Mario Martin Guitars Honcho 1pc Swamp Ash Maple Neck & Fralins – Nocaster Blonde

Information

Brand New w/ Warranty. We are an authorized Mario Guitars Dealer.

Like what you see? All photos are of the exact instrument you will receive.

Mario Martin guitars are hand built in Murfreesboro, TN just 40 minutes down the road from us! Undertaking the entire build process from cutting the body blank to spraying the final touch of nitro, Mario Martin achieves a level of guitar making well beyond partscaster builders who may look alike on the surface.

These guys maintain one of the best collections of tonewoods around, and every neck/body/pickup combination is chosen carefully to amplify the personality of the guitar as a whole. Whether you crave an S-style guitar straight out of 1958 or the unique Tele-Strat mashup that is the Honcho, we are confident you’ll find what you’re looking for in a Mario Martin.

What Does Cam Think?

The Honcho is a perfect marriage of S and T-style guitar design elements. You have the pickguard, tremolo system, neck and middle pickups, 5-way switching, and body contour of an S-style, but with the bridge pickup and body shape of a T-style. Truly, the best of both worlds. The body itself is an ultra-light and ultra resonant 1-piece swamp ash. Even strummed acoustically, the instrument is pretty loud! Mario is known for sourcing the lightest wood, and this Honcho is no exception, weighing in at under 7 lbs.

The pickups in the Honcho are a custom set from Fralins, and truly where the design genius of the Honcho is most notable. So often I’ve loved S-style pickups, but the bridge pickup was the weak link, typically too bright or weak. Not so with the Honcho!

The T-style bridge pickup is articulate, but with the beefy low end. It sounds authoritative but not overpowering. It’s the bridge pickup I’ve always wanted in a S-style instrument.

The neck and middle pickups are nice and smooth, yet they retain their glassy highs and thick low-midrange. Positions 2 and 4 have all the quack you’d ever want, without the piercing highs as some S-style pickups.

The marriage of tones is like choosing the best elements of a S-style and a T-style, making the Honcho a supremely versatile guitar.

How Does It Play?

The string action measures barely a hair over 4/64” at the 12^th fret on the bass side, and right at 4/64” on the treble side. Good and low without fretbuzz. The neck is a full and chunky C, but very comfortable. The Dunlop 6125 frets are great for easy chording.  

Weight: 6lb 8oz

The Mario Martin Deluxe padded gigbag is included.

Specifications

Model: Honcho

Body: 1pc Swamp Ash

Neck: 1pc ¼ Sawn Maple

Nut Material: Bone

Nut Width: 1.65”

Fret Size: 6125

Fingerboard Radius: 9.5”-12”

Neck Shape: Chunky C+ (.880" 1st/.950" 12th)

Top/Side Dots: Black

Strings: String Joy Balanced Light (10-48)

Tuners: Gotoh Staggered Vintage

Pickguard: Bakelite

Hardware:  CTS Pots, Switchcraft, Orange Drop Cap, Vintage Cloth Wire

Pickups: Fralin ‘Honcho’ Set w/ Chrome Covers on Neck and Middle

Finish: Nitrocellulose

Body Color: Nocaster Blonde / Medium Relic

Neck Color: Semi Gloss w/ Vintage Tint/ Medium Relic

Accessories Included: Deluxe Gig Bag and Certificate of Authenticity/ Dated & Hand signed By Mario Martin

Total Weight of Guitar: 6lb 8oz

Serial Number: 1251017