Unpopular Opinion or Making Sense

[DetroitBlues]

I see this question all the time.... Custom Core Vs Standard Line.

What makes a Custom Core so much better than a Standard model?

Weight, wood, pickups, electronics, hardware, etc...  Is there really much of a difference truly?

Let's take a look at H150's.. A staple guitar for Heritage:

Custom Core:

Standard Line:

So look at these as a comparison, side by side if you can... What does the Custom Core offer you don't get on a Standard Line.

For those who have taken the tours at PSP, you may have noticed, Heritage selects both models from the same wood sources, use the same tooling/assembly methods, same operators, same paint, same quality inspection.... Maybe some hardware differences?  Maybe different pickups?  

So in my opinion, there is very little separation between the lines.

But perhaps there is a better solution here.

Custom Core models should probably be completely different:

Standard Line: H150 (P90 and Humbucker), H530, H535, H137, and H575 

Custom Core: H157, H555, maybe a H530 custom model that is more like a 555, Eagle Classic, and H717.

Custom Core offers Bigsbys and aged finishes.

Just something that makes sense to me.

Is this unpopular to think like this or is it a does it make sense?

I am in no way slamming Heritage as you all know I strongly support them.  But there are times I scratch my head...

Everyone loves just about every model coming out of the shop, no matter what line.... You really don't hear the complaints like we used to... bad finishes, bad nuts, twisted necks...  Those are seemingly been resolved in the last ten years,,,

Edited 1 hour ago by DetroitBlues

[TalismanRich]

The wood for the two are "different", at least for the 150s.    Custom Core use selected light weight mahogany pieces.   The Standard line use the heavier pieces, but now do weight relief.    Some people will claim that doing weight relief does bad things, but that hasn't been my experience.  The Millenniums are similar in shape and spec as the 150s, but are hollowed out.   My Mille LE is as good as my 157 with a heavy dense chunk of wood.   Same bridge and tailpiece, same strings.   Not necessarily sounding exactly the same with different pickups, but if I crank up the distortion, who can tell what the guitar sounds like.  It's like trying to judge the better tasting piece of steak after you douse it in salt, pepper, and cover it in a bottle of A1 sauce!

Some people will claim that the denser wood is better, others will say that lighter wood is more resonant.   Whatever...  If you believe it,  it's true!     It's on the internet so its a fact.   Oh yeah,  the earth is really flat.  I read that on the internet too!

When you're talking about the 535 and 530, it's a laminate anyway.   There should be minimal difference, except for the figuring of the top laminate.   I don't know how much of a premium that should command.   

I don't know the differences in the bridge/tailpiece.   

There's a difference in neck profile, but that shouldn't be a cost difference.    I don't know if they choose different grades of wood.   Do they use the better quartersawn for the CC neck?   The best quartersawn wood should be more stable due to the orientation of the grain.   As the grain goes more towards flatsawn, it can flex more.

Pete did say that the finish isn't the same between the two series.   The final polishing of the CC line is slightly duller than the Standard lines.   It should feel a bit slicker, since the smoother something is,  the more you can have some "stiction".   It sounds counter intuitive, we had a similar situation in the printing industry.  A chrome surface that was too smooth would literally destroy itself in a few hours.   If it was above a certain roughness, it would last weeks.   

I know some people like the fake aging, but for me,  if I had a choice between a pristine Standard II and an aged CC at the same price,   I would take the Std II.   Fake finish checking and fake corrosion isn't for me.

I like the inlay work on the CC line.   For me, the block inlays on the 535, 555 and 530 CC guitars are a definite advantage.   Dots are ok, and I live with them on my guitars, but I bought the 157 for the blocks, extra binding and gold hardware.   For a while, I was watching for a red 555, just to get the same vs my 535.

Since they are making the pickups, I don't know what premium one would have over the other.   Whether it has 5000 turns, or 4750 turns,   Alnico II vs III vs V, rough or smooth magnet.  I don't know that it makes a tremendous cost difference.   It would be a lot less that the difference between nickel and gold plating, especially at the price of gold today!

The case of the CC line is definitely nicer than what comes with the standard line.   I even mentioned to Mike that the new case that came with my 530 wasn't as nice as my old TKLs that came with my 157, 535, or 140.   It's OK, functional, but it binds a bit when I close it.  It's not lined up as well.   Once snapped down, it's fine.

Something I think should be on the CC line would be stainless steel frets.  I don't know how much of an issue that would cause with the Plek, but you're already paying a hefty premium.   That is an upgrade that I think would be very worthwhile, especially for a guitar that gets a lot of use.   

 

 

[Steiner]

I Like the way you guys are thinking!