Showing Some Love for the H550

[tsp17]

 

Probably my favorite guitar  to play live.  Of all my H guitars it has the best neck/nut width combination for me.  Just feels right in my hands.   Sounds great through just about any amp and super versatile.  Straight ahead jazz KB tone, getting jazz-rock/funky, it really can do it all.  Rarely feeds back even at volume/loud drummer/horns.  Looks good too!  

Anybody else have a crush on your 550?  I love my other Heritage and other guitars too, but for playing in a band that does a lot of different things, this one gets the call most often. Indoors, outdoors, even in the studio I’d put it up against just about anything for tone and feel. 

Link to a recording: https://on.soundcloud.com/6SVD2MkCr2E14HyaEE

[Gitfiddler]

@tsp17...Nice playing, Tad.  

H550's are wonderful archtops.  They're very similar in construction to the Gibson Tal Farlow, yet still has its own magic.

[111518]

I like the dark burst. 

I've told the story before, but when, after five years or so of not gigging while being devoted to grad school and trying to launch a traditional academic career, I ended up as a faculty spouse in an adjunct track --but with a chance to teach guitar and play out again.   I sold my Super 400, which I rarely played, to re-equip myself to gig.  To ease the pain of no longer having an archtop, I found, at Ithaca Guitar Works, a 550.  It was my first Heritage, and actually far more comfortable to play than the 18" 400.  And, it gave me an ebony board with split blocks, pretty maple --the things I would have missed about the Gibson.

I've never gigged with it much --mostly played semi's and a strat/tele-- and have experimented on the 550 with different set ups -- flats, etc.  Have a plan to eventually install a humbucker size CC in the front and a P90 in the back of reverse polarity, so I can get the CC sound with middle-position hum suppression.  

As you can see, mine came with a truss rod cover marked "custom," and gold hardware including grover Imperial buttons.  Pic doesn't show it, but very nice maple; maybe select as part of the custom package.  Also came in a very nice Harptone case.  

Sorry --I've forgotten how to make the pic show up.

https://photobucket.com/share/0f1eb105-5a01-460c-b206-40d79042ea3d

 

Edited yesterday at 09:15 PM by 111518

[Gitfiddler]

[RJLII]

I liked mine except for a couple minor things. The neck was on the thin side and the strings between the bridge and tailpiece would vibrate sympathetically and kind of bug me. 
 

 

[tsp17]

19 hours ago, RJLII said:

I liked mine except for a couple minor things. The neck was on the thin side and the strings between the bridge and tailpiece would vibrate sympathetically and kind of bug me. 

I had a similar problem with the H tailpiece on my 550.  I replaced it with a Benedetto style ebony tailpiece, and the problem vanished.  Neck on 550 is a little wider and chunkier than most and i love it.  I think the ebony tailpiece suits it well.  I also added ebony volume and tone knobs.  Below is before and after…

Edited 3 hours ago by tsp17

[RJLII]

Very nice!