michaeljames Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 I think the wood top/back is not laminated? maybe HRWs? but, i'm not sure... body a little 'thicker' perhaps? And, there is a lot of monkeys here now...whats the deal? What is the 'secret' there - with the monkeys? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tulk1 Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 I think the wood top/back is not laminated? maybe HRWs? but, i'm not sure...body a little 'thicker' perhaps? And, there is a lot of monkeys here now...whats the deal? What is the 'secret' there - with the monkeys? H535 Neck - 17 degree peghead pitch; one-piece mahogany neck. Fingerboard - 24 3/4” scale rosewood cream bound fingerboard with 22 frets; mother of pearl dot positions markers. Body - Double cutaway semi-hollow body with laminated arch curly maple top and back; single bound wood pickguard; solid curly maple rim; with f-holes; body size: rim thickness - 1 1/2” body width - 16” body length - 17 7/8” Electronics - Two chrome humbucking pickups; two volume controls; two tone controls; selector switch. Hardware - Individual nickel plated machine heads; chrome plated stop bar tailpiece and adjustable bridge. ------------------- H555 Neck - 17 degree peghead pitch; one-piece curly maple neck; single white bound mother of pearl and abalone inlaid head veneer. Fingerboard - 24 3/4” scale ebony single white bound fingerboard with 22 frets; mother of pearl and abalone inlays. Body - Double cutaway semi-hollow body with laminated arch curly maple top and back; multiple white bound top and white bound back; solid curly maple rim; single white bound pickguard; with f-holes. body size: rim thickness - 1 1/2” body width - 16” body length - 17 7/8” Electronics - Two gold humbucking pickups; with two volume and two tone controls; selector switch. Hardware - Individual gold plated machine heads; gold plated stop bar tailpiece and adjustable bridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brentrocks Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 inlays, ebony board, gold hrdwre, 3-piece maple neck, bound f holes, mutiply binding (555) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthpawGuy Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 For some reason I thought the 555 by default had HRW pickups as an upgrade from the standard Schallers, but according to the specs on the Heritage website it doesn't. Must be my mind playing tricks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Seacup Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 I would add, "heavier price tag." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gitfiddler Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 555's first were produced with multi-laminated flame maple necks. For the last couple of years they've switched to 1 piece mahogany with a multi-lam flame maple option. Keep in mind also, that any 535 can be ordered with many upgrades or custom features, just as 555's or any other Heritage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaeljames Posted May 12, 2009 Author Share Posted May 12, 2009 555's first were produced with multi-laminated flame maple necks. For the last couple of years they've switched to 1 piece mahogany with a multi-lam flame maple option. Keep in mind also, that any 535 can be ordered with many upgrades or custom features, just as 555's or any other Heritage. as usual - great info here. thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smurph1 Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 Maybe I'm wrong, but I always thought that "Laminated" meant lower quality..Is that true? It seems like a Mahogany top would sound way better than laminated Maple.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
backline Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 Maybe I'm wrong, but I always thought that "Laminated" meant lower quality..Is that true? It seems like a Mahogany top would sound way better than laminated Maple.. Depends on the guitar and maker. In acoustic guitars I can generally hear a difference between laminated or solid woods, especially the top. Laminated woods are generally cheaper for the manufacturer to acquire and use, but I've heard some pretty good sounding laminated archtops, especially electrics. An guitar designed like the Gibson ES-335 (like the H-535/H-555 Heritages), has a center block that eliminates a lot of body resonance. I'm not sure what the advantage is sound would be to constructing the body from solid wood parts in such a design, but perhaps there is some nuance to the sound that can be heard. Not sure my ears are that good. In the final analysis individual guitars made of identical wood products (were that possible) on a given day can sound different. But manufacturers can get consistent results from certain materials and building techniques, and some of these become popular patterns (like ES-335 style guitars). Variations can offer advantages, but proving the superiority is likely more a job for the marketing team (if one exists). I happen to like that my H-575 full hollowbody is made of solid maple, and that probably has a hearble effect on the sound, but once it's plugged in, especially in a big venue with a large ensemble, I'm betting a lot of the nuances to having solid woods are never heard. I've owned more expensive Gibson ES-175's (laminated), some of which sounded pretty good in their own rite, but my current H-575 with the HRW's just might be the best sounding archtop I've owned. However, the 1954 single pickup ES-175 I had sounded much better acoustically: better even than a '51 L-4C carved 16" solid spruce top that was the same dimensions. Individual guitars will fool ya! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy R Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 The laminated vs solid debate has gone on for ages. I have both types of archtops, and my opinion is that laminated maple guitars (eg 550, 575, Gib Tal Farlow, Barney Kessel) are far more effective as electric guitars. I have a beautiful Golden Eagle with a vintage D'Armond pickup that sounds nice for solo or duo gigs, but doesn't have enough punch for a full band situation, not to mention much more feedback. My ideal tone is a Kenny Burrel, Barney Kessel kind of sound, so of course what I like you might hate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Seacup Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 You should take the factory tour and see how they lay up their own "laminated" tops and backs. Thick sheets of nice maple. Not pre-made 4x8s of dubious quality. Don't know that it makes a lot of difference, but I think it's nice to know they do it that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
backline Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 ...laminated maple guitars (eg 550, 575, Gib Tal Farlow, Barney Kessel) are far more effective as electric guitars... I agree but the 575 is not laminated. The 550 is (but also 17"). I also agree on the punch factor. In small intimate settings a nice responsive archtop is nice. But I like the punchier designs for larger rooms and larger ensembles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
backline Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 You should take the factory tour and see how they lay up their own "laminated" tops and backs. Thick sheets of nice maple. Not pre-made 4x8s of dubious quality. Don't know that it makes a lot of difference, but I think it's nice to know they do it that way. I think there are makers who have specified number of layers, what materials, and grain directions, on laminated materials. I believe a few years ago Gretsch (now owned by FMIC) went from a multi-laminate material to a more specific (and period correct for some vintage models) 3-ply deal and specified the woods more closely. I remember reading in the Epiphone History book about them acquiring the concrete press forms for Harmony basses (standup basses). The way it read it sounded to me as-if they were laminating their own wood and using the press to shape the arch while the laminating glue set? I have no idea if anybody currently does anything like that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millennium Maestro Posted May 19, 2009 Share Posted May 19, 2009 Maybe I'm wrong, but I always thought that "Laminated" meant lower quality..Is that true? It seems like a Mahogany top would sound way better than laminated Maple.. I am not of fan of laminant...wood is supposed to transmit resonation, each joint/layer suppresses resonance. Millies have solid carved tops... Hense the Millennium Maestro...The most expensive heritages have solid tops!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millennium Maestro Posted May 19, 2009 Share Posted May 19, 2009 oh yeah, by the way All solid mahogany top may be a sound you like... adding the maple cap really brightens the guitar up and brings it alive.. regardless on if there is a lamination on the surface of the top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuz Posted May 19, 2009 Share Posted May 19, 2009 555's first were produced with multi-laminated flame maple necks. For the last couple of years they've switched to 1 piece mahogany with a multi-lam flame maple option. Keep in mind also, that any 535 can be ordered with many upgrades or custom features, just as 555's or any other Heritage. Here is an example... 555 inlays and binding with mahogany neck & rosewood fretboard (I prefer the warmth of Rosewood over Ebony) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuz Posted May 19, 2009 Share Posted May 19, 2009 They use laminate maple tops because that is how they made them on the 335-355 and because of the recognized 335/535 tone you get from laminate maple tops (I asked Ren this same question before). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparky Posted May 20, 2009 Share Posted May 20, 2009 The difference is twenty. Sheesh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthpawGuy Posted May 20, 2009 Share Posted May 20, 2009 The difference is twenty. Sheesh. $20 ? Seems reasonable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffB Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 Old thread but better than starting a new one. How different does an ebony fretboard sound compared to the rosewood. Ive played 335 style guitars with rosewood but not many ebony and never in a side by side comparison. Im supposing the ebony to be snappier and a bit brighter and with a little less sizzle. Will you still get those smokey tones with the ebony? Sorry if some of the terms I use seem more like Im talking about a BBQ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spectrum13 Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 How different does an ebony fretboard sound compared to the rosewood. Ive played 335 style guitars with rosewood but not many ebony and never in a side by side comparison. Im supposing the ebony to be snappier and a bit brighter and with a little less sizzle. Will you still get those smokey tones with the ebony? I have one with each kind of board but different pups P90s / Buckers but I'll give it a shot. Ebony would be brighter and "snappier" as I would define as quicker attack. Don't know about sizzle and smoke but that might be more amp related. If BB King played a 345 and Albert played an SG custom, BB might be smoker and Albert brighter but I can't prove it. The greatest difference is how they feel. Where you glide over ebony you dig into rosewood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffB Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 I knew my attempts at tone descriptions would fail. I will try to define sizzle at least. With strats, a rosewood fretboard, to my ears, seems to have a bit of fizz? on the highs that a maple fretboard doesn't seem to have. Its also noticeable on my PRS SAS's, one with rosewood and one with maple. I dont mean fizz in a bad way, just a nice sizzle Ok.....I clarified nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthpawGuy Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 I knew my attempts at tone descriptions would fail.I will try to define sizzle at least. With strats, a rosewood fretboard, to my ears, seems to have a bit of fizz? on the highs that a maple fretboard doesn't seem to have. Its also noticeable on my PRS SAS's, one with rosewood and one with maple. I dont mean fizz in a bad way, just a nice sizzle Ok.....I clarified nothing. No, but you're making me hungry ! 555s' usually have HRWs, which to my ears are brighter than '59s or Seths, plus they have an ebony board which supposedly gives a brighter attack than rosewood. 535s' have a rosewood board and generally Schaller, '59s or Seths, so they "should" not be as bright sounding as a 555. Now I don't have a 555, but I do have a 535 w/ rosewood board/ '59s and a Millie with ebony board and HRWs and the sound of each guitar is completely different. Smokey tones are easy with the 535, not so easy with the Millie. The Millie cuts through a lot more, probably a combination of the HRWs, ebony board and different construction. Not sure if that helps, it might confuse you a bit more if anything .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pro-fusion Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 The 555 I had definitely had a little more 'snap' than most semi-hollows do. Probably due to having a maple neck and ebony board. I could switch between the 555 and my 157 with no amp adjustments needed. If you play rock, I think the 555 might be the better option. Blues and fusion guys might like the 535 better, though B.B. King has certainly gotten a lot of mileage out of a 355 (similar to a 555) over the years, I'd say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffB Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 Thanks guys for your help. You got through it despite me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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