Lyle 1970s Cherry Burst Lawsuit Era LP "Copy"



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Lyle guitars were a "house brand" of the L.D. Heater Music Company, an instrument distributor based in the Portland, Oregon area . Active primarily in the 1960s and 1970s, Lyle instruments were manufactured in Japan—mostly by the renowned Matsumoku factory—and offered budget-friendly, high-quality alternatives to American guitars.

The Portland, Oregon Connection

The Lyle brand was named after Lyle DeLoss Heater, who ran the L.D. Heater Music Company. As a family-owned import and distribution business, L.D. Heater brought a variety of musical instruments to the American market. Because it was a regional distributor in the Pacific Northwest, Lyle guitars are often found in local markets or vintage shops throughout Oregon and the greater West Coast today.

Manufacturing in Japan

During the 1960s and 70s, L.D. Heater contracted the Matsumoku manufacturing plant in Japan to build Lyle guitars. Matsumoku was a celebrated sub-contractor for several brands at the time, also producing instruments for Aria, Epiphone, and Univox. The factory was highly regarded for its excellent woodworking, which translated into surprisingly playable and durable guitars.

"Lawsuit" Era Ties

Lyle is best known for producing affordable copies of popular American guitars, such as Gibson, Guild, and Fender models. Because of this, they are often wrapped up in the lore of the "Lawsuit" era.

The True Lawsuit: In the 1970s, Norlin Corporation (Gibson's parent company) sued Elger, the American parent company of Ibanez, over the copying of specific designs like the "Open Book" Gibson headstock.
Lyle's Involvement: Lyle guitars were actually not part of that famous lawsuit, though the brand did preemptively alter its body dimensions and designs to avoid direct copyright infringement.

The Lineup and Legacy

The Lyle catalog primarily consisted of entry-to-intermediate level acoustic archtops, dreadnoughts, and solid-body electrics (such as Les Paul, SG, and ES-335 copies). L.D. Heater dissolved in the 1980s, effectively bringing an end to the Lyle brand.

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