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From Our Research Team:

Now You Can Play Howard Roberts' Guitar

What makes the Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion III so special? As the highest paid LA studio guitarist in his day, co-founder of the Guitar Institute of Technology in LA ( now the Musicians Institute) author of several books of guitar curriculum, not to mention an innovator and guitar designer - you could say that Howard Roberts knows a thing or two about the guitar. The Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion III is the culmination of a series of unique instruments that Howard developed throughout the mid '60s. The Howard Roberts Fusion model debuted in 1980 with such refinements as a more open cutaway and a unique control configuration,and the "fingers" tailpiece with individual string-angle adjustments. Want a real player's guitar - it's Gibson's Howard Robert's Fusion III.


Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion III at a Glance:

• Semi-hollowbody design with maple laminated top, back and sides with multi-ply top binding
  
• '59 rounded profile maple neck with ebony fingerboard and pearloid dot inlays
  
• Two Gibson humbuckers - 490R (neck) and 490T) bridge

It's Not Just a Jazz Fusion Guitar
To give you some idea of just how good the Howard Roberts Fusion plays and sounds, no less a talent than Peter Green (formerly of Fleetwood Mac fame) now gigs with a Howard Roberts Fusion III. Designed to be able to handle the sounds of both rock and jazz without feedback, the Howard Roberts Fusion III gives you all the tone you need, from clean and tight to downright dirty when pushed hard through a suitable amplifier. The laminated maple body with Chromyte center block features multi-binding on top, single-ply on the back and gold hardware. It looks as good as it sounds!

Not Too Fat, Not Too Thin
No, we're not talking about the latest fad diet, we're talking about the Howard Roberts Fusion neck profile. It's not as big as those huge 1958 Les Paul necks, but neither is it as thin as the 1960s so-called "slim taper" neck profiles. In any case, the combination of a nice, rounded one-piece maple neck and the warmth of an ebony fingerboard is what this guitar is all about. It's not for everyone, of course. But many players who have never picked up a guitar with this kind of neck are often shocked at how easily it handles.

490R and 490T Modern Classic Pickups:
The "Modern Classic" pickups feature tonal characteristics similar to the '57 Classic, but deliver a slight increase in the upper mids, for a more contemporary humbucking sound. The special Alnico II magnet gives these beauties a singing quality that delivers on demand. The 490R, with its neck-spaced pole pieces, is calibrated to match the bridge-spaced 490T for a perfect match.

Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion Features:

• Color: Vintage Sunburst
  
• Top: Laminated maple
  
• Back: Top: Laminated maple
  
• Sides: Top: Laminated maple
  
• Neck: One-piece maple with '59 rounded profile
  
• Fingerboard: Ebony with pearl dot inlays
  
• Number of frets: 22
  
• Pickups: Two Humbucking pickups - 490R (neck) and 490T (Bridge)
  
• Controls: Two each tone and volume with three-way pickup selector switch
  
• Machine heads: Scaller Keystone
  
• Hardware: Gold plated
  
• Case: Black smooth levant hardshell

If you've heard the eerie guitar theme from "The Twilight Zone," then you've heard Howard Roberts - now own his guitar - the Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion III.

Gibson: Don't Mess with a Good Thing
Gibson guitars have been around for well over a century. When guitarists are looking for an outstanding combination of superb tone and playability along with great looks and gorgeous finishes, the choice for most of those 100 plus years has been Gibson. From their amazing collection of fine acoustics to the electric guitars that literally rewrote music history, Gibson guitars have been on almost every chart-topping album from artists like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Cream and Led Zeppelin. These "first call" instruments also cross an enormous array of diverse styles, from folk and country to blues and hard rock. With that resume, it's not surprising that so many of Gibson's best-selling instruments have changed little over the decades. Because there's just no sense in messing with a good thing!

Specification Detail Manufacturer Part Number ARFUVSGH1

What Does "Special Order" Mean? A special-order product is one that we don't normally keep in stock. We order it from the manufacturer as soon as you order from us. We have great relationships with all the manufacturers we carry, so we can get your special order to you as fast as or faster than anyone else. Remember that special orders are non-returnable and non-cancelable, so make sure the item is right for you. A Sweetwater Sales Engineer can help you decide - call (800) 222-4700 for assistance!