This is the # 1 with the Original Gibson Prototype Dog Bone engraved on the back of the Head Stock. Maybe at the most 4 ( Dog Bones ) were made on the HR Fusion guitars verifying it to be an authentic prototype guitar. HR used this in the photos done by Gibson and placed in Guitar Player Magazine in Jan 1981. The pictures of HR with a Fusion guitar before that were almost ALL a dummy replica of the Fusion guitar. The way you know is if the guitar has 24 frets. That is the dummy or model guitar because the Fusion has only 22 frets. Example is the cover picture of Guitar Player in June of 1979. The guitar is a prop for the advertising. It has 24 frets.

The black and white photo I have came with the guitar. The GP page picture (I bought that). Both pictures are from the SAME photo shoot. I was told by Gibson that HR did play this guitar at seminars and other gigs. It is recognizable in photos because it DOES NOT have a Crown Emblem on the head stock. There a few other Fusion Prototypes that also Do Not have the Crown on the Head Stock. And also this has the TP-6 Stop Tail Piece. With the "Sustain Sisters" studs. HR put the back pick-up in BACKWARDS and that was to get more highs from the pick-up. Also I found HR's signature on the baggage claim/check-in tag on the back of the guitar case.. The guitar is like new and plays great!

The pick-ups have mini-jacks on them so that a fast exchange can be made with other pick-ups.

I found out that the center block in my Fusion Prototype is maple and the ends of the block are spruce, as opposed to the balsa wood that they now use. Bruce Bolen told me that the balsa is lighter in weight. But when the guitar is amplified the maple makes the guitar have a better projection of sound. Also there is NO Gibson label inside the body of the guitar and there are still pencil markings running along both sides of that center block. I can see the metal silver mini-jacks that are on the pick-ups. Bruce told me that maybe Gibson had put those mini-jacks in by request of HR.