Up for sale, a 1981 Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion in near-mint, 100% original condition and in perfect working order, complete with the original hardshell case. This uncommon Gibson signature model was designed in collaboration with noted jazz guitarist, session veteran and educator Roberts, featuring a semi-hollow single-cutaway body with a maple body, maple center block, and a maple neck capped by an ebony fretboard, loaded with a unique pair of Gibson humbuckers (one Tim Shaw PAF, one Tarback).

The slightly scaled down thinline body measures 14 3/4“ across at the lower bout and 2 5/16“ deep, and this guitar has a resonant, immediate acoustic response with great natural sustain and glassy articulation. At the heart of this Howard Roberts is its pickup pairing; a Tim Shaw PAF in the neck position and a Tarback at the bridge, with sequentially numbered ink stamps on the pickup baseplates, dating to January, 1981.

The Tim Shaw PAF represents Gibson's first, and arguably one of their most successful, attempts at recreating the magic of their late '50s humbucker design. Offered for only a few short years in the '80s, the Shaw PAFs have unoriented, rough cast Alnico V magnets, plastic spacers, and poly-coated wire, achieving the harmonic complexity, power, and tonal clarity of the original PAF. The Tarback in the bridge position has fewer winds than most Gibson humbucker designs, resulting in lively treble detail. The black epoxy that gives these pickups their name also ensures great feedback rejection. This Howard Roberts Fusion weighs 8lbs 13oz, professionally setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar with 11-49 strings, low action, and spot-on intonation.

Neck Specs:

-Wood: Maple
-Shape: Slender C, measuring .815” 1st fret, .965” 9th fret, 1.055” 12th fret
-Fretboard: Ebony, dot inlay
-Frets: Medium jumbo, faint wear on frets 1-4
-Scale Length: 24 3/4”
-Nut: 1 11/16”
-Tuners: Schaller (Gibson-branded)
-Serialization: Eight-digit stamp dates to ‘81

Body Specs:

-Wood: Maple (maple centerblock)
-Pickups: Tim Shaw PAF, Tarback humbuckers (January, 1981 ink stamps on baseplates)
-Controls: Volume x2, Tone x2, Three-way pickup selector
-Hardware: Nashville bridge, TP-6 tailpiece
-Plastics: Four-ply pickguard, black speed knobs
-Label: “Union Made”, bass-side F hole

The gloss Tobacco Sunburst nitro lacquer finish exhibits subtle checking, framed by ambered binding, and cosmetic wear is limited to mild buckle scuffing on the back and a few faint marks on the body as a whole. The nitro gloss on the neck profile is smooth and clean.

The original brown tolex hardshell case is included; both the case and instrument smell slightly of smoke, and the handle is not present.