the brand replaced the Hondo name. Contents • • • • History [ ] 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. IMC's intent was to introduce modern manufacturing techniques and American/Japanese quality standards to the Korean guitar manufacturing industry.

The Hondo concept was to offer an organized product line and solid entry-level market instruments at a fair market price. Hondo II banjo played by jazz band By 1975, Hondo had distributors in 70 countries worldwide, and had expanded to producing stringed instruments at the time. In 1976, over 22,000 of the were sold. 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. Hondo was one of the first overseas guitar builders to feature American-built pickups on the import instruments beginning in 1978. By this year, a number of Hondo II models featured designs based on classic American favorites.

In 1979, over 790,000 Hondo instruments were sold worldwide. 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). These models were sold until 1983, alongside the Korean lineup (which became the Deluxe Series in 1981). At that point, the product line consisted of 485 different models. In 1985, IMC acquired major interest in the / Company, and began dedicating more time and interest in the higher end guitar market.

The Hondo trademark went into mothballs around 1989. However, Jerry Freed started the Jerry Freed International Company in 1989, and acquired the rights to the Hondo trademark in 1991. Freed began distribution of a new line of Hondo guitars produced in India, China and Taiwan. In 1993, the revamped company was relocated to. The Hondo Guitar Company was purchased by the MBT International (now Musicorp) in 1995.