MikeChandler Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 I picked up an unloved Black & Tan H-150 yesterday. It's got WCR Fillmore pickups, I didn't realize it was chambered until I inspected the pickups. It was setup sounding ratty but the neck feels really nice, and I felt the tone should easily be fixed. I hope I was right... I traded a minty '05 PRS McCarty Standard for it! The tuning keys look stock - they're very nice Grovers. The bridge and the tailpiece seem suspect - the tailpiece is a gotoh, and it's super heavy. The TOM is unmarked but I think it's a gotoh too - appears to be an aftermarket zinc piece as well. I pulled one of the bushings, and was surprised it was so shallow, especially considering that the holes drilled for the bushings are a good inch deep. Also surprisingly the bushings (shallow as they are) are brass, not steel. Can anybody give me a run down on what hardware should be on this guitar stock? And about those bushings... they were loose enough to insert them again by hand (some good thumb pressure)... what are the stock bushings supposed to be? Does anybody have the stock ones they can measure the length and width? Thanks for any help you can offer! Mike C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High Flying Bird Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 Post pics please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millennium Maestro Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 Those small brass inserts are factory, it is not uncommon for them to become loose and a tuning issue. Easy fix! If you want our assistance, it would help us to have pictures and know details such as year manufactured. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeChandler Posted January 27, 2016 Author Share Posted January 27, 2016 I talked to the factory, after calling Wolfe. Apparently the inserts are supposed to be steel anchor bushings, a full 1" long and .430" thick. That's for the H-150 LW guitar of my vintage. Older ones were .508 but they don't use those anymore. Which makes perfect sense as the hole is a good 1.25" deep. Looking at what's in there, they look like gotoh/tonepros brass replacements. They're only 1/2" long, they just sit in the top of the holes. Horrible. I'll get some pics up soon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeChandler Posted January 27, 2016 Author Share Posted January 27, 2016 Those small brass inserts are factory, it is not uncommon for them to become loose and a tuning issue. Easy fix! If you want our assistance, it would help us to have pictures and know details such as year manufactured. It's a 2007 H-150. It's definitely chambered - you can stick your hand from one pickup cavity to the other. Behind the rear cavity it's solid. So it also doesn't have a long tenon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millennium Maestro Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 It's a 2007 H-150. It's definitely chambered - you can stick your hand from one pickup cavity to the other. Behind the rear cavity it's solid. So it also doesn't have a long tenon. Almost sounds like a H-155 millennium, Have you confirmed the model with the build tag on the inside of the control cavity. PM me with your phone number if you want to chat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davesultra Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 I was looking at that one too and almost pulled the trigger. Glad I didn't, as I don't prefer the LW/chambered guitars (been there, done that). Not that they're bad, just not my cup of tea. From your description, with the exception of the pickups, it sounds original/legit. I had an '06 H-150 with P90s that came from Wolfe, and it had the same hardware. I should have never moved that one! Hear that Mark (wink-wink, nudge-nudge)?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeChandler Posted January 27, 2016 Author Share Posted January 27, 2016 I was looking at that one too and almost pulled the trigger. Glad I didn't, as I don't prefer the LW/chambered guitars (been there, done that). Not that they're bad, just not my cup of tea. From your description, with the exception of the pickups, it sounds original/legit. I had an '06 H-150 with P90s that came from Wolfe, and it had the same hardware. I should have never moved that one! Hear that Mark (wink-wink, nudge-nudge)?! Yeah, I saw afterwards that it was listed on reverb. Had he told me it was a lightweight before I went and met up, I wouldn't have gone, but he didn't even know. And when I heard it unplugged my first reaction was to pass, but playing it the neck was so sweet, I did the trade anyway. I am hoping I can get the tone reined in. I might try stuffing it with some wool batting/insulation. The extra resonance is NOT a good thing! Hopefully I wasn't being foolish. Again. As always Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeChandler Posted January 27, 2016 Author Share Posted January 27, 2016 Almost sounds like a H-155 millennium, Have you confirmed the model with the build tag on the inside of the control cavity. PM me with your phone number if you want to chat. It is positively an H-150, unless the hang tag is wrong. I'll pop the back now and see... didn't know there's a build tag there... standby... According to that tag, it's an H-150cm LW. And it did come from wolfe, there's a wolfe gold foil label on there too. And it has 500K CTS pots with Sozo caps. Go figure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
golferwave Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 WCR Fillmore pickups are awesome. Get yourself a replacement tailpiece and bridge set from Faber. Have a bone nut installed and properly cut if it doesn't already have one, add a good set up and you'll be in tall cotton. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeChandler Posted January 27, 2016 Author Share Posted January 27, 2016 WCR Fillmore pickups are awesome. Get yourself a replacement tailpiece and bridge set from Faber. Have a bone nut installed and properly cut if it doesn't already have one, add a good set up and you'll be in tall cotton. I just put in 1" steel bushings. I'm giving the gotoh lightweight aluminum tailpiece a try, since I had one available. Trying to figure out if I should raise the tailpiece for correct break angle, and run the strings through it, or just lock it down to the body and top-wrap it? Anybody with a lightweight know which way works best? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davesultra Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 I just put in 1" steel bushings. I'm giving the gotoh lightweight aluminum tailpiece a try, since I had one available. Trying to figure out if I should raise the tailpiece for correct break angle, and run the strings through it, or just lock it down to the body and top-wrap it? Anybody with a lightweight know which way works best? Regarding the break angle, it's really more a feel issue. I would tend to believe if you're trying to beef up the tone, you'd want to go with the heavier zinc/zamack/pot metal tailpiece. I've always found the light aluminum TPs' give a more airy hollow-esque tone. But then again, that's just my experience YMMV. Can't hurt to try though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeChandler Posted January 27, 2016 Author Share Posted January 27, 2016 Regarding the break angle, it's really more a feel issue. I would tend to believe if you're trying to beef up the tone, you'd want to go with the heavier zinc/zamack/pot metal tailpiece. I've always found the light aluminum TPs' give a more airy hollow-esque tone. But then again, that's just my experience YMMV. Can't hurt to try though. Well, your experience was on the money. It was too much again with the lightweight tailpiece. I used the zinc one, ran a set of 10-46 EB regular slinkys through it (not top wrapped), setting the break angle so it's just where the strings are not hitting the back of the TOM. It seems to have done the trick. I am still not thrilled about the acoustic sound - but that's something I realize doesn't matter. Yeah, it's got some weird hollow tone when I play it unplugged. But it's not like I bought it to use as an acoustic anyway. And I guess that's the price for a LP style guitar under 7.5lbs. I can tell you plugged in now it sounds more like a vintage LP, and a whole lot less like the tin-man farting. I am glad about that! BTW - is every Heritage Guitar a Custom Shop model? This guitar's tag inside the control cavity says "Heritage Guitars Custom Shop". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeChandler Posted January 27, 2016 Author Share Posted January 27, 2016 WCR Fillmore pickups are awesome. Get yourself a replacement tailpiece and bridge set from Faber. Have a bone nut installed and properly cut if it doesn't already have one, add a good set up and you'll be in tall cotton. I'd gladly trade them for a nickel pair of Dimarzio 36th anniversaries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davesultra Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 Well, your experience was on the money. It was too much again with the lightweight tailpiece. I used the zinc one, ran a set of 10-46 EB regular slinkys through it (not top wrapped), setting the break angle so it's just where the strings are not hitting the back of the TOM. It seems to have done the trick. I am still not thrilled about the acoustic sound - but that's something I realize doesn't matter. Yeah, it's got some weird hollow tone when I play it unplugged. But it's not like I bought it to use as an acoustic anyway. And I guess that's the price for a LP style guitar under 7.5lbs. I can tell you plugged in now it sounds more like a vintage LP, and a whole lot less like the tin-man farting. I am glad about that! BTW - is every Heritage Guitar a Custom Shop model? This guitar's tag inside the control cavity says "Heritage Guitars Custom Shop". Yeah, pretty much. Over the years they have used a few different styles of stickers/labels on the back plates. Some labels are more ornate than others. They're all essentially hand made, so I guess that's pretty much "custom". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
golferwave Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 I'd gladly trade them for a nickel pair of Dimarzio 36th anniversaries. I'll be leaving in 2 days for a 3 week trip for warmer weather and some golf. If you still have them when I return I'll gladly take you up on that offer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeChandler Posted January 28, 2016 Author Share Posted January 28, 2016 I'll be leaving in 2 days for a 3 week trip for warmer weather and some golf. If you still have them when I return I'll gladly take you up on that offer. Arizona by chance? I'm in a suburb at the southernmost part of Phoenix (on the way to Tucson). Been quiet as I've been playing the guitar for hours now. Dig on it a lot. But I really like real PAF style pickups better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AP515 Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 Arizona by chance? I'm in a suburb at the southernmost part of Phoenix (on the way to Tucson). Chandler? Queen Creek? I lived in Glendale for years. Moved to a new job in NC about 16 years ago and I'm still here. Nice place, but I miss Az sometimes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High Flying Bird Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 I'll be leaving in 2 days for a 3 week trip for warmer weather and some golf. If you still have them when I return I'll gladly take you up on that offer. Where are you headed to park man. Feel free to play a round of disc golf in the park behind my house if you are headed down I-65. ;^) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High Flying Bird Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 Those small brass inserts are factory, it is not uncommon for them to become loose and a tuning issue. Easy fix! If you want our assistance, it would help us to have pictures and know details such as year manufactured. Mike, your killing us. Post some pics. We want to see your new Heritage. We have a saying here. Pics or it didn't happen. ;^) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeChandler Posted January 28, 2016 Author Share Posted January 28, 2016 Chandler? Queen Creek? I lived in Glendale for years. Moved to a new job in NC about 16 years ago and I'm still here. Nice place, but I miss Az sometimes. Queen Creek is the exit off the i10, but it's still Chandler. Queen Creek itself is to the West. There's a lot to love about AZ, despite the negatives (heat and scopions). Mike, your killing us. Post some pics. We want to see your new Heritage. We have a saying here. Pics or it didn't happen. ;^) Ah, so this is like a physics uncertainty experiment... is it Schrodinger's Cat or a Heritage Guitar? . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeChandler Posted January 28, 2016 Author Share Posted January 28, 2016 So looking at it all with fresh eyes this morning - another issue: the TOM is not properly slotted. It has a mere scratch for each string, not a slot. I am sure that's contributing some ping too. A little nudge at a time, and this guitar is starting to sound pretty good. I'm going to fix this... then I'll get some photos. If I can set 'er down when I am done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
golferwave Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 Arizona by chance? I'm in a suburb at the southernmost part of Phoenix (on the way to Tucson). Been quiet as I've been playing the guitar for hours now. Dig on it a lot. But I really like real PAF style pickups better. Much further east. I do have some friends down in Green Valley. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
golferwave Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 Where are you headed to park man. Feel free to play a round of disc golf in the park behind my house if you are headed down I-65. ;^) I'll be on the other end of your State Ron. Jones Trail Courses in Mobile, and then to the Keys. It'll be nice to get away from all of this Caucus madness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeChandler Posted January 28, 2016 Author Share Posted January 28, 2016 WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT THAT DID THE TRICK. STRING SLOTS IN TUNE-O-MATIC (TOM) = GOOD. OMG! Tone to the bone now, I can't believe it. Every bit of the rattleness is gone. It was like amplifying fret noise, so I had to crank the action up, but I was checking the frets with a leveler and they looked good. The strings sitting up on top of those tiny notches was the issue - there were no proper string slots in that TOM. With the string slots in the TOM saddles it sounds like a really good LP now and the action is ridiculously low and it plays like silk. The 10s feel like rubber bands... NO FRET NOISE, RATTLE, OR PING! I am really happy! Now I might try the lightweight tailpiece, topwrapping, etc again... put some airiness back in it. This is a whole new game. EDIT: Testing through amp, the whole bottom end chunk and midrange is now there! Wow.. Think I am leaving it alone, and ordering some good pickups. The only thing I still don't like is the Fillmores - but they always sounded like underwound hot pickups to me. Playing the guitar acoustically it's amazing btw - it sounds right now, no more harshness, just beautiful singing tone. And the sustain is nuts - must be the chambering. Oh oh -- I might have a new #1 in the making! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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