Ibanez 2453 Howard Roberts Brown Sunburst c.1975 Hollow Body Electric Guitar

This is an Ibanez 2453 in Brown Sunburst finish. Made in Japan, this guitar was part of a short lived run from ‘75-‘77, with the Brown Sunburst finish only being available until ‘76.

Based closely on the Epiphone and Gibson Howard Roberts signature models, this guitar features a set-neck construction comprising an Arched Curly Maple top, Select Maple back and sides, 22 fret Ebonized Rosewood fingerboard and matching bridge. Gold hardware is fitted including a T-Bar trapeze tailpiece and sealed tuning machines. A single Ibanez Super 70 humbucking pickup is installed, and is wired to a master volume control, along with a mid range and treble roll off controls.

The Maple neck plays very well, with the neck feeling rather narrow in the hand thanks to the slim nut width of 1.576”. This offers easy reach across the register for tricky chord voicings and jazzy lead lines. The profile to the rear of the neck might be described as a moderately-sized soft ‘V’ shape, well suited to a wide range of playing styles and techniques. The generous Florentine cutaway improves access to the upper register, really opening up the full range of the instrument.

The hollow body construction of the instrument provides a nicely open and airy tone which is dynamically responsive to the player’s touch. The single Ibanez Super 70 humbucking pickup captures this well, delivering a thick, round tone which is well suited to smooth and dark jazz lead lines. The on-board controls for master volume, mid range and treble roll off assist with dialling the perfect sound for any situation as well as managing feedback. A visually striking instrument with a unique playing experience and a genuine vintage vibe.

Luthier Report

Our ID: 1200526210210

Weight: 6.6lbs

Serial: N/A

Aesthetic Condition:

Headstock: Overall very good condition. The top edge demonstrates mild indentation, lightly chipping the clear coat. At the bass side of the truss rod cover mild scratching can be seen. All aspects of the headstock demonstrate light scratching which can be seen under direct light, as is common with high gloss finishes.

Neck: Overall very good condition. The rear of the neck shows very light indentations throughout the register which cannot be felt under the thumb. Moderate scratching of the fingerboard can be seen alongside some frets, more notably in the upper register. These markings do not impact playability.

Body: Overall very good condition. The binding to the tip of the cutaway has shrunk and cracked through ageing. Finish cracking is apparent at the neck joint, not affecting the structure of the instrument. All aspects of the body demonstrate light indentation and scratching, visible only under direct lighting at certain angles.

Condition of Frets:

The frets show notable signs of use, not affecting playability. Flattening of the frets is noticeable through the entire register. There is only a very small amount of material remaining for any fret work the new owner may wish to perform. Some fret ends appear to be lifting but are firm in place and do not affect playability.

Current Set Up:

Truss Rod: Fully functional. Truss rod tool (4mm hex) not included.

Hardware: fully functional with moderate signs of wear. The tuning machines demonstrate stiffness and a little play, however function correctly. One of the bridge thumbwheels has been replaced, functioning correctly.

Structural: No concerns or issues to note.

Height of the string from the 12th Fret-1.5mm - Bass 2mm

Please be aware that the action on a guitar may move slightly in transit and this measurement is the current height.

Strings on Guitar - 10-46

Electrics: Fully functional.

Case & Accessories

TGI Soft case

The case demonstrates light signs of use.