Epiphone/Gibson Howard Roberts

[croth]

I am interested in information about the Epiphone-labeled, but Gibson-made Howard Roberts guitars of the 1965-1967 period. There is little information on these wonderful guitars and even Gibson Customer Service can come up with little in the way of factual information.

 

I am particularly interested in if anyone knows why these particular models were produced in two different ways: ie. both versions have the Johnny Smith floating pickup but one version has the volume/tone controls drilled into the body (the more commonly seen method), but another version has the controls mounted on the pickguard (imho, as a solid carved top jazz guitar should). This type seems rarer. Howard Robert's original Epi Cutom had the controls on the pickguard from what I can gather.

 

Anyone know the history behind these choices?

 

I'd include pics but couldn't figure out how. The insert pics button onyl inserts the html commands for img, but doesn not let me install one. Anyone? Thanks.