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For me, the advantages of the Custom Core over a Standard 150 are: -guaranteed weight of being under 8.5lbs (which I heard from a dealer that Heritage is no longer guarantying the weight, so make sure you ask for a CC weight) Mine is 8.4lbs. (I personally believe and have heard through my own experiences, that lighter guitars are more resonate and alive.) -I also believe and have personally experienced that "aged" guitars sound more open, drier, and resonate to me. I think the checking of the nitro allows the body to vibrate more. -I prefer the "feel" of the aged CC as it feels old and broken in. -I prefer the look of the CC headstock. -I trusted the advice and direction on the CC build of Edwin Wilson, formerly of Gibson Custom Shop. ***PLEASE, these are only my opinions, yours may vary. I have owned 4 standard 150s and currently my CC Aged 150. Was it worth the increase in price for the CC over a standard? For me, yes it was, for the reasons listed above. ***

It would be an easy choice for me. I'm not a fan of aging guitars, unless it's because you played it. Paying to have it be corroded, scratched and cracked isn't my bag.

I was able to check the guitar out in detail. It is in excellent condition. The binding shows some yellowing and the gold shows some age. Electronics are fine. I weighed it at 8 lbs 7 oz. That is about a pound more than my H-530s. Then I noticed it has a full center block, which someone must have custom ordered. The absence of a cutaway, a bit of a fatter neck (not like a '58 LP though, and the center block accounts for the weight difference. This is a 2011 build. Back then Heritage made custom changes on signature guitars, I'm almost sure without the artists' consent.

I'd play them both & pick the one I like better. Too many variables otherwise, no hard & fast rules IMO

I too don’t necessarily subscribe to the notion that lighter guitars sound “better”. But I can say that my neck & shoulder appreciate the fact that mine is 8.6 lbs. I have seen a few of the more recent ones weigh in at a little over 9lbs.

I've heard people say that heavier guitars resonate more, I've heard that lighter guitars resonate more. Clearly there isn't a consensus about that. I'm of the opinion that there's more involved than weight. However, for me lighter guitars are a plus in the "stand and play" department! I was playing my 157 yesterday, and after 30 or so minutes, I had to stop. But it sounded killer while it lasted. 20 years ago, that wasn't a problem. I've got a bunch of guitars and none of them have checking, including a 1947 BR3 lapsteel. Equating checking with the guitar vibrating really doesn't make sense. That's actually the first time I've ever even heard anyone say that. The nitro coating is incredibly thin and it would be next to impossible for it to restrict the wood from carrying vibration. My belly pressing up to the back would dampen far more vibration than any coating. The look of the CC headstock is a nice improvement. The Don Grosh looks really interesting. I've played a couple of Grosh guitars and they were excellent instruments. I don't know that I've ever seen that model. The ones I've seen were Strats and Teles.

Glad it made it! "Carefully!!" Indeed. Looks like it made a trip through bear country with a jar of peanut butter packed inside.

I believe that's Jackie Treehorn's signature

The 2019 era H150 has beautiful MOP inlays the newer 2020 till current has plastic inlays.... it didnt match up to gibson inlay work on the attention to details....

Don Grosh Custom #40

I have a 2011 H150 Goldtop with p90s. I love the guitar and cannot imagine that there is a better guitar for me out there. I have no doubt the CCs are killer and I’ve play a few at a shop about a year and a half ago. They are very nice but they were not tonally better than mine, not worse either but different. I don’t subscribe to lighter is better. I feel that each individual guitar is its own beast and deserves to be played and judged and passed up or bought based on sound, playability and looks and for me it is in that order. My guitar is 9.4 pounds so it isn’t light but it sustains, resonates and has a very natural reverb to it that comes through the amp. My advice is to play the guitars (if you can) and try to decide which one is the best for you without letting the higher end appointment affect your thoughts. If you can have someone else play the guitar acoustically so you can hear them that is a great way to go. I would buy either one as long as it does it all the way I want it too. Either way they will both be excellent guitars as far as construction is concerned.