TalismanRich

If money were no object, I would get the CC but probably with something closer to the standard carve neck. My fingers aren't that long, and fat necks aren't necessarily the best thing. I'm sure I could talk Pete into carving one that fit me... for the right price. And it's not just the size, it's the shape. V necks aren't good for me. Wide and flat isn't good. I like the edges to have some roll to them. A sharp edge on the fingerboard turns me right off.

When the CC 150 came out, the top carve was said to be different. That was done along with 4.5 degree angle to lower the bridge and tailpiece and give low action. That was under Edwin Wilson's direction. He also mentioned that they employed a larger truss rod to make a more stable neck. I don't know if any of the specs for the Core line have migrated the standard line. It's a question that I don't think anyone has asked. That would be a good thing to ask Pete Farmer at PSP next year. I suspect that a 1 degree difference in the neck angle would be pretty hard to detect simply by feel. I don't see a difference in the horn itself. If you take the two photos from the web page and overlay them, the shape is identical. They use the shorter horn based on their agreement with Gibson from years ago. Andertons did a comparison of various LP Jr style guitars including an H137. You could distinctly see the different horn vs the Gibson, Epiphone, PJD guitars.

It wouldn't matter if guitars came with vintage 59 PAFs, SOMEBODY would pull them and put a different set in, and then sell the original pickups. There was a time when the HRW pickups were special, and were considered an upgrade. Then people pulled them out of the guitars and they started showing up for sale at $3-400 a set. It's important that you can't just order a set the way you do a pair of Seth Lovers, or 36 Anniv PAFs. It's like they're made of unobtanium! 😁

The wood for the two are "different", at least for the 150s. Custom Core use selected light weight mahogany pieces. The Standard line use the heavier pieces, but now do weight relief. Some people will claim that doing weight relief does bad things, but that hasn't been my experience. The Millenniums are similar in shape and spec as the 150s, but are hollowed out. My Mille LE is as good as my 157 with a heavy dense chunk of wood. Same bridge and tailpiece, same strings. Not necessarily sounding exactly the same with different pickups, but if I crank up the distortion, who can tell what the guitar sounds like. It's like trying to judge the better tasting piece of steak after you douse it in salt, pepper, and cover it in a bottle of A1 sauce! Some people will claim that the denser wood is better, others will say that lighter wood is more resonant. Whatever... If you believe it, it's true! It's on the internet so its a fact. Oh yeah, the earth is really flat. I read that on the internet too! When you're talking about the 535 and 530, it's a laminate anyway. There should be minimal difference, except for the figuring of the top laminate. I don't know how much of a premium that should command. I don't know the differences in the bridge/tailpiece. There's a difference in neck profile, but that shouldn't be a cost difference. I don't know if they choose different grades of wood. Do they use the better quartersawn for the CC neck? The best quartersawn wood should be more stable due to the orientation of the grain. As the grain goes more towards flatsawn, it can flex more. Pete did say that the finish isn't the same between the two series. The final polishing of the CC line is slightly duller than the Standard lines. It should feel a bit slicker, since the smoother something is, the more you can have some "stiction". It sounds counter intuitive, we had a similar situation in the printing industry. A chrome surface that was too smooth would literally destroy itself in a few hours. If it was above a certain roughness, it would last weeks. I know some people like the fake aging, but for me, if I had a choice between a pristine Standard II and an aged CC at the same price, I would take the Std II. Fake finish checking and fake corrosion isn't for me. I like the inlay work on the CC line. For me, the block inlays on the 535, 555 and 530 CC guitars are a definite advantage. Dots are ok, and I live with them on my guitars, but I bought the 157 for the blocks, extra binding and gold hardware. For a while, I was watching for a red 555, just to get the same vs my 535. Since they are making the pickups, I don't know what premium one would have over the other. Whether it has 5000 turns, or 4750 turns, Alnico II vs III vs V, rough or smooth magnet. I don't know that it makes a tremendous cost difference. It would be a lot less that the difference between nickel and gold plating, especially at the price of gold today! The case of the CC line is definitely nicer than what comes with the standard line. I even mentioned to Mike that the new case that came with my 530 wasn't as nice as my old TKLs that came with my 157, 535, or 140. It's OK, functional, but it binds a bit when I close it. It's not lined up as well. Once snapped down, it's fine. Something I think should be on the CC line would be stainless steel frets. I don't know how much of an issue that would cause with the Plek, but you're already paying a hefty premium. That is an upgrade that I think would be very worthwhile, especially for a guitar that gets a lot of use.

Yes, the Prospect is a semi. It's a bit like a smaller version of the 535, much narrower at the waist. It came out in 1991, along with the Academy which is a single cutaway.

Hey, look who popped on! Glad to see you're still around.

Welcome back JP. A year ago, I snagged a 530 after checking one out at the factory during PSP. Mine is the original Standard, with the Lollar P90s, not the newer Std II with the new Heritage pickups but it's still every bit a great guitar! It's since edged out my 535 for "most playing time". I can play without an amp, and plug in when I need to. Yeah, prices bumped up, but the standard lines are still good values for a quality US build. Plus they come Plek'd so we hear very few comments about poorly cut nuts or fret issues. The factory is stressing consistently high quality control.

As I remember, there was a core of mahogany or maple which formed the chambered body, with carved maple top and back. It wasn't just a center block. It was wider and forms the rim but much thicker than you get with semi like the 535. It would be more like the chambered LP above. There was the 158, 155 and DC versions, plus the LE series. 155s have an access panel to the pots. The 158 doens't. The 155 is the most common.

There's nothing like 1/4"+ action to build the strength in those 12 yr old fingers! (hey what's that adjustment thing at the base of the neck???? Could it have been a truss rod But look at all them PICKUPS! And it was a better guitar than the first one, made from the finest pressed paper tonewood. (masonite) I think I would take an Ascent H137 instead!

MG, you're entirely correct. The Asian built guitars aren't targeting the guy who has 2 dozen guitars, 6 drum kits, 8 amplifiers and is playing in bars. Imagine you're 35, got 2 kids, a mortgage and a car payment. Your 12 yr old wants to learn to play guitar. For $270 you can get an Ascent H150 new or spend $2600 on a US H150. What are you going to choose? Or you could get a Jackson Dinky, Epiphone SG, Ibanez Gio, Squire, Yamaha Pacifica. All in the $2-300 range. Now 4 years later, the kid has actually taken to playing, even started playing with his friends. Wants a new guitar. Mexican Strat? Fancy Epiphone or Ascent+ for $6-800. Or hunt for a used Epi or Mexican Tele? There's a market for the mid and low tier stuff. In my day, it was a SIlvertone Dano, then a Guyatone built Kent, then a used Fender Jaguar. What it wasn't was a $400 ES335! $400 in 1965 was a lot more than $400 today. There's a lot more options now, and Heritage is just looking to fill that hole.

You have admire the guys who can pull this off, one just about nailing Terry's solo note for note, the other getting the "spirit" but not following the script exactly.

I lean both ways... there are times where it's "play what you feel" and there are times where it's "play what they played". Depends on the song, and rarely do I have the skill to match the original, it's going to be an approximation! I don't worry about getting the exact tone or effect, but I want the notes.. the "tune" to be pretty close. It's like when Carlos and Tomita started interpreting classics. Tomita's Snowflakes are Dancing sounds nothing like any other versions, but the tune is definitely recognizable. If you start changing the notes, playing something totally different, it's NOT Snowflakes! When the Vanilla Fudge revamped multiple songs, they kept the tune. Season of the Witch, Shotgun, You Keep Me Hangin' On. It was reinterpretation, and it works. But watching Jeff Beck do Les Paul licks on How High The Moon sounds so true to Les' vision that it's a joy to hear! There's room for both situations.

I must say, that's one fine looking Millennium and a fine looking amp as well in that discussion..... Fine! 😁

If I want to change channels, I have to unplug from the first and plug into the second. No rack, no midi. Just a pedal board and a chord to the amp. I found the RP355 to be confusing... having a rack system would scamble my brain!

It's all personal preference and even that changes over time. I used a TS9 for many years until I played Pete's Boss Blues Driver. The TS9 was replaced. I like the balance of the Blues Driver vs the mid bump of the Tubescreamer. I've got a V2 Route 66 and a Soul Food that are sitting on the shelf.

Excellent choice, Mugsy. The red semi hollow is like the very definition of Rock and Roll.

Did you forget the Katie's Psycho Popsicle H-150?

I've got a Digitech RP355 that I picked up years ago. I thought it would be nice to simplify things and just have one pedal. I played with it for a month or two, and it went over to the corner. Occasionally I'll give it another shot, and I soon get frustrated and move on. The old PodXT was better. As much of a pain as it is to transport it, I still like my individual pedals.

The serial numbering system had changed in recent years. Standard Collection: 1 (identifier) YY (year) XXXX (numerical ID) Custom Shop: HC1 (identifier) YY (year) XXXX (numerical ID) For example, a serial number of 1219876 or HC1214567 would mean that your guitar was built in 2021. The old scheme used letters to designate the year and day of manufacture. HANDWRITTEN SERIAL NUMBERS These Heritage guitars have a serial number that begins with a letter (e.g. D12345). Numbers following the letter is the # of day to Dec 31. Jan 1 would be 365, Dec 1 would be 030. The system was discontinued. Letter on Serial #: B Year Built: 1985 D - 1987 AA - 2010 AP - 2025 So a Serial # of Q23501 should be the Tue, May 9, 2000, 130th day of 2000, and the first number assigned that day. I don't know if Leap Years messed up the numbering system. It might have been Mon, May 8 since there were 366 days in year 2000

Favorite, that's a tough one. I would have to narrow it down to two, the 535 and the Millennium 2000. If I had to pick just one, it would probably be the 535. The red semihollow was my first "guitar lust". When I was taking lessons at Dee Wells as an 11 yr old, I would see that red 335 (or 345, or 355.. I didn't know the difference) in the display case, and I wanted one! It was the second Heritage that I bought, found it used on Ebay years ago. I still love that style of guitar 60 years later. I've had lots of different guitars, but I still favor them!

No, it's laminate Semi Hollow.

That spray booth might have been a blast from the past, but as someone who dealt with safety in a hazardous business, it was a bit on the scary side. I know what nitrocellulose dust can do with the smallest of sparks! (as in BOOM!) Thankfully it didn't turn into a blast, although they did have a fire when they began dismantling that area of the building. I was really glad to see their new spray booth that first year they moved. Much improved dust and solvent fume controls are a good thing. The new dust collector is a great thing as well. Dust explosions can be nasty, and that includes wood dust!

You are really out of touch with today's Heritage Guitars. This isn't 4 old Gibson employees anymore. Two are still alive, two have already passed. Does anyone expect that guys who started working in the late 50s should be building guitars today? These guys are in their 80s. Today, it's a different company. First point about giving them an F for not innovating.... Poppycock. By Jim Deurloo's own admission at PSP last month, when they opened they were making just about anything anyone thought of. Look back at catalogs from 1989 or 1993. Stat, Little One, H-110, SAE and SAE custom, HB1, HB2 and HB IV bass, H-140, Mandolins, banjos, Academy, Prospect, Mark Slaughter, H-574, H-480 acoustic, Parsons Street III and V, Millennium. They tried making unique guitars... they didn't sell. Guitarists wanted the traditional models, 150 and 535 are the bread and butter. The various jazz boxes were well received. I suspect Heritage sells more hollow bodies guitars today than Gibson, who don't even list a traditional jazz box in their current lineup. It's the same reason Fender sells a dozen Strats and a dozen Teles for every Jazzmaster or Jaguar. How many Coronados do you see them sell today? Gibson sells Les Paul, SG and 3xx variants by the truckload. How many Covus, Marauder, Victory or RDs do they sell? They're in the catalog. I don't see many on the Guitar Center wall. As for not having endorsed artists and heavy advertising, that costs money. They simply didn't have the budget to put full page ads in every guitar magazine every month. Perhaps if they had been charging exorbitant prices, they could have bought more ads, but they also might have sold fewer guitars. Gibson, Ibanez, Fender, probably spend more on their annual advertising budget that Heritage made in a year! As for nobody knowing Kenny Burrell, Mimi Fox, or Henry Johnson, you must be looking from a rock perspective. They are well known in the jazz world. Gary Moore had a signature, Alvin Lee did as well. David Paul had the blue jazz box. I've seen Buddy Whittington playing a stock H-140. Alex Skolnick? Having name on the guitar doesn't automatically mean that fans flock to buy them, especially when you have limited production capacity. How many variants of the Stratocaster do you need? Clapton, Beck, Eric Johnson, Jimi Hendrix, Yngwie Malmsteen, Jimmy Vaughn, Stevie Ray, Robert Cray, Cory Wong, Rory Gallagher. That's just part of the artist models. The same goes for Les Paul variants. Reinvent the wheel.. .over and over and over again. Finally, I think you are looking at past history. Today, you can find Heritage guitars at Wolfe, Daves, Eddies, Sweetwater, Chicago Music Exc, Cream City, Jimmy Wallace. That's just the bigger US dealers selling US made guitars. They have an import line, akin to Epiphone, Fender Mexico, Squire or PRS SE. It's not to everyone's liking, but its brand building. And having played samples of the Ascent+ guitars, they actually played quite well. I would have no problem walking on a stage with an Ascent+ 150 or 137. Heritage is doing just fine. They are shipping out guitars by the dozen, not 2 or 3 a week. It's a different company.

Yeah, it's the horn that's going to make or break a guitar. You simply can't play a guitar if the horn doesn't have the exact dimensions of that someone drew up 70 years ago and endorsed by a Youtube personality. Sorry, I don't get your point other than trying to start a pissing match. Oh yeah, that horn of which you speak has changed numerous times over the years at that "other company". Personally, I think it's the silly poker chip that is holding back the Les Paul player from being successful. Seriously, if the stupid guitar player has to stop, look down at the front of his guitar and decide if he's playing rhythm or "treble", he needs to find another occupation. Speaking of which, how exactly do you play "treble"? Does that mean you can only use the notes on the treble clef?

If you listen to the second video I posted, Pete clearly says that they prefer to use Maple/Basswood/Maple for their laminate, although sometimes they use Poplar for the inner sheet. FWIW, the H-525 is a full hollow body, but uses a laminate top and back. While thicker than the H530 (also hollow and laminate), at 2 1/4" it is thinner than the H-575.