redshark Posted November 15, 2011 Share Posted November 15, 2011 Well, I just picked this guitar on TGP a couple weeks ago and after a few "changes" I'm blown away again by the superior quality of heritage versus "G". The biggest change done to it was pickups and pots. The last owner had Suhr pickups there and I think they sounded great, just not what I like. So I replaced them with Fralin pure PAF which has become my favorite affordable humbucker and I put the Gibson historic spec CTS pots. This ones are great and actually I prefer them over the RS super pots which are good too but I think this ones recreate the performance and feel of the old centralab pot that I think is a very important part of the Gibsons from the late 50's. Of course 50's wiring for the versatilty and smooth feel and I'm just amazed!!! The guitar plays amazing and sounds awesome!! Here she is: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koula901 Posted November 15, 2011 Share Posted November 15, 2011 Gorgeous guitar, redshark! : ) Congratulations! It's interesting to hear your assessment of Suhr and Fralin pups. I've got Fralin noiseless p90s in my h 137 and get a lot of complements on the tone. Enjoy your first Heritage! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redshark Posted November 15, 2011 Author Share Posted November 15, 2011 It's actually my second heritage. My first one was a H535 with Seth Lovers that I had to sell because I never bonded with the neck. It felt wider, sorta like a D profile and I had to sadly let her go. Going back to this guitar, the pickups make it really versatile. I also like the woody feel of the chambered body. This does jazz to blues to classic rock really well. One more pic: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffB Posted November 15, 2011 Share Posted November 15, 2011 Thats a nice looking H150. About how heavy is a Light weight H150? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gitfiddler Posted November 15, 2011 Share Posted November 15, 2011 Great looking 150! I like what you've done with the electronics too. Welcome to the HOC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsp17 Posted November 15, 2011 Share Posted November 15, 2011 congratulations. i love my 150LW too. wonderful and versatile guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redshark Posted November 15, 2011 Author Share Posted November 15, 2011 Thats a nice looking H150. About how heavy is a Light weight H150? I think is like 7.5 versus 9-10 of a solidbody, Not a big diference but it feedbacks easier than my old Les Paul classic and for some reason the Fralin pure PAF's sound better in this guitar than it did on the classic. Maybe is the pots, maybe the woodiness of the chambered, maybe diferent winding on this pickup set compared to the other, who knows...it could be diferent things... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
valriver40 Posted November 15, 2011 Share Posted November 15, 2011 congrarts on your buy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tulk1 Posted November 15, 2011 Share Posted November 15, 2011 Nice!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H Posted November 15, 2011 Share Posted November 15, 2011 Mmmmmm, nice Welcome to the HOC! What finish is that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redshark Posted November 15, 2011 Author Share Posted November 15, 2011 It says inside the control cavity almondburst, but i don't think is correct. I had a H535 that was almondburst and this finish is diferent. Like a lighter tobacco burst. I think G call this finish icetea burst. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tulk1 Posted November 15, 2011 Share Posted November 15, 2011 More like Antique Sunburst? Almond is marked ALSB. Antique is ASB. Or does it actually spell out Almond Burst? Which the finish definitely is not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredZepp Posted November 15, 2011 Share Posted November 15, 2011 Sharp 150 there... It's great that you are loving this one.... great tone and LW.. good stuff there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redshark Posted November 15, 2011 Author Share Posted November 15, 2011 More like Antique Sunburst? Almond is marked ALSB. Antique is ASB. Or does it actually spell out Almond Burst? Which the finish definitely is not. Yes it says ALMBS, I think it was a mistake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zookroo1 Posted November 15, 2011 Share Posted November 15, 2011 Wow, that's a beauty. Glad you're enjoying it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fxdx99 Posted November 15, 2011 Share Posted November 15, 2011 Good looker, nicely appointed. Interesting design/concept those LWs. Congrats! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TalismanRich Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 My 157 is Almond Sunburst, and it was the lighter shade like yours. A few years ago, the basement flooded and the guitar was sitting on the stand with water up to the tailpiece. I sent it to Heritage for a refinish and now it's a darker shade of brown. There's always some variation in the finishes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HRB853370 Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 It says inside the control cavity almondburst, but i don't think is correct. I had a H535 that was almondburst and this finish is diferent. Like a lighter tobacco burst. I think G call this finish icetea burst. Yours is the same exact finish as my 150LW however mine has binding on the headstock. The inside of my cavity says ALSB. Gibson's closest finish to that is their Desert Burst. Iced Tea is a bit lighter, but not as light as their Light Burst finish. I'll take a photo in a day or so of my Iced Tea LP right next to the ALSB 150LW and post it. BTW, did you do the electronics swap-out yourself or did you take it to a pro? Just curious. It seems as though you might live in the Atlanta area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redshark Posted November 16, 2011 Author Share Posted November 16, 2011 Yours is the same exact finish as my 150LW however mine has binding on the headstock. The inside of my cavity says ALSB. Gibson's closest finish to that is their Desert Burst. Iced Tea is a bit lighter, but not as light as their Light Burst finish. I'll take a photo in a day or so of my Iced Tea LP right next to the ALSB 150LW and post it. BTW, did you do the electronics swap-out yourself or did you take it to a pro? Just curious. It seems as though you might live in the Atlanta area. I do it myself, I learned how to use a soldering iron and actually built a couple of trainwreck clones. Is good to have a roomate that is an electronic tech!! he showed me some electronics and to use the iron. This are my amps by the way, I always use 50's style wiring.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolero Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 hey that's a fantastic looking guitar!! congrats!! cool amps too! what does the box on the top do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HRB853370 Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 I do it myself, I learned how to use a soldering iron and actually built a couple of trainwreck clones. Is good to have a roomate that is an electronic tech!! he showed me some electronics and to use the iron. This are my amps by the way, I always use 50's style wiring.... You have me wondering, what the heck is 50's style wiring? The stuff that is covered in cloth, like what is in my Grannies old Zenith radio from the 40's? And why would that be superior to modern technology wiring? Would you use a 50's guitar cable between your guitar and amp rather than a modern cable (such as a GT cable), and if so, why? I just wonder sometimes why "old technology" is favored over modern technology, unless it is a certain sonic quality that you are after. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spectrum13 Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 Will, 50's wiring worked much better than 30's when they used an old lamp cord and pugged directly into the wall socket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 50s or vintage wiring refers to the order of the chain of components inside the control cavity. Seymour Duncan's website has some easy to read diagrams of various layouts so you can see the difference. I use it on my humbucker guitars as it makes a good difference to the way the tone controls work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redshark Posted November 16, 2011 Author Share Posted November 16, 2011 OK I will try to answer the questions. Bolero, the box on top is an attenuator, basically clone of an airbrake. Slammer, my guitar cables are not 50's style, actually guitar cables are better now when low capacitance cables started being popular (for some aplications). When I talk about vintage and 50's wiring is the way the capacitor between the tone and volume controls on the guitar is wired. Yes you can follow schematic of some pickupmakers. Is also known as 57 wiring. What is more important to get the old feel of the late 50's Gibson guitars is an audio taper potentiometer 500k with a taper like the old style (80:20 ratio). Gibson paid CTS a bunch of money to clone that old centralab pot and is sold now as Gibson historic pot. Those ones are very good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zed Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 redshark,.... really beautiful guitar, congratulations. I hope that sounds as good as it looks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.