[roylor4]

I owned a Honeydipper for a while and have owned a Gretsch Boxcar for about 4 years now.

The Honeydipper is very nice and has good tone. Keep in mind - these things are HEAVY. VERY HEAVY. All steel and brass bodied resos are. Loud as all get out too. Blew my wife's banjo out of the water kinda loud.

Whether you play standing or seated, you will need to play using a strap or you will have trouble controlling the neck.

I got rid of mine - just too much weight. Left an enormous dent in my thigh after 20-30 minutes.

If weight is a consideration for you at all I would look at wooden bodied reso too. They are nearly as loud and less than 1/2 the weight. Just a thought.

I haven't played a Messer, but have only heard good things about them.