Kuz

Hard to argue with any of the above EXCEPT.... EVERY pair of Schaller tuners that I had with ivoroid buttons (which was default on 150s for a while) eventually striped. I know many others that had the same problem. My G tuner striped in a gig and was unrepairable.

I think most drum apps have surpassed outboard units in both sound and ease of programing.... I still think they are a pain in the ass, but sometimes a necessary evil.

1) I like the feel and generally the look of the "aging" on CCs. But the headstock aging is a little too much for sure. 2) The tuners do suck. I replaced them with drop in Gotohs and it is a HUGE improvement. 3) The pickups sound OK, but I like A2s so I dropped in a used set of Throbak SLE-101s. I called Heritage to see if they would sell me a set of unpotted Parson Street pickups, but they said no because they were all currently potted.

This is probable very accurate. Edwin Wilson was the head of Gibson's custom shop before moving over to be in charge of Heritage's Custom shop. The Custom Core is more historically accurate, but I don't if anyone could notice on a "blind-fold playing test". For me, the main reason I bought a Custom Core 150 was because of the HUGE improvement in lighter woods used (without "weight relieving" the body) my CC came in at 8'4oz and I also wanted the "feel" of an old guitar so I got the "aged version". I have owned 4 other 150s through out the years and they all sounded very good. I think there is a "dry and punchy" sound from my Custom Core (that I think is due to the lighter wood and aged nitro finish) that the other 150s didn't have. But even if only for a lighter CC guitar weight, the extra cost was worth it for me. My other 150s ranged from 9'2oz to almost 9'12oz which are just to heavy for me.

Th original 575s were made from a solid carved maple top, along with solid maple back and sides.

This...period.

Just because Yoslate made his Core look bigger.... take that!

Custom Core 150

Awesome, now rock on!

They are A3 magnets so LOW output, brighter, clear, very tight low end, not a lot of harmonics, almost brittle until overdriven to get the harmonic distortion. I think if Heritage would have used A2s in the bridge, it would have been a very nice combo of clarity A3s neck pup and the push & mids of an A2 bridge pup. Since they both have A3 (just like the Gibson Custom Shop CustomBuckers), I found myself wanting just a "little more of everything" so I put a pair of Throbak SLE-101s (A2s in Neck & Bridge) in my Custom Core and BOOM... I got the tone I wanted. I also have a set of the A3 CustomBuckers in '62 335 Custom Shop Reissue and they sound just like the Parson Street pups. So, the A3 CustomBuckers and Parson St pups are popular, they just aren't my cup of tea. I need to get some Throbaks for the 335 and sell both the CB pups and the Parson St pups. YMMV

Those Zinky amps are SUPER cool!! -What year is it? -For some reason I thought Zinky amps were all solid state. But I saw the overdrive switch/channel, are they tube driven? If so, what the tube layout? Congrats, super nice find!

The guitar he bought says, "Built by apprentice of Tom Bartlett (Bartlett Guitars)". So is it a Bartlett guitar or made by someone who used to work there and it is not a Bartlett guitar. It is gorgeous, whoever made it.

I have heard Greg Koch say many times that the Fender relic'd guitars sound better due to the wear & checking of the finish that allows for more vibration than a NOS guitar with no checking or aging. ( I have also heard Tim Peirce, Jason Isbell, Joe Bonamassa, and other players echo the same sentiment). I am paraphrasing, but they believe the finish is thinner on aged/checked guitars and believe the aged/relic'd guitars are more open and vibrate more. I do believe there are incredible and amazing non-reliec'd guitars. My experience has been comparing 10 or so Cust Shop Strats & Teles (aged vs non-aged) the aged ones sound more open, louder, and resonate. I am not trying to convince anyone, this has just been my experience.

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. ***