MartyGrass Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 Heritage produced its first Sweet 16 in 1987. The guitar I received today is from a Heritage collector who bought this new in 1989. It has seen almost no play but is definitely aged. The guitar is tap tuned and has the premium wood package. It is in excellent ++ condition with patina in the gold appropriate for age. The binding is yellowed nicely. The guitar is very dusty. I haven't cleaned it yet and will do so when I remove the rusted strings. The neck is a medium carve, a bit heftier than what Heritage usually put on archtops in their early days. The case is the OHSC but does not have "The Heritage" on it. I have seen this before with their early guitars. I can't judge the sound of this guy yet because of the old strings. But the neck is straight and the frets are like new. The pickup is mounted slightly more toward the bridge, leaving a gap between the neck and the pickup. This placement is about where it would be if there were a Cupid's bow at the end of the fretboard. This placement centers the "24th fret" harmonics exactly between the two pup coils. I'm not sure this matters though. Someday I'll take better pix, after it's cleaned up. Still you can see the spruce character. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davesultra Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 Beautiful! I love the flaming on the neck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartyGrass Posted August 26, 2014 Author Share Posted August 26, 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartyGrass Posted August 26, 2014 Author Share Posted August 26, 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tulk1 Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 Love the patina on the gold. Now that I can live with. And another stunner from the early days. Mark, you do find some unique guitars., Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartyGrass Posted August 26, 2014 Author Share Posted August 26, 2014 Here's some signs of aging. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brentrocks Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 Nice snag Mark! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steiner Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 Superb snatch! An aged beauty; well played. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbonesullivan Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 NICE! I keep wanting something like a sweet 16, but I really don't have the $$$ for one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredZepp Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 Sweet 16's seem constantly excellent and that one is no exception. I tend to prefer instruments with some mileage on them, so that one is particularly nice. Thanks for the great pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanschoyck Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 That's a neat example. I'm somewhat partial to Sweet 16's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bsck1 Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 Very, very nice! Or, is it more appropriate to say " very, very sweet"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big bob Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 That sure is one pretty box! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gitfiddler Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 Nice old Sweetie! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hinesarchtop Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 The 16's can be very sweet! This one looks like no exception. I like the fatter profile on the earlier guitars. I'll bet it is in the 4 lb. range. What will you use to remove the tarnish on the gold hardware? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horace Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 Geez Louise that looks like a treasure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genericmusic Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Ron Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 VERY cool... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whiskeymike Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 Marty you have some of the best looking Heritages I've seen and this is no exception. Is that ASB? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterbright Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 Truly "Sweet"! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ned Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 Very pretty indeed. My "G" serial number has the similar sharp pick guard and un marked case (as well as ebony inset on the tail piece and imperial tuners). Yours is certainly a beautiful closet queen. I am curious how you know she is tapped tuned. Nicely done sir. She will thrive in you hands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houndhome Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 Good year!! Same as my H575, serial F32205,which I've owned since the early 90's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartyGrass Posted August 27, 2014 Author Share Posted August 27, 2014 I am curious how you know she is tapped tuned. Nicely done sir. She will thrive in you hands. The collector I bought it from purchased a gaggle of Heritages new in 1989. He spec'd them out. Back in the early days, there were two lines of archtops- standard and custom. The custom line had premium woods and tap tuning. Here's an old ad that shows this. Look under "Custom Order Jazz Guitars'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartyGrass Posted August 27, 2014 Author Share Posted August 27, 2014 Marty you have some of the best looking Heritages I've seen and this is no exception. Is that ASB? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Almond sunburst. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartyGrass Posted August 27, 2014 Author Share Posted August 27, 2014 According to Jim Deurloo, the figuring you see in sections of the spruce will have a similar effect on the tone as hazelficht. It'll be brighter than most spruce. Jim says it's a result of the age of the tree . . with figured spruce being older and containing a higher concentration of a more dense cellulose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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