I am primarily an acoustic player with multiple high end acoustic guitars. I purchased this on a whim and a dream of getting more into electric playing. Though fun and easy to play, I just never really got there enough to justify this great instrument. Purchased new in 1998, I’ve played it periodically at home including a couple of backyard concerts with music friends. Retiring soon, I’m not likely to have a true use for it, though I remain ambivalent about letting it go. It has aged so nicely.
This guitar is professionally set up with low and comfortable action. It plays and sounds great. The output of the classic Alnico humbuckers are just right, sweet and mellow, and over the years to come, they should sound even better. At 15 years old, the tone and action is terrific. No fret wear apparent. My ‘electric’ friends gravitate towards it whenever they come over. They speak of its tone and flexibility from an ES175 towards a Les Paul. They make it sound great.
Very recently professionally set-up and polished, it is truly beautiful. It did sustain two dings (darn cleaning lady), which I had professionally repaired. One is on the upper side bout and the other small one on the lower back. Only apparent in the right light, the latter appears more as a blemish, but the former can be noticed on inspection (see attempted Pics). Beyond those flaws, it is near perfect/mint. In bright light one can see only a few of the usual very light, fine scratch marks here and there. As this is gloss black, you can find them if you hunt for them in reflected light. Zero belt rash, etc. Beyond the ding, I’ve seen few guitar store display models looking better. Gold hardware still shines, etc. As I didn’t much like the pick guard, I have only recently re-installed it and it still has the plastic film on it – no marks (see Pic).
The guitar is all original and it has been well taken good care of. It lives in the original case. The neck is in great condition with no wear on the back and no apparent fret wear. The original Gibson hard shell case is also in mint condition.
Good representative pictures were hard to get. It is so glossy, I had the choice of light reflective pics or rather flat appearing pics. I took a ton of pics trying to get a good representation. Some of the reflective Pics have artifacts/reflections from the room that are not flaws in the finish. Ask if you are concerned, please. I tried to show pics that would show any flaws, or the lack thereof. There are two attempted pics of the ‘Ding’. I PhotoShopped the heck out of the 2nd one to make it show up. An honest and accurate description is important to me. I have 100% feedback and want to keep it. I am not a dealer.
New ones are selling for $2,700-2,800 plus tax. These are relatively rare.
There are many impressive reviews of the Howard Roberts in the internet.
This model has been increasingly rare to find on the second-hand market because owners and collectors don't normally want to sell.
I do expect payment within four (4) days or item will be re-listed as a non-pay.
USA lower 48 states only, please. I will ship carefully packaged, strings loosened and insured. If you pick up, or shipping is less than posted, unlikely, I will return the difference.
Please ask any questions of significant concern before bidding.
I have 100% feedback and want to keep it. Upon receipt, please contact me with any questions or perceived problems. If there is a major function problem within three days of arrival I will work to resolve the problem, or accept return, but you will pay return shipping.
From my research I found:
This guitar comes from the Gibson Custom Shop. It represents the highest possible craftsmanship of Gibson, featuring the typical vintage, warm and incredibly mellow tone, as well as the kind of sensitivity to subtle change of your fingers and pick that you can only find among Custom Shop Gibson guitars. Great for Jazz, Blues, and Rock styles of music! It also has unique features:
--Ebony fretboard. This is the only Gibson semi-hollow body guitars that actually has an ebony fretboard. All the other similar models including ES335, 339, 175, 179 do not have this feature. The ebony wood grain is so tight that you cannot even see any and it plays like a butter and significantly improves the clarity of tone.
--Unique gold finger-style tailpiece with tune-o-matic bridge that allows adjusting the string tension of each single string and improves sustain where you want it. This permits incredible personalization of the action, sustain and string tension. The hardware is still shining like new!
--1959 rounded Les Paul neck that not only sounds but also plays and feels vintage. Made for Jazz and Blues!
--Binding all over the body and neck
--Semi-hollow body design with a maple body, chromyte center block (reducing feedback), and maple neck.
--Dual alnico magnet Gibson humbuckers; 2 volume, 2 tone, and 3-way selector switch;
--Gold Gibson keystone tuners that hold in tune very well (so much better than the Gibson Kuston tuners).
Product Information
Semi-hollow body design with a maple body, chromyte center block, and maple neck. Also includes dual alnico magnet humbuckers; 2 volume, 2 tone, and 3-way selector switch; 1959 rounded Les Paul neck; body and neck binding; tune-o-matic bridge; finger-style tailpiece; a 22-fret ebony fretboard with dot inlays; and gold hardware.
Product Identifiers Key Features
Brand: Gibson custom Guitar Type Electric
Model: Howard Roberts Fusion III Body Type: Hollow
Body Material: Maple
Miscellaneous Number of Strings: 6 String
Fingerboard/Fretboard Material Ebony
Neck Material Maple
Number of Frets 22
More information on this guitar, see http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/gibson-custom-howard-roberts-fusion-iii-electric-guitar