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H150CM first impressions


DC Ron

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:P

 

width=600 height=450http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/ss285/DCRon/IMG_2534.jpg[/img]

 

Well, she's pretty stunning.  Very insane flame, almost zero playing wear.  Pulled the cover plate and it reads "H150" but the "CM" is implied, right?  Never had Sperzels, they are silky.  Hardware looks like a combination of chrome (pickups) and nickel (everything else) but maybe that's just age on the chrome.  Straplocks are gold but the originals are in the case.  Warranty is signed by Jay.  Have a question for the group on the bridge/tailpiece setup...

 

<width=600 height=450http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/ss285/DCRon/IMG_2537.jpg[/img]

 

Looks like the taipiece is cranked all the way down and the bridge is reversed.  Haven't seen this before but maybe I don't get out enough.  Imagine it's supposed to increase sustain.  Any opinions?  My instinct is to make things more normal, as the string angle look pretty severe.  But maybe that's the point.

 

I'll clean her up, change the strings, adjust the action and report back again soon.  First impressions are great...

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I would lift the tail piece. The bass string looks as though its sitting on the back of the bridge.

Great looking guitar.

 

that is why i like the schaller hardware...you never have to worry about the strings touching the bridge

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That looks like the Nashville-style bridge, not the vintage ABR-1 style.  On the Nashville, the adjustments screws are on the "south side" (pointing toward the tailpiece), while on the ABR-1 they are on the north (Kalamazoo) side (pointing toward the neck).  So you might consider flipping that bridge around so the screws are on the tailpiece side.  You likely won't have to worry much about whether the saddles have been reversed, since there's a lot of travel on those slots.

 

My preference is for none of the strings to touch the bridge behind the saddles, so I raise the tailpiece until they are all just barely clear.  Some people top-wrap the tailpiece to get this extra height and clearance.  Many claim this improves the sound as well, but I think most of the difference has to do with the changed angle of the strings over the saddles.

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Well, got her broken down.  Verified the pickups are Schallers, as is the tailpiece.  The bridge is marked "Gotoh Japan" and is definitely nickel.  Have removed the gold straplocks.  Headstock is not fiber, appears painted.  The headstock logo is painted silver (not inlay) as well.  Fingerboard inlays are incredibly tight, rosewood fingerboard is nicely figured.  Couple of file marks on the fingerboard, may have been post factory.  Definitely one of the nicer tops and overall quality is quite nice.  Trying to get her back together, don't know if I will tonight...

 

width=600 height=450http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/ss285/DCRon/IMG_2538.jpg[/img]

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Nope, this is my 3rd Heritage but my first 150, and my first LP style guitar in about...15 years.  So I'm learning.  Not a bad guitar to re-learn on, though.  :)  Ok, she's back together, have restrung, tightened the truss rod (I like just a LITTLE relief) and tuned her up...very sweet.  The figure also really pops out now with just Fender Mist & Wipe.  Also, if you haven't found a Hercules stand, GET ONE.  By far the most stable and useful stand I've found and worth the $40 to secure your investment.  Anyway....have work in the AM or could play with this all night.  More tomorrow....

 

width=600 height=450http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/ss285/DCRon/IMG_2539.jpg[/img]

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...... tightened the truss rod (I like just a LITTLE relief)

 

Also, if you haven't found a Hercules stand, GET ONE.

 

Now I am cornfussed.  I like to have a bit of relief as well but my local repair guy loosened the truss rod a bit to give me the relief.  (The middle frets are lower than the upper and lower frets.)  I do play with a high action.

 

I have to second you on the Hercules stands.  I have 3 mini stands by them and I love their compact size and the steady grip they have on my guitars. 

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Now I am cornfussed.  I like to have a bit of relief as well but my local repair guy loosened the truss rod a bit to give me the relief.  (The middle frets are lower than the upper and lower frets.)  I do play with a high action.

 

I have to second you on the Hercules stands.  I have 3 mini stands by them and I love their compact size and the steady grip they have on my guitars. 

 

Should have explained that there was too much relief for me until I tightened the truss rod.

Don't have the mini stand but will definitely try one out based on my experience with the big one.

Thx!

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Just make sure your stands are Nitro compatible. The only Hercules stand I have is a 3-banger. Not sure if that ones is Nitro-safe or not. But figure it's always worth mentioning the nitro issue, even if you already know about it.

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Just make sure your stands are Nitro compatible. The only Hercules stand I have is a 3-banger. Not sure if that ones is Nitro-safe or not. But figure it's always worth mentioning the nitro issue, even if you already know about it.

 

Hercules are Nitro safe. I have a 3 and a 2 banger. Great stands very secure!

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Ok, she's back together, have restrung, tightened the truss rod (I like just a LITTLE relief) and tuned her up...very sweet.

width=600 height=450http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/ss285/DCRon/IMG_2539.jpg[/img]

 

Strange bridge setup you had there.  When you turned the bridge around, did you reverse the saddles ?

I've found that it's not an easy matter to do on account of the springs in a T-O-M bridge unless there's

some trick I haven't yet figured out.  If the saddle notches were not in the center of each saddle you

should also reorder them properly so the strings line up properly with the pickups and neck.

 

You said that the bridge was Gotoh and the tailpiece was Schaller ?  I would have thought that it would

be the other way around.  My tailpiece was a Gotoh and the bridge was a noname but now a Schaller.

 

I agree with the others that you should lift the tailpiece until the strings no longer rest on the rear side of

the bridge, which should also prevent the strings from touching the perimeter of the hole in the tailpiece,

both possible sources of buzzing.

 

With the tailpiece raised you might want to consider spacers to tighten things up as were discussed

in this thread :

 

          http://www.heritageownersclub.com/forums/i...pic,2229.0.html

 

Really nice guitar you have there.

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Strange bridge setup you had there.  When you turned the bridge around, did you reverse the saddles ?

I've found that it's not an easy matter to do on account of the springs in a T-O-M bridge unless there's

some trick I haven't yet figured out.  If the saddle notches were not in the center of each saddle you

should also reorder them properly so the strings line up properly with the pickups and neck.

 

You said that the bridge was Gotoh and the tailpiece was Schaller ?  I would have thought that it would

be the other way around.  My tailpiece was a Gotoh and the bridge was a noname but now a Schaller.

 

I agree with the others that you should lift the tailpiece until the strings no longer rest on the rear side of

the bridge, which should also prevent the strings from touching the perimeter of the hole in the tailpiece,

both possible sources of buzzing.

 

With the tailpiece raised you might want to consider spacers to tighten things up as were discussed

in this thread :

 

          http://www.heritageownersclub.com/forums/i...pic,2229.0.html

 

Really nice guitar you have there.

 

Yikes, just flipped the tailpiece around without thinking before stringing it up.  Doesn't work too well because the saddles are notched per string diameter.  Oh well.  Yep, I've got the Schaller vs Gottoh reported right although I'm guessing might be aftermarket.  Will check out the tip on spacers...THANKS!

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DC... what year is your R.Rocket? I have one from '63 but it's all beat up, they are great amps.

Reverberocket II is a '69, all original including tubes.  Got it from Jay at a show in about '91.  Doesn't overdrive with ease but has lots of headroom (for me) and the world's lushest reverb.

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Yikes, just flipped the tailpiece around without thinking before stringing it up.  Doesn't work too well because the saddles are notched per string diameter.  Oh well.  Yep, I've got the Schaller vs Gottoh reported right although I'm guessing might be aftermarket.  Will check out the tip on spacers...THANKS!

 

I may have misunderstood but I think you are using the terms 'tailpiece' and 'bridge' reversed,

which is adding some confusion to this discussion  :)  The tailpiece is the thing the strings

are threaded through and anchors them and the bridge is what holds the saddles.  In which

case your tailpiece would indeed be a Gotoh and your bridge a Schaller.

 

You're right about the notches in the saddles being cut for string diameter, didn't think of that.

 

Looks like JC may have a point when he says :

 

    "That looks like the Nashville-style bridge, not the vintage ABR-1 style"

 

in which case there'd be no reason to turn it around.  Does Schaller make a Nashville bridge ?

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I may have misunderstood but I think you are using the terms 'tailpiece' and 'bridge' reversed,

which is adding some confusion to this discussion  :)   The tailpiece is the thing the strings

are threaded through and anchors them and the bridge is what holds the saddles.  In which

case your tailpiece would indeed be a Gotoh and your bridge a Schaller.

 

You're right about the notches in the saddles being cut for string diameter, didn't think of that.

 

Looks like JC may have a point when he says :

 

    "That looks like the Nashville-style bridge, not the vintage ABR-1 style"

 

in which case there'd be no reason to turn it around.  Does Schaller make a Nashville bridge ?

Wouldn't be the first time I've been confused, but...think I had it right the first time.  :) The "tailpiece" is the stopbar that the string terminate in.  It is marked "Made in Germany" on the bottom so I assumed Schaller.  The "bridge" is the piece with adjustable saddles and is marked "Gotoh Japan" on the bottom.  I'd show pictures but I have things back together again for the second time in two days so I'm just going to play her for a while!  8) Think you are correct that the bridge was installed correctly when I first got it, which is how it's installed now.  Will look at upgrade options shortly as well, so the education will continue.  Appreciate the assist!

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