1988 Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion Semi-Hollow Electric Guitar Tobacco Sunburst w/ Case

Up for sale, a 1988 Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion, heavily played and in perfect working order, complete with the original hardshell case. Designed for studio heavyweight and Jazz great Howard Roberts, the Fusion model is one of the more elegant and purpose driven archtops produced by Gibson and a synthesis of functionality and style. The semi-hollowbody maple body construction features a chromyte center block, and paired with the flame maple neck and bound ebony fingerboard, the natural acoustic tone is immediate and articulate. Boasting the original pair of USA-made Gibson Bill Lawrence-designed Super Humbuckers only seen from 1988-90 in Gibson's USA lineup, these pickups are known colloquially as Gibson's "circuit board" humbuckers. These medium output pickups pair particularly well with the Howard Roberts, delivering an articulate array of tones that can be bright and clear or smooth and detailed with the flip of a switch. The guitar weighs 9lbs 1oz, professionally setup here at Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar with 11-49 roundwound strings, low action and accurate intonation. The maple neck has been stripped of its nitro gloss, revealing the silky smooth and heavily figured three-piece maple neck. The neck has a slender C-shaped profile carve at the nut, with more shoulder and overall chunk as you travel up the fretboard, measuring .810" deep at the 1st fret and .975" at the 12th. The ebony fingerboard retains the original medium jumbo fretwire which shows wear beneath all strings favoring the treble side with prominent grooves from frets 1-8, with wear growing gradually lighter beneath the plain strings until fret 14. The guitar plays well up the 24 3/4" scale, and the neck is straight, with a truss rod that's responsive and adjusted for ideal relief. The nut measures 1 11/16" in width. The headstock retains the original truss rod cover and Gibson Deluxe tuning machines with greened tulip buttons. All of the electronics work as they should with Gibson's Bill Lawrence circuit board humbucker pair, and the guitar is notable both for its generous cutaway and also unique control placement. An ABR-1 Tune-o-Matic bridge and TP-6 tailpiece round out the hardware, and the chrome plating is bright and clean. Plastics include the original pickguard and rings, with a modern set of black speed knobs. The white Gibson USA label is visible through the F hole, and the serial matches the number embossed on the headstock. The Tobacco Sunburst (or Vintage Sunburst) gloss nitro lacquer finish is framed by heavily ambered binding, exhibits heavy buckle rash, with finish loss at the bass-side waist on the back. There are a couple small repaired splits at the input jack and a finish reaction on the upper bout on the back, extending to the highly figured flame maple rim. An additional finish reaction is present where the forearm crosses the top both from contact with the arm and some sort of spill The original brown tolex Gibson hardshell case with pink plush interior is included, along with the original factory paperwork.