Why didn't the Howard Roberts guitar design prevail?

[jads57]

Danny W. You are my Hero as far as owning all of the beautiful Gibson Archtops! How are your Johnny A models working out for you?

Also really enjoyed the Life Magazine pics of the Anne Margaret screen test! Very indicative of the era’s styles,almost like a Mad Men photo shoot,lol!

[Hammertone]

I like the HR guitars, both the old Epiphone carved top versions and the later Gibson all-laminated versions. The Japanese copies are as good as the Gibsons, IMO. They are excellent alternatives to Gibson's old L-4C and ES-175 models, and the Japanese versions are quite inexpensive by comparison. I'm selling mine shortly - just too many guitars around here.

[Mick-7]

I like the HR guitars, both the old Epiphone carved top versions and the later Gibson all-laminated versions. The Japanese copies are as good as the Gibsons, IMO. They are excellent alternatives to Gibson's old L-4C and ES-175 models, and the Japanese versions are quite inexpensive by comparison. I'm selling mine shortly - just too many guitars around here.

Nice looking guitar... Never heard of the Mann brand, know anything about it?

[Hammertone]

Nice looking guitar... Never heard of the Mann brand, know anything about it?

Bunch of info here: Mann Guitars

Good summary:
"MANN guitars were distributed only in Canada by Great West Imports who was headquarted in Vancouver. MANN guitars were sold from approximately 1971 to 1985. The first generation (1971-1976) were made in Japan and there was probably enough inventory to last into the late 1970s. The second generation (1980-1985) were made in Korea.

The first generation was closely tied to the Ibanez brand. The early MANN guitars were made in the Fuji-Gen Gakki factory in Japan, the same as Ibanez and many other brands. I am uncertain as to whether Great West Imports contracted directly with the manufacturer or with the distributor, Hoshino Gakki.

These guitars are almost identical to the Ibanez models of the same era. This is the era of the lawsuit guitars or technically, pre-lawsuit, where they are direct copies including the headstock shape and design."

[nyc chaz]

Bunch of info here: Mann Guitars

Good summary:
"MANN guitars were distributed only in Canada by Great West Imports who was headquarted in Vancouver. MANN guitars were sold from approximately 1971 to 1985. The first generation (1971-1976) were made in Japan and there was probably enough inventory to last into the late 1970s. The second generation (1980-1985) were made in Korea.

The first generation was closely tied to the Ibanez brand. The early MANN guitars were made in the Fuji-Gen Gakki factory in Japan, the same as Ibanez and many other brands. I am uncertain as to whether Great West Imports contracted directly with the manufacturer or with the distributor, Hoshino Gakki.

These guitars are almost identical to the Ibanez models of the same era. This is the era of the lawsuit guitars or technically, pre-lawsuit, where they are direct copies including the headstock shape and design."

I played both the Mann and Ibanez Howard Roberts years ago.Soundwise they were the same,the only difference i remember was the Ibanez had a L5 style tailpiece.

[Hammertone]

I played both the Mann and Ibanez Howard Roberts years ago.Soundwise they were the same,the only difference i remember was the Ibanez had a L5 style tailpiece.

The Mann came with the L5-style tailpiece. Mine has a tailpiece installed that closely resembles the style used on the original Epi and Gibson Howard Roberts models.Like these:

Attachment 127384

And mine has a replaced pickguard (the original probably decomposed sometime in the last 50 years).

[Aiq]

Some info about branding related to country of sale.

Mine is branded Speedfire.

Ibanez Collectors World: Other brands made by Ibanez

[Mick-7]

Too many brands in that fire....

Aria HB 2352 Howard Roberts Guitar - Reverb.com

Electra Howard Roberts Sunburst 1970s – Chicago Music Exchange

Greco 1978 Howard Roberts Archtop Guitar Natural – Lyric Loom (For Sale) .... et. al.

Anyone familiar with the last company above, "Lyric Loom"? Their prices look very reasonable... actually, looks shady, no address or phone number on their website!

P.S. - Yes, indeed, Lyric Loom's pics came from here: 1978 Greco Howard Roberts Archtop Guitar Natural | The Music Zoo

[Marty Grass]

I like them, loud acoustic sound and balanced electric tone. The floater keeps it from being boomy. Plays like a Gibson. I haven't played one of the early Epiphones with the solid wood, that would be a interesting comparison

I had an original Gibson-made Epiphone as a teen, probably 15 years old or so. It was a natural with a spruce top. This was mostly wasted on me at the time. It was not useful at my rock gigs. My jazz teacher loved it, and his own guitar was a Gibson Johnny Smith.

I practiced on it hours daily. But in band practice, the feedback was difficult. I put a sound post in it, which made a little difference but not enough.

Where it shined is with low volumes on the amp, with the option of miking the speaker. It is best seen as a hybrid acoustic-electric, meaning you have to figure out how to prevent feedback. At low volumes it sounds great. Plus it draws attention.

There are quite a few Howard Roberts guitars made in Kalamazoo. Mine was the earliest take, and mine was the Artist version, which had a lot of binding and an ebony board. It had an Epiphone brand. It came with heavy strings but played well. And it was a big ass guitar for a young teen.

This recording is what it sounded like, as I recall. The sustain was decent. String volume balance was dead on. It gave me deeper callouses.

https://www.reddit.com/r/jazzguitar/...s_jazz_guitar/

Gigging with the guitar offered a few concerns. Feedback was a big threat. I also did not want to take this instrument to venues out of fear of damage or theft. I ended up selling it and getting a used and worn ES-175, one stamped with BGN on the back of the headstock at Gibson. That worked very well with no worries.