Epiphone "Howard Roberts" HR-1 - Year?

[zackdadams]

I'm looking for some information on an Archtop guitar I recently got. So far i've found out it's a "Howard Roberts" model. I've consulted Gibsons serial number chart, but I can't find anything definate. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

Model: HR-1

Serial: E920016

 

Made in Japan

 

 

 

 

[Bender 4 Life]

Zack, run this topic and post in the Epi Electrics forum, several of the guys there

are very familiar with the Factory and ser. # codes, and should be able to answer your question.

 

BTW, do you have brothers named Zane, and Zade?

[Jan Ward]

I believe this is a Japanese model from 1992...they were made for a very short period before discontinuing and moving to the Samick factory in Korea...put a Kent Armstrong on it and wail...

[Larens]

I believe this is a Japanese model from 1992...they were made for a very short period before discontinuing and moving to the Samick factory in Korea...put a Kent Armstrong on it and wail...

 

The guitar was part of the "Imperial Series" which was a line of somewhat higher-end guitars made in Japan between 1992 and 1993. The line also included Emperor and J-45 and SJ acoustic models. The line was made at the Fuji-gen gakki factory which until recently made the solid-bodied Elitist models (and why I think the alpha character in that serial number should actually be an "F" and not an "E") When the Japanese Yen gained strength against the USD and Japanese production became cost-prohibited, production was moved (strangely) back to Nashville and Bozeman for a similar limited run of instruments (250 each of Emperors, Sheratons, Rivieras and Texans) which I believe was called the "Centennial Series" in honor of one hundred years of Gibson . In about 1995 a Korean version of the Howard Roberts showed up. This time made in Korea by as you said, Samick and these were around for four or five years but were never huge sellers.

 

The original Howard Roberts Epiphone model was made in Kalamazoo from 1964 until about 1968 and came in the Standard and Custom models though only about fifty two of the Custom models were ever made. The Howard Roberts model reappeared as a Gibson-branded model in 1973 and in 1978 a very ornate version of the guitar appeared, called the "Howard Roberts Artist". The HR Artist was in production for around four years, again in very low production numbers but by the mid 1980s the model disappeared. A Howard Roberts model with "F" holes and full-sized humbuckers called "The Howard Roberts Fusion" came along in 1979 and has been around since then in various incarnations, currently the "Howard Roberts Fusion III".

 

The original Kalamazoo Epiphone Howard Roberts models go from $2500-$4000 depending upon condition with the "Custom" models going for considerably more due to their rarity. The Japanese Imperial Series models go for $600-$800, again depending upon condition and the later Korean-made models can be had for under $500.

 

Larens