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I like the dark burst. I've told the story before, but when, after five years or so of not gigging while being devoted to grad school and trying to launch a traditional academic career, I ended up as a faculty spouse in an adjunct track --but with a chance to teach guitar and play out again. I sold my Super 400, which I rarely played, to re-equip myself to gig. To ease the pain of no longer having an archtop, I found, at Ithaca Guitar Works, a 550. It was my first Heritage, and actually far more comfortable to play than the 18" 400. And, it gave me an ebony board with split blocks, pretty maple --the things I would have missed about the Gibson. I've never gigged with it much --mostly played semi's and a strat/tele-- and have experimented on the 550 with different set ups -- flats, etc. Have a plan to eventually install a humbucker size CC in the front and a P90 in the back of reverse polarity, so I can get the CC sound with middle-position hum suppression. As you can see, mine came with a truss rod cover marked "custom," and gold hardware including grover Imperial buttons. Pic doesn't show it, but very nice maple; maybe select as part of the custom package. Also came in a very nice Harptone case. Sorry --I've forgotten how to make the pic show up. https://photobucket.com/share/0f1eb105-5a01-460c-b206-40d79042ea3d

@tsp17...Nice playing, Tad. H550's are wonderful archtops. They're very similar in construction to the Gibson Tal Farlow, yet still has its own magic.

Probably my favorite guitar to play live. Of all my H guitars it has the best neck/nut width combination for me. Just feels right in my hands. Sounds great through just about any amp and super versatile. Straight ahead jazz KB tone, getting jazz-rock/funky, it really can do it all. Rarely feeds back even at volume/loud drummer/horns. Looks good too! Anybody else have a crush on your 550? I love my other Heritage and other guitars too, but for playing in a band that does a lot of different things, this one gets the call most often. Indoors, outdoors, even in the studio I’d put it up against just about anything for tone and feel. Link to a recording: https://on.soundcloud.com/6SVD2MkCr2E14HyaEE

I hadn't noticed that on the site. Thanks for the heads up!

I will try that when I have the funds together, thank you!

I know that guitar!

Super duper score! The 16 is a great guitar. Beautiful specimen.

I have both and they're equally good. The standard one is in osb finish with factory Seth Lover pickups and it is an absolute killer instrument. I would just play them first.....with my eyes closed 🫣

If I were in your shoes, looking for a specific neck carve, I'd make the request through one of the larger, high volume dealers (i.e. Dave's Guitar Shop, Wolfe Guitars, etc.). They might be able to order a 'special run' of '59 neck profile' H530's, or see if they have one at the factory. Heritage dealers have much more sway than a single customer seeking something unique. Good luck!

That's something you might want to talk about with Mike at Heritage. They have a process, and it probably depends on how much of an upcharge it would require. Under the CC portion of the website they mention their "bespoke" program. I don't know where you live, but if there is a dealer anywhere close, you should check out the current line. I didn't feel like the necks on the Standard II guitars were toothpicks! The couple I picked up were comfortable. I've felt much thinner necks. The 530 I bought in '25 is the original Standard line, but the neck isn't really any thicker than my 2005 535. I hear all these comments about thin and thick necks, but for me, shape is FAR FAR more important than how thick it is. My 2014 Vintage '54 Strat has a baseball bat for a neck, but it's comfortable. My 74 Guild S100 is much thinner but I've played that for years! I've tried several PRS necks that were thin and were painful to play. I can pick up a guitar and can tell within 10 or 15 seconds if it's right or wrong for me. And if cost were no object, I would just fly up to Kalamazoo on a private jet and visit the factory.... or else drive my Ferrari up there. Unfortunately, someone else won the $700+ million Powerball, so there's no private jet or Ferrari in my future!

That is one beautiful guitar, congratulations and enjoy.

Yeah, I have to say, Throbak has been great to deal with. Expensive, but they are the real deal. I put a used set of DT-102 MXV humbuckers in my Gibson R0. They had been special ordered like 20 years ago, by a well-known guitar tech with an unusual selection of magnets. I contacted Throbak and decided to purchase the normally specified magnets. They weren't cheap, but I can attest to the fact that their magnets are indeed, the real deal. Super happy with how they treated me in the process. I'd definitely do business with them again. I've heard/played their 63 Strat set and without even knowing what they were, I was floored by how good they sounded too.

Beautiful, congrats!

Can an average Joe like myself get a thicker neck carve on a standard H-530 for an upcharge or is that just for those on the inner circle? I would love to have that option.

Thanks all. I’m excited about it. It has to go from Florida to California now so ….tick-tock. Hopefully by Saturday I’ll be able to report on its safe arrival.

That's a beauty.

I could get seasick looking at all the waves in that maple! Beautiful guitar, congrats!

Beautiful!

Fab 16

@tsp17...Wow, congratulations on that gorgeous 'sweetie'!! Play it in good health, my friend.

For the record I did not pay that reverb asking price in the screenshot photo. Did not mean to display that in the post. Admin - can you delete it? Bought directly from Wolfe with some negotiation to get to a number I could afford and was also fair to them. always good to work with the team at Wolfe. But…it was still a good chunk of change so something now needs to be sold….stay tuned.

I've been drooling over that one for a while. Congratulations!

Dazzling. Congratulations!

2001 Sweet 16 photos courtesy of Wolfe Guitars