A very cool Hondo Formula 1 Guitar. Overall plays and looks great. Some marks and wear. The middle micro switch is missing a nut but everything works on the guitar.
Includes hard case.
The Hondo Formula 1 H-785 (often designated with suffix variants like H785B for specific finishes/hardware configurations like black or gold) is a highly distinct B.C. Rich Bich copy produced between 1983 and 1985. Originally debuting as part of Hondo's Deluxe Series, it officially transitioned into the newly created, higher-end Formula 1 Series lineup in mid-1984.
Manufactured in Incheon, South Korea by Samick, the Formula 1 H-785 is widely considered by collectors to be a significant step up from the lower-quality plywood guitars Hondo was traditionally known for in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Key Specifications & Construction
• Body & Style: Distinctive, angular B.C. Rich Bich body shape featuring beveled edges and an ergonomic belly carve. While many translucent or natural models utilized solid ash, the opaque color models (including the sunburst and metallic variants) often feature a beveled laminate body.
• Neck: Set-in (glued) Rock Maple neck with a rosewood fretboard, 24 frets, 24.75" scale length, and dot inlays.
• Headstock: Features Hondo's iconic, pointier "Stinger" headstock design adorned with a silk-screened Formula 1 logo.
• Hardware: Equipped with high-quality, stock Grover Rotomatic tuners (14:1 ratio) and traditionally paired with either a hardtail or standard 6-point vintage-style tremolo bridge with gold or chrome plating.
Advanced Electronics & Onboard Preamp
What makes the H-785 stand out among vintage budget guitars is its complex, versatile electronics layout that mimics the high-end utility of original B.C. Rich instruments:
• Pickups: Powered by two ultra-hot Samick X-14 ceramic open-coil humbuckers.
• Onboard Active Boost: Includes a mini-toggle switch for an onboard active 3dB preamp boost powered by a 9V battery. The passive electronics continue to function perfectly if the battery dies, but switching the toggle engages the active gain push.
• Tone-Shaping Mini Switches: Alongside the master volume, master tone, and 3-way pickup selector, the control cavity houses two additional mini-toggles for a coil tap (splitting the humbuckers to single-coils) and a phase reverse switch
