HJ

The **HJ** was Samick's Gibson L-5 style model. Introduced in 1989, the same year the Hondo HL5 "FatBoy" (which the HJ was based on) was discontinued. It has since become well regarded for it's build quality. In one particular catalog from 1992, it was referred to as the **"Wabash"**.

**Related:**

* Hondo HL5
* IHJ
* Vantage 655VG
* Washburn J
* HF

## HJ-605 (Artist Series)

In 1998, the name was changed to **HJ-605-1**.

**Body:**

* Laminated Maple arched top, back and sides
* 12 3/4" upper bout
* 10 3/8" waist
* 17 1/8" wide lower bout
* 3 7/8" depth
* Venetian cutaway

**Neck:**

* Set-in Maple neck
* Rosewood fingerboard with Pearloid/Abalone split block inlays
* Deluxe headstock
* Ornate Mother of Pearl Artist logo inlays
* 14o headstock pitch
* 20 frets
* 25.5" scale

**Binding:**

* Triple-ply body, neck and headstock
* Single-ply f-holes

**Hardware:**

* Gold hardware
* 16:1 ratio lubricated, die-cast tuning machines
* Clear acrylic pickguard
* Rosewood bridge with Harp tailpiece

**Finishes:**

* Natural (N)

## HJ-610 (Artist Series)

**Body:**

* Laminated Maple arched top, back and sides
* 12 3/4" upper bout
* 10 3/8" waist
* 17 1/8" wide lower bout
* 3 7/8" depth
* Venetian cutaway

**Neck:**

* Set-in Maple neck
* Rosewood fingerboard with Pearloid/Abalone split block inlays
* Deluxe headstock
* Ornate Mother of Pearl Artist logo inlay
* 14o headstock pitch
* 20 frets
* 25.5" scale

**Binding:**

* Triple-ply body, neck, headstock and pickguard
* Single-ply f-holes

**Electronics:**

* One floating pickup
* 1 Vol, 1 Tone (pickguard-mounted)

**Hardware:**

* Gold hardware
* 16:1 ratio lubricated, die-cast tuning machines
* Triple-bound tortiose shell pickguard
* Rosewood bridge with Harp tailpiece

**Finishes:**

* Vintage Sunburst (VS)

**Also branded as:**

* Aria Pro II FA-71

## HJRG-302

   Some examples featured Vantage logo in 1989.

* 1989-1990

**Body:**

* Laminated Maple arched top, back and sides
* 12 3/4" upper bout
* 10 3/8" waist
* 17 1/8" wide lower bout
* 3 7/8" depth
* Venetian cutaway

**Neck:**

* Set-in Maple neck
* Rosewood fingerboard with Pearloid/Abalone split block inlays
* Deluxe headstock
* Ornate Mother of Pearl flower inlay
* Mother of Pearl Wave logo or Vantage logo inlay
* 14o headstock pitch
* 20 frets
* 25.5" scale

**Binding:**

* Triple-ply body, neck and headstock
* Single-ply f-holes

**Electronics:**

* Two ceramic humbucker pickups
* 3-way switch
* 2 Vol, 2 Tone

**Hardware:**

* Gold hardware
* 16:1 ratio lubricated, die-cast tuning machines
* 3-ply Tortoise shell pickguard
* "Batman" truss rod cover
* Black "notched" Speed knobs
* Rosewood bridge with Trapeze tailpiece

**Finishes:**

* Cherry Sunburst (CS)
* Golden Sunburst (GS)
* Antique Violin Sunburst (AV)

**Also branded as:**

* Antoria EG-794 (Jazzstar)
* Marathon
* Sebring JS-20
* Washburn J-6

## HJ-650 "Wabash"

* 1991-1994

**Body:**

* Laminated Maple arched top, back and sides
* 12 3/4" upper bout
* 10 3/8" waist
* 17 1/8" wide lower bout
* 3 7/8" depth
* Venetian cutaway

**Neck:**

* Set-in Maple neck
* Rosewood fingerboard with Pearloid/Abalone split block inlays
* Deluxe headstock
* Ornate Mother of Pearl flower and Wave logo inlays
* 14o headstock pitch
* 20 frets
* 25.5" scale

**Binding:**

* Triple-ply body, neck and headstock
* Single-ply f-holes

**Electronics:**

* Two ceramic humbucker pickups
* 3-way switch
* 2 Vol, 2 Tone

**Hardware:**

* Gold hardware
* 16:1 ratio lubricated, die-cast tuning machines
* 3-ply pickguard
* "Batman" truss rod cover
* Black "notched" Speed knobs
* Rosewood bridge with Trapeze tailpiece

**Finishes:**

* Tobacco Sunburst (TSB)
* Golden Sunburst (GS)
* Antique Violin Sunburst (AV)
* Dark Red Sunburst (DRS)
* Natural (N)

**Also branded as:**

* Marathon
* Sebring JS-20
* Washburn J-6

## HJ-650 "Wabash" (Artist Series)

* 1995-2001
* $1,199 MSRP (2001)
* $549 Street (2003 clearance)

**Body:**

* Laminated Maple arched top, back and sides
* 12 3/4" upper bout
* 10 3/8" waist
* 17 1/8" wide lower bout
* 3 7/8" depth
* Venetian cutaway

**Neck:**

* Set-in Maple neck
* Rosewood fingerboard with Pearloid/Abalone split block inlays
* Deluxe headstock
* Ornate Mother of Pearl Artist logo inlays
* 14o headstock pitch
* 20 frets
* 25.5" scale

**Binding:**

* Triple-ply body, neck and headstock
* Single-ply f-holes

**Electronics:**

* Two ceramic humbucker pickups
* 3-way switch
* 2 Vol, 2 Tone

**Hardware:**

* Gold hardware
* 16:1 ratio lubricated, die-cast tuning machines
* 3-ply pickguard
* Headstock matching truss rod cover
* Black "notched" Speed knobs
* Rosewood bridge with Trapeze tailpiece (1995-1997)
* Rosewood bridge with Harp tailpiece (1998-2001)

**Finishes:**

* Tobacco Sunburst (TSB)
* Antique Violin Sunburst (AV)
* Natural (N)

**Also branded as:**

* Sebring JS-20
* Washburn J-6

## HJ-650 LH

Left-handed model.

**Finishes:**

* Tobacco Sunburst (TSB)

## HJ-650/C (Artist Series)

* 1998-2001

**Body:**

* Laminated Maple arched top, back and sides
* 12 3/4" upper bout
* 10 3/8" waist
* 17 1/8" wide lower bout
* 3 7/8" depth
* Florentine cutaway

**Neck:**

* Set-in Maple neck
* Rosewood fingerboard with Pearloid/Abalone split block inlays
* Deluxe headstock
* Ornate Mother of Pearl Artist logo inlays
* 14o headstock pitch
* 20 frets
* 25.5" scale

**Binding:**

* Triple-ply body, neck and headstock
* Single-ply f-holes

**Electronics:**

* Two ceramic humbucker pickups
* 3-way switch
* 2 Vol, 2 Tone

**Hardware:**

* Gold hardware
* 16:1 ratio lubricated, die-cast tuning machines
* 3-ply pickguard
* Headstock matching truss rod cover
* Black "notched" Speed knobs
* Rosewood bridge with Harp tailpiece

**Finishes:**

* Natural (N)

## HJ-660 (Artist Series)

**Body:**

* Laminated Maple arched top, back and sides
* "Tiger Tail" flame Maple veneer
* 12 3/4" upper bout
* 10 3/8" waist
* 17 1/8" wide lower bout
* 3 7/8" depth
* Venetian cutaway

**Neck:**

* Set-in Maple neck
* Rosewood fingerboard with Pearloid/Abalone split block inlays
* Deluxe headstock
* Ornate Mother of Pearl Artist logo inlays
* 14o headstock pitch
* 20 frets
* 25.5" scale

**Binding:**

* Triple-ply body, neck and headstock
* Single-ply f-holes

**Electronics:**

* Three P-90 pickups
* 3 vol, 1 tone?

**Hardware:**

* Gold hardware
* 16:1 ratio lubricated, die-cast tuning machines
* 3-ply pickguard
* Headstock matching truss rod cover
* Gold "Notched" Speed knobs
* Tune-O-Matic bridge with Rosewood base and Vintage tailpiece

**Finishes:**

* Natural (N)

## HJ-700 (Artist Series)

Thinline 7-string version of HJ-650.

* 2000-2001

**Body:**

* Laminated Maple arched top, back and sides
* 12 3/4" upper bout
* 10 3/8" waist
* 17 1/8" wide lower bout
* Venetian cutaway

**Neck:**

* Set-in Maple neck
* Rosewood fingerboard with Acrylic block inlays
* Deluxe headstock
* Ornate Mother of Pearl Artist logo inlays
* 14o headstock pitch
* 20 frets
* 25.5" scale

**Binding:**

* Triple-ply body, neck and headstock
* Single-ply f-holes

**Electronics:**

* Two ceramic humbuckers
* 3-way switch
* 2 Vol, 2 Tone

**Hardware:**

* Gold hardware
* 3-ply pickguard
* Headstock matching truss rod cover
* Black "notched" Speed knobs
* Tune-O-Matic bridge with stopbar tailpiece

**Finishes:**

* Golden Sunburst (GS)

## HJ-850/TR (Artist Series)

* 2001

**Body:**

* Laminated Spruce arched top
* Laminated Maple back and sides
* 12 3/4" upper bout
* 10 3/8" waist
* 17 1/8" wide lower bout
* 3 7/8" depth
* Venetian cutaway

**Neck:**

* Set-in Maple neck
* Rosewood fingerboard with Pearloid/Abalone split block inlays
* Deluxe headstock
* Ornate Mother of Pearl Artist logo inlays
* 14o headstock pitch
* 20 frets
* 25.5" scale

**Binding:**

* Triple-ply body, neck and headstock
* Single-ply f-holes

**Electronics:**

* Two humbucker pickups with Filtertron style covers
* 3-way switch
* 2 Vol, 2 Tone

**Hardware:**

* Chrome hardware
* Grover Rotomatic tuning machines
* Headstock matching truss rod cover
* Black "notched" Speed knobs
* Tune-O-Matic bridge with Rosewood base and Bigsby-style tremolo

**Finishes:**

* Orange (OR)

## HJS-650/TR

* 1993-2001
* Artist Series (1995-2001)

**Body:**

* Solid Spruce arched top, laminated Maple back and sides (AV, VS)
* Solid Maple arched top, laminated back and sides (N, TR, TBL)
* Venetian cutaway
* 12 3/4" upper bout
* 10 3/8" waist
* 17 1/8" wide lower bout
* 3 7/8" depth

**Neck:**

* Set-in Maple neck (C profile)
* Rosewood fingerboard with Mother of Pearl rose inlays
* Deluxe headstock
* Mother of Pearl Wave logo inlay (1993-1994)
* Ornate Mother of Pearl rose inlay (1993-1994)
* Ornate Mother of Pearl Artist logo inlays (1995-2001)
* 14o headstock pitch
* 20 frets
* 25.5" scale
* 12" radius
* 1 5/8" nut width

**Binding:**

* Abalone-bound body (front), headstock and pickguard
* Single-ply body (rear), neck and f-holes

**Electronics:**

* Two ceramic humbuckers (~8K Ohms)
* 3-way switch
* 2 Vol, 2 Tone

**Hardware:**

* Gold hardware
* 16:1 ratio lubricated, die-cast tuning machines
* Abalone-bound pickguard w/ Spruce veneer
* "Batman" truss rod cover (1993-1994)
* Headstock matching truss rod cover (1995-2001)
* Black "notched" Speed knobs
* Rosewood bridge with Pearloid rose inlays
* Bigsby-style tremolo

**Finishes:**

* Natural (N)
* Translucent Red (TR)
* Translucent Blue (TBL)
* Vintage Sunburst (VS)
* Antique Violin Sunburst (AV)