Mario Martin Guitars Honcho Swamp Ash w/ Rosewood – Avocado Mist

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 Do We Think?

We always love the Honchos, and this one is no exception. Swamp Ash body, roasted maple neck, Madagascar Rosewood fretboard. A Fralin pickup set custom-tailored for the Honcho and a combination of Tele-style bridge plate with Strat-style Wilkinson tremolo. You get the comfortable arm contour of a Strat as well.

The overall tonal vibe of the guitar is vintage in output with a slightly scooped upper midrange that leaves room for a warm low end and a spanky upper register. The neck position has a big, instantaneous pop on the bottom and shimmery highs through a clean amp. The openness of the pickup allows for some great sizzle and transparency on your dirt tones as well.

The blend of neck and middle has a delightful quack without losing bottom end. Bridge/middle has more midrange-focus and immediately nails ‘90s country tones. It is here that we first start to hear the contribution of the bridge plate. It adds some natural compression and pushes positions 1 and 2 a bit more forward in the mix.

The bridge position is granted a bit of extra power and “focus” over a standard Strat, but the EQ spectrum is expansive nonetheless. You can enjoy clean tones suggestive of a Tele but with a bit of sparkle added. Or dirt tones that are equally gritty and vibrant. The second tone knob is wired to the bridge pickup if you want to taper the top end, but it is thoroughly enjoyable in all its effervescent glory!

How Does It Play?

The neck is really what we would call a medium round C, despite the “Chunky C” allocation on the spec sheet. It measures .840” at the 1^st fret and .910” at the 12^th. It feels wonderful. The frets are nicely dressed, complete with hotdog ends to keep the feeling smooth on the sides of the hand as you work up and down the neck. The string action is low without buzz.

Weight: 6lb 15oz

The Mario Martin Deluxe padded gigbag is included.

Specifications

Model: Honcho

Body: Swamp Ash

Neck: Roasted Maple / Madagascar Rosewood

Nut Material: Bone

Nut Width: 1.65”

Fret Size: 6105

Fingerboard Radius: 9.5”-12”

Neck Shape: Chunky C (actually measures just .840 at 1^st/.910 at 12^th)

Top/Side Dots: Clay

Strings: String Joy Balanced Light

Tuners: Gotoh Staggered Vintage

Pickguard: Mint

Pickups: Fralin Honcho Set

Finish: Nitrocellulose

Body Color: Avocado / Light Relic

Neck Color: Gloss

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

Total Weight of Guitar: 6lb 15oz

Serial Number: 1123883

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