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[]
Note: some examples did not include diamond inlay.
- 1978-1979
Body:
- Laminated Maple arched top, back and sides
- Venetian cutaway
Neck:
- Set-in Maple neck
- Stained Nato fretboard with Pearloid block inlays
- Fatboy headstock w/ "Stinger"
- Wavy headstock w/ "Stinger" (late 1979)
- Mother of Pearl diamond inlay
- Mother of Pearl Script logo inlay
- 20 frets
- 25.5" scale
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:
- 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[]
- 1980-1982
Body:
- Laminated Maple arched top, back and sides
- Venetian cutaway
Neck:
- Set-in Maple neck
- Stained Nato fretboard with Pearloid block inlays
- Wavy headstock w/ "Stinger"
- Deluxe headstock
- Silk-screened Sunrise logo
- Mother of Pearl S-Diamond inlay
- 20 frets
- 25.5" scale
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:
- 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:
- Orion FA-25
- Fatboy headstock
- Two-piece Mother of Pearl diamond inlay
HL5-FB[]
- 1985-1989
- $449.95 MSRP (1984)
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)
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[]
- 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
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)