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Hi There
I just got the guitar mentioned above Mann Ibanez Howard Roberts
can anyone who has a pickguard be so kind as to trace it so i can get a repro made?
Or maybe someone has one for sale?
Thanks
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05-23-2024 01:20 PM
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Congrats,
Originally Posted by Thornel Scwartz
Oh, you forgot the "H" Thorny...
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May the Scwartz be with you! Originally Posted by wintermoon
Congrats,
Oh, you forgot the "H" Thorny...
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Thornal to his buds. Originally Posted by wintermoon
Congrats, Oh, you forgot the "H" Thorny...
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I'll trace mine and scan it into a PDF for you. Originally Posted by Thornel Scwartz
Are you in Canada ? I'm just curious if a Mann-branded guitar ended up outside of Canada.
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Mine's a Gibson 1978 that has been played quite a bit but has held up really well. It had been refretted before I got it, a testament to its professional use for decades. The pickguard needed replacement and the midrange pot was not functional.
A Kalamazoo luthier, who now is a Heritage guitar designer and chief of repairs, made a new pickguard. He also found a replacement pot for the midrange control.
As a kid I had one of the few Epiphone spruce tops made in Kalamazoo. It must have been a Gibson employee's guitar because I got it used at a relatively low price. While it was beautiful, sounded good enough acoustically, and I practiced at least two hours a day, the guitar did not work well at gigs playing blues and rock. I put a removeable post in it to reduce feedback, which helped. But I sold it and wish I hadn't.
The laminated top idea makes sense. It does help tame feedback. Still, it requires thought to set up the stage.
The HR is a beautiful instrument in appearance and sound. It's a harsh mistress, more so than the ES-175, in preventing feedback. But if you follow her rules, all is well.
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Thanks for the post Marty. Yours is the real thing; mine is just a facsimile but I'm still glad to have it. They're so unique.
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You're referring to this guitar?
Japanese MANN Howard Roberts guitar (Ibanez 2453 ?)
I had no idea that so many different Japanese branded copies were made of it.
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Yes. That's my 'facsimilie'. Apparently this same guitar was sold around the world with a number of different names on the headstock. Originally Posted by Mick-7
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Hello,
I’m back with an update on mine. I was looking around for a good archtop luthier to do a refret, nut, and redo the circuit.
As happens I ran across Ted Ludwig’s interview with Bob Scoby, his shop at Martin Music in Memphis. I contacted him and he was open to the job but he does not deal with shipping, you must bring it and pick it up. For me about six hours each way.
I dropped it off in July and picked it up last week.
The results far exceeded my expectations. The new circuit opened up the voice of the instrument. Best fret job I’ve ever seen and I’ve seen some good ones.
The Benedetto bridge is better sounding to me than the TOM styles. (Edit: back to the original base with a Gibson wooden top)
I’m running Dogal flats and I am sticking with them for a bit. (Newtone Electric Jazz roundcore, wound G, better for old hands)
After an Epi Joe Pass Emperor III and a couple of Eastmans (all fine) my archtop quest is over.Last edited by Aiq; 02-26-2026 at 12:05 PM.
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Aiq,
What did he do to the tone circuit ?
Guitar looks great.
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va3ux,
He replaced the original pots with CTS 500K (originals cheap 70s 250ks), replaced the pickup lead. The controls now work as intended, master volume, treble cut, bass cut.
Just as on the outside metal there was damage inside to the metal parts from the pickguard gas-off.
The choke on the original Epis and Gibsons is unobtanium but he approximated the bass cut.
He has worked on the original Epi Howards and has handled a couple of the Gibsons. He rated the lawsuit build as comparable to the sixties Epis and not far from the Gibson.
I love it.
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Hi all,
I'm wondering if anyone here has pictures or schematics of the push pull/secondary tone control as mine is not functioning and I'd love to see if I'm missing anything from the back of the pot etc.
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The original circuit had no push/pull, I believe. As I understand the original values for the second tone control are now unobtainable.
On mine Bob set it up as volume/treble cut/bass cut.
This article from a while back shows an attempt to replicate the original second tone control.
Early 70's Howard Roberts :: one pickup, two tones — Chubbuck Guitars :: making & repairing Guitars in a old building just north of Boston, Mass.
One of the pictures in the article has a schematic.Last edited by Aiq; 12-10-2024 at 12:47 PM.
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I have the exact same one and am trying to find out how much it is worth, if anyone could help I would be very grateful,thx
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The lawsuit versions go from $1200-2000, Epiphones $2000-3000, Gibsons $3000-4000 varying with condition. Originally Posted by Litnin77
Subject to change but searches show a good cross section of models and prices.
I just put ‘howard roberts’ in the Reverb app search, many listed with some of the prices inching up from what I listed.
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A beautiful Ibanez Howard Roberts is for sale in Italy:
IBANEZ HOWARD ROBERTS ARCHTOP - #8353426 - su Mercatino Musicale in Chitarre Semiacustiche
Notice the "flower pot" and the old Ibanez logo on the headstock.
Great looking top and back flamed wood.
I've never tried a guitar like the Gibson/Ibanez Howard Roberts, and I'm wondering if it's smaller than the ES-175 and if it has the same sound.
To be more honest, I'll say that I really like the sound of a good vintage ES-175...even more than a guitar with a solid carved top.
But unfortunately, the Gibson ES-175 is too big for me, and after about 20 minutes, I struggle to play it.
Thanks.
ettore
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