Happy Birthday Amber!

[DetroitBlues]

Amber left the factory on this date in 1985.  I was able to access the truss rod and set her right.

She made her first stage appearance since 2010.  She sounded amazing.

 

Edited Sunday at 03:31 PM by DetroitBlues

[DaveCTOK]

Sweet!  Mine is a somewhat later 140, with a lighter shade of natural maple top.  Absolutely wonderful guitar!

 

[DetroitBlues]

Here’s a little video of her last night.

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1BNqEa7LHL/?mibextid=wwXIfr

[TalismanRich]

I guess that deserves a cake too!

[Steiner]

HB Amber.  Such a nice, young age.  They’re so cute when they’re 40.

[bolero]

DB you got the neck all sorted out now?

 

[DetroitBlues]

12 hours ago, bolero said:

DB you got the neck all sorted out now?

 

Access to the truss rod nut was a challenge.  Typical sockets and wrenches didn't fit.  I didn't want to use pliers, but I found a nut driver that had thin enough walls to turn the nut.  Worked perfectly and turned very easily.  I was happy it did.  I also put an API Nashville bridge and tailpiece on it that was provided to me.  Polished the frets, lubricated the nut, and cleaned the fretboard.  She is ready to go.  Played her again last night learning some new tunes for another band that plays more hard rock stuff.

[bolero]

good news

does it have a headstock repair or something?

a pic would be good to see? Curious about what's going on with it

[Kuz]

That was the best sounding Heritage guitar that Josh owned up to that time (and he went through quite a few).   It had a headstock repair and he had it refinished.  He jammed through it at a PSP and it sounded HUGE and AMAZING.

But back then, Josh was on a BUY and THEN PURGE phase.  I thought for sure he would keep that one because it exceptional.   I am not bashing him, we have all done this.  I am just here to witness what a great guitar it is.  It has (or least had at the time) higher output pickups but they sounded huge and open.

My questions are; Why did Heritage have it for so many years?  Did you own it while Heritage had it?  How did you get it back and why didn't Heritage fix/set it up for you?  Does it still have those great sounding higher output pickups in it?

But mostly I was here to say congrats on getting her back!

[DetroitBlues]

When I first bought the guitar, I put in a set of used SD 59's in it. I sold it to another HOC member who had it for many years.  A couple years ago, I bought it back sans the pickups.  I put in a set of Railhammers I had lying around but I didn't like how they sounded.  

At the time a Heritage employee saw it on a visit two years ago.  While an employee of Heritage, he couldn't afford to own one. So I lent it to him and he was going to restore it with OEM parts found in the factory.  At the time he was either going to play it himself or possibly use it in a museum Heritage was thinking about.  After 2 years, the museum never happened, and he never finished the guitar.  

I was asked if I'd take it back.  The factory took the guitar, cleaned it up and put as much of the OEM parts back on it.  The pickups they found wouldn't work, so they dropped in a brand-new set of SD's.  Seth Lover in the bridge and a 59 in the neck.  It very much sounded like the guitar when I purchased all those years ago from KBP810 who in turn bought it from Smurph.  They also sent an API bridge and tailpiece (Advanced Plating Inc, same manufacture that supplies Gibson)

The purge phase for me has ended but so has the desire to buy guitars.  Since being in a band, I'm more focused on playing new music and being consistent with my sound.  I really lost interest in all the latest gear videos, new offerings, and used gear marketplaces.  

To answer Bolero's question, Smurph got rid of it because he broke the headstock and had it repaired.  Still he wasn't happy, so he sold it to KBP810 for cheap.  The truss rod nut had a little buildup of glue from the repair and made it difficult to access.  I found a tool that fits and am able to adjust it.  It moves really easily which seems surprising for such an old guitar.

[bolero]

ah, I see

all's well that ends well.

I like the small block inlays too.