Samick Wikia
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The HL5 Fatboy was Hondo's copy of a Gibson L-5. It was introduced in 1978 and produced until 1989. Despite being a popular model, the HL5 is one of the few Hondo models never to have been pictured in a catalog.

Made in Korea by Samick.

HL5[]

80ish HL5

ca. 1979 HL5 BS, non-original tuners & truss rod cover (Image credit: Fluxon-Music)

Note: some examples did not include diamond inlay.

  • 1978-1979

Body:

  • Laminated Maple arched top, back and sides
  • Venetian cutaway

Neck:

Binding:

  • Quadruple-ply body (front)
  • Triple-ply neck and headstock
  • Double-ply body (rear)
  • Single-ply f-holes
Fatboy hs 1

Electronics:

  • Two single coil pickups w/ humbucker style covers
  • 3-way switch
  • 2 Vol, 2 Tone

Hardware:

  • Chrome hardware
  • Fish shaped truss rod cover
  • 2-ply tortoise shell pickguard
  • Black Speed knobs
  • Rosewood bridge with Trapeze tailpiece

Finishes:

  • Brown Sunburst (BS)

Also branded as:

  • Samick

HDL5[]

Same as HL5, with DiMarzio K-10 humbuckers.

H-794[]

82 Orion FA-25-0

1982 Orion FA-25

  • 1980-1982

Body:

  • Laminated Maple arched top, back and sides
  • Venetian cutaway

Neck:

Binding:

  • Quadruple-ply body (front)
  • Triple-ply neck and headstock
  • Double-ply body (rear)
  • Single-ply f-holes

Electronics:

  • Two single coil pickups w/ humbucker style covers
  • 3-way switch
  • 2 Vol, 2 Tone

Hardware:

82 Orion FA-25 2

Orion headstock

  • Chrome hardware
  • Fish shaped truss rod cover
  • 2-ply tortoise shell pickguard
  • Black Speed knobs
  • Rosewood bridge with Trapeze tailpiece

Finishes:

  • Brown Sunburst (BS)
  • Red (R)

Also branded as:

HL5-FB[]

  • 1985-1989
  • $449.95 MSRP (1984)
HL5FB-B

Body:

  • Laminated Maple arched top, back and sides
  • Venetian cutaway

Neck:

  • Set-in Maple neck w/ laminated Rosewood strip
  • Rosewood fretboard w/ Mother of Pearl block inlays
  • Fatboy headstock
  • Silk-screened Sunrise logo
  • 22 frets (plus zero-fret)
  • 25.5" scale

Binding:

  • Double-ply body (front & rear), neck and headstock
  • Double-ply heel cap
  • Single-ply f-holes
  • Fret-edge binding (1985-1988)
89 HL5FB hs

1989 HL5-FB

Electronics:

  • Two cream X-14 humbuckers
  • 3-way switch
  • 2 Vol, 2 Tone, 1 Master Vol

Hardware:

  • Chrome hardware
  • Grover Rotomatic tuning machines
  • Lubricated, die-cast tuning machines (1989)
  • Fish shaped truss rod cover
  • Triangular truss rod cover (1986-1989)
  • 2-ply black/white pickguard
  • Amber Bell knobs
  • Rosewood bridge with Trapeze tailpiece

Finishes:

  • Natural Blonde (B)
  • Cherry Sunburst (CS)
  • Tobacco Sunburst (TSB)
  • Honey Glow (HG)

Also branded as:

  • Antoria EG-794 Jazzstar

Antares ASA-25[]

81ish ASA-25 W 6-0
  • 1982

Body:

  • Laminated Ash arched top, back and sides
  • Venetian cutaway

Neck:

  • Set-in Maple neck
  • Stained Nato fretboard with pearloid dot inlays
  • Deluxe headstock
    • Silk-screened Antares logo
    • Mother of Pearl "S" inlay
  • 20 frets
  • 25.5" scale

Binding:

  • Triple-ply neck, headstock & body
  • Single-ply f-holes

Electronics:

  • Two humbuckers
  • 3-way switch
  • 2 Vol, 2 Tone
81ish ASA-25 W 2

Hardware:

  • Chrome hardware
  • Individually enclosed tuning machines
  • 2-ply tortoise shell fish-shaped truss rod cover
  • 2-ply tortoise shell pickguard
  • White "notched" Speed knobs
  • Rosewood bridge with floating tailpiece

Finishes:

  • Wine Red (W)
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