Lyle guitars

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Lyle guitars were made in Japan somewhere between 1960 to the late 1970's out of the Matsumoku guitar factory that produced Univox, Arai, and other guitars.

1 History
2 Models
3 L.D. Heater Music Company
4 References

[edit] History

It has been suggested that the Matsumoku Company in Japan was contracted from 1965 to 1972 to make these instruments for Norlin, Gibson's parent company at the time, and that Gibson sent a team of luthiers to Japan to oversee the production. These guitars were distributed out of Beaverton, Oregan USA by the L.D. Heater Music Company.

[edit] Models

Lyle 335 Copy
Lyle 585
Lyle 630L
Lyle 680
Lyle 690-DL
Lyle C-630
Lyle C610
Lyle F-500
Lyle F520
Lyle G-640
Lyle L-2O
Lyle L-5 Copy
Lyle L-15
Lyle LEA40
Lyle Les Paul Copy
Lyle S-726
Lyle SG Copy
Lyle Strat
Lyle W-400
Lyle W-415 Dove
Lyle W-420-12
Lyle W-430
Lyle W-445
Lyle W-460 Hummingbird
Lyle W-470 12-String
Lyle W41
Lyle W-710
Lyle Z-535
Lyle l-260

[edit] L.D. Heater Music Company

The history of Alembic instruments shines some insight into the history of the L.D. Heater Music Company.[1]

"1973 A small music distribution company in Beaverton, Oregon called L. D. Heater Music Company, read the article in Rolling Stone and it interested them enough to take a little trip to San Francisco. They wanted to discuss the possibility of Alembic making a more standardized form of instrument that they could distribute to their dealers. L. D. Heater Music was owned by Norlin Inc. Norlin was based in Illinois and owned Gibson, Ampeg, Epiphone and other music related companies. We negotiated an exclusive distribution agreement for a limited time. They gave me the purchase order I required, and this was the beginning of the manufacturing of a standard high end instrument for Alembic and the entire music industry."