I’ve always had a soft spot for MIJ/MIK Jazz boxes, particularly Antoria Jazzstar, Hondo Fat Boy and Encore 302, etc - surprisingly good quality guitars.
After an evening’s work (glue/clamp the fretboard, replace the machine heads with Grovers, dig a bridge out, oil the fretboard, clean/polish the frets, etc), things improved somewhat...
Specs (from the Hondo/Samick Wiki):
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)
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
Comments
Lo and behold, I actually rather like it.
Both of my Hondo HL5FBB's have Grovers as standard, one still has the original stickers at headstock & heel.
Very well made guitars, I reckon they must have pushed Hondo's manufacture/sales cost ratio in a negative way.
Happy to supply any photo's that you might want to use for comparison.
P.S. If you ever find a spare original tailpiece, I'll have it
Jazzstar:
https://i.imgur.com/NeFbgnm.jpg
Encore 302:
https://i.imgur.com/CARMhUw.jpg
HarrySeven - Intangible Asset Appraiser & Wrecker of Civilisation. Searching for weird guitars - so you don't have to.
Forum feedback thread. | G&B interview #1 & #2 | https://www.instagram.com/_harry_seven_/
I wonder how many types were made & in how many factories ?
So many puzzles...
Edit: I just checked & then remembered that I had forgotten (!) that although identical in most respects, one is a 'Hondo' & the other a 'Revival Hondo'.
So, add TRC differences & headstock branding to the list
*Antoria H-794
*Marathon MJG-1000
*Sebring JS-20
HarrySeven - Intangible Asset Appraiser & Wrecker of Civilisation. Searching for weird guitars - so you don't have to.
Forum feedback thread. | G&B interview #1 & #2 | https://www.instagram.com/_harry_seven_/
HarrySeven - Intangible Asset Appraiser & Wrecker of Civilisation. Searching for weird guitars - so you don't have to.
Forum feedback thread. | G&B interview #1 & #2 | https://www.instagram.com/_harry_seven_/
HarrySeven - Intangible Asset Appraiser & Wrecker of Civilisation. Searching for weird guitars - so you don't have to.
Forum feedback thread. | G&B interview #1 & #2 | https://www.instagram.com/_harry_seven_/