Hondo II: the First Name In First Bands. Marketed as ideal beginner-instruments, Hondo II was the US brand name for Japanese-made guitars built by the Korean Samick corporation. Samick is among the world’s largest manufacturers of musical instruments, with much modern production of guitars taking place in Indonesia. Anyways… by the time I started playing the electric guitar, the Hondo II name was already retired and they were simply branded ‘Samicks.’ Not sure what was up with the awkward name Hondo. Was is supposed to invoke Honda, then known to Americans as a leading manufacturer of motorcycles? Here’s a look back at the company’s big push into the US market in the 1970s. 
The Hondo Longhorns circa 1981; updated versions of the circa 1960 Danelectro instruments.
The Honda II lineup circa 1981. We see copies of: Gibson’s THE PAUL, the Fender Lead II, an early Fender Telecaster, an EVH-style strat, as well as some generic-looking but original instruments.
The Hondo 781 EXP, a lurid instrument sure to inspire fist-pumping.
In 1979 Hondo offered Japanese-made licensed-versions (not copies…) of the respected SD Curlee instruments.
Anyone out there using Hondos these days? Are any of the models worth recommending? Let us know…
My bench test guitar is one of those SD Curlee Hondos, but someone stripped the finish and logo and dyed it black. Fifty bucks, it was, and plays perfectly up to about the fourteenth fret.
I’m not sure to whom i’m sending this!
Anyway, i bought in december 1980 a Hondo II les paul in France, (i’m french),
now leave in Amsterdam, just picked it up back from my parents place, let it checked
out : neck (bold on) a bit curved , but kan play with it…Playing high notes requires
some muscles in the fingers!!(strings far up..). Nbr: H7 40AB, sticker “made in Korea
wich puzzles me cause i thought (wikipedia!) that korean hondo II les paul models started in 1983?
I like very much the distortion ability, sustain, …En my emotional shit with it!
‘d like to know more about it , any internet site??
I’m just trying to get informations, i’got other guitars (better??), but this one is special
to me…So, whoever reads this , thanks for your time! Pascal (51 years old).
I have a cherry wood finished Hondo II finished les paul copy. Need to replace scratchy pots, anyone have a wiring diagram?
more than likely it’s the same as the average les paul type gtr: http://www.millerguitar.com/images/wiring/lp_style.jpg
dear pascal (51 years old)
call me
nathalie(45 years old)