Jazzpunk Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 Been checking out clips of both the 550 and 575 and they both sound great to my ear. I'm just curious as to what the basic differences are between these two tone wise? Is the 550 fuller sounding due to to it's bigger dimensions? 'Darker' sounding perhaps? Would the 550 be considered more of a straight up jazz guitar whereas the 575 might be considered a jazz and blues guitar? Insights/opinions appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big bob Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 550 = 17" body and lamanate 575 = 16" bout and solid maple Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuz Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 Is the 550 fuller sounding due to to it's bigger dimensions? 'Darker' sounding perhaps? Would the 550 be considered more of a straight up jazz guitar whereas the 575 might be considered a jazz and blues guitar? I don't own either but of what I have heard I think you nailed it in your question. Plus the 550 has a 25.5" scale (so a little snapper tone) which most archtop jazz cat like. Where the 575 has a 24.75" scale like the solid bodies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fxdx99 Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 Good question, JP. I've been thinking along these lines as well. I've been wondering how the Eagle (w/17" bout and solid top) compares in these as well. Although from the models page it looks like most of the Eagles are not equiped w/2 mounted pickups, so may be quite a price increase to place a similar electronically equiped Eagle in the mix... Ah, and as I type I see Kuz hilites the scale length, too, which at least on solid bodies has a large influence on the tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ingeneri Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 Actually, I think it's the opposite: the 575 is more a straight Jazz box and the 550 would be more adaptable to Blues and Rock. Here's why, first the 550 is laminate so it will be more resistant to feedback. Since feedback is the joyous sound when high-volume and arch tops meet, it's more of a concern if you're planning on Blues or Rock gigs which tend to be louder. Second, it has a mounted tune-o-matic bridge that improves sustain. I had a Kenny Burrell Groovemaster which is similar to the 550 but smaller at 16" and with a floating center block. It was a great guitar, but it also had the mounted T-O-M and I found the extra sustain got in my way when playing fast bop lines. I traded it in and modified a 575 with P-90s and it was just what I was looking for. No pics, but I should have a couple of sound clips up soon. My other guitars are an 18" Super Eagle and a 17" D'angelico that have spruce tops and longer scale fingerboards like the 550. So, I'm hardly opposed to that sound. In general the wider the bout the deeper the tone. However, I find the main difference between the scale lengths to be less tone and more in application. The shorter 23.75" length on the 575 or Groovemaster is great for quick single note runs but feels a bit cramped, to me, for chord melodies or solos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzpunk Posted January 28, 2009 Author Share Posted January 28, 2009 Actually, I think it's the opposite: the 575 is more a straight Jazz box and the 550 would be more adaptable to Blues and Rock. Here's why, first the 550 is laminate so it will be more resistant to feedback. Since feedback is the joyous sound when high-volume and arch tops meet, it's more of a concern if you're planning on Blues or Rock gigs which tend to be louder. Second, it has a mounted tune-o-matic bridge that improves sustain. I had a Kenny Burrell Groovemaster which is similar to the 550 but smaller at 16" and with a floating center block. It was a great guitar, but it also had the mounted T-O-M and I found the extra sustain got in my way when playing fast bop lines. I traded it in and modified a 575 with P-90s and it was just what I was looking for. No pics, but I should have a couple of sound clips up soon. My other guitars are an 18" Super Eagle and a 17" D'angelico that have spruce tops and longer scale fingerboards like the 550. So, I'm hardly opposed to that sound. In general the wider the bout the deeper the tone. However, I find the main difference between the scale lengths to be less tone and more in application. The shorter 23.75" length on the 575 or Groovemaster is great for quick single note runs but feels a bit cramped, to me, for chord melodies or solos. Great insights, thanks. Love to hear those sound clips of the 575 with the P90's! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spectrum13 Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 Jazzpunk, I predict many more Heritage guitars in your future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brentrocks Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 Jazzpunk, I predict many more Heritage guitars in your future. +1 ;D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heritage525 Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 I had both a 550 and several 575's. I much preferred my 550 for rock and bluesy stuff. The 550 had punchier bottom end, and more of an aggressive tone and feel. Now, the 575 could rock and twang (a little), but the 550 did it much better! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzpunk Posted January 29, 2009 Author Share Posted January 29, 2009 Jazzpunk, I predict many more Heritage guitars in your future. My 535 has made me a believer! Did someone suggest that I should really be considering both a 575 and a 550? Hmm... ;D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzpunk Posted January 29, 2009 Author Share Posted January 29, 2009 I had both a 550 and several 575's. I much preferred my 550 for rock and bluesy stuff. The 550 had punchier bottom end, and more of an aggressive tone and feel. Now, the 575 could rock and twang (a little), but the 550 did it much better! Good info, thanks. Looks like I had my 'concept' of these two models backwards! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brentrocks Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 you just missed a great deal on Heritage525's 550...it was killer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spectrum13 Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 Why is 525 down to just the 137? He got all Gibbons so we should call him 325 or 3CPO or something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzpunk Posted January 31, 2009 Author Share Posted January 31, 2009 Thanks again for the feedback guys. I think I'm going to go for a 575 next! If anyone has any recordings to tide me over I'd love to hear 'em. ;D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzpunk Posted March 2, 2009 Author Share Posted March 2, 2009 Ok, last question (I think!). Which of these two guitars is closer in sound to the ES-175? While the 575 looks more like a 175, the 550 ssems to be closer in specs (body depth and laminated wood). I haven't been able to find too many clips of the 550. Heard quite a few clips of the 575 and it seems to have a bit more twang than a 175. 550 what I'm after? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big bob Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 I put p-rails in my 575 and it screams .. a rockabilly dream.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzpunk Posted March 2, 2009 Author Share Posted March 2, 2009 I won't be playing rockabilly but I'm sure it sounds great. I'm looking for a jazz box with a 175 type vibe hence my last question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
111518 Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 I own a 550. I've never had a chance to play a 575, but I've played a number of 175s over the years. To me the defining characteristics of the 175 are: 1) a big mahogany neck; 2) the 24.75" scale; 3) 16" full-depth body; 4) laminated wood; 4) florentine (sharp) cutaway; 5) floating bridge; 6) rosewood fingerboard. The only one of these characteristics that the 550 shares with the 175 is the laminated wood. That's an important component, but in the overall mix it doesn't over-ride the other factors: I've heard 550s called "fancy 175's," but my 550 has a very different feel and response and vibe than any 175 that I've played. Not necessarily better --175s have a very distinctive workmanlike feel and vibe that I find very cool, but the 550's neck --maple, ebony, 25.5-- feels more like a upscale jazzer. I can't comment from first hand knowledge whether or not the 575 feels or sounds closer to the 175, but I think Ingeneri is right that the 575 has much more in common, in terms of overall design, with the 175 than does the 575. My 2 cents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthpawGuy Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Check out this YouTube clip of a 550 in action, very smooth tone indeed ! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPFBll5yA5g&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPFBll5yA5g...feature=related Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzpunk Posted March 3, 2009 Author Share Posted March 3, 2009 I can't comment from first hand knowledge whether or not the 575 feels or sounds closer to the 175, but I think Ingeneri is right that the 575 has much more in common, in terms of overall design, with the 175 than does the 575. My 2 cents. The 575 is thinner than both the 175 and the 550 and doesn't have laminated wood. Aren't these pretty big factors in the sound? I thought the deeper body and laminated wood on the 550 might get it closer to that 175 sound but what do I know? :undecided: I really need to compare these bad boys in person! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzpunk Posted March 3, 2009 Author Share Posted March 3, 2009 Check out this YouTube clip of a 550 in action, very smooth tone indeed ! I've seen that clip, it's great! It's currently the one and only 550 clip I have for reference lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fxdx99 Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Here's another frame of reference for various jazz guitars. Doesn't include Heritage (sigh - yeh, we all know they should be there), although the g-counterparts are included. I don't agree w/all the statements in each section, but the guy does try to roll up various considerations. http://www.jazzguitar.be/jazz_guitars.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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