Xstian67 Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 Hi everyone, This story starts some monthes ago (but my own story is 50 years old, and my story as a guitar player 35 years old, with ups and downs). As an acoustic guitar player who recently turned into jazz and big box jazz guitars (life's too short not to do what you really want to do, OK, you have to work to get money and time for your family and your kids and... and...but... ! ), I wanted to buy me a Gibson 175. And this was the start of a big desillusion... each step forward in my search raised more questions than brought answers... Until that morning when I woke up and the first word that came to my mind was : Heritage. From then, all was very quick and easy. Although living in France, I found a '86 575 on e-bay USA, bought it from a fabulous guy in Illinois, a fine jazz player who deserves recognition. There is a lot to say about those old Heritage and their gorgeous woods that you don't find anymore (you should see the back of the 575 body...) - see pic attached. This interest in the Heritage guitars led me to a Sweet 16 for sale in Germany, with an amazing acoustic tone like an actual plain maple acoustic guitar, and a J.Smith Gibson pickup, whose size doen't fit the Schaller size in the pickguard, but provides an oustanding punchy jazz tone... I couldn't let her go... That's the beginning of the story.... I would have much more to say... Well, next time. Hope that the pics will appear in that post. Best regards ! Christian. Sweet16-HOC.jpg Sweet16-HOC.jpg_thumb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xstian67 Posted January 15, 2008 Author Share Posted January 15, 2008 And now the 575... 575-HOC.jpg 575-HOC.jpg_thumb 575-HOC.jpg 575-HOC.jpg_thumb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tulk1 Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 Wow. Two absolutely amazing guitars. You should be proud. Thanks for sharing. And welcome to the HoC Forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yankeefan01 Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 Those guitars are beautifull! That 575 must sing. Welcome to the Forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gitfiddler Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 Xstian67~Welcome to the H.O.C.!! Your Sweet 16 looks like Almond Sunburst...like mine! And that Johnny Smith is over-the-top cool on her. Each time I see the subtle add-ons or custom features customers have added to their Heritage archtops, the more I appreciate that company! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yoslate Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 Xstian67 I, too, would like to add my welcome to the forum! You'll find this place most welcoming and full of more knowledge, experience, and opinion than you might imagine - a great place! Nice boxes, especially the Sixteen...Sweet, indeed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Seacup Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 Add my redundant "Welcome to the CLUB!" Great looking guitars! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitArtMan Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 Welcome. Beee-yew-tee-full geetars! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yoslate Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 Didn't have time at work earlier today to peruse the pix closely. I have now, especially since Gitfiddler observed that the finish on the Sixteen is Almondburst. That's what I've ordered on my Super, along with the ebony split-block inlay fretboard. So there, that's what it'll look like! As many guitars as I've looked at on Jay's G-base site, I've only seen one or two spruce tops in that finish. I knew what I wanted, but it's most satisfying to see it in the flesh! ;D Thanks for posting those pics, Xstian67. Makes the wait just a bit more endurable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xstian67 Posted January 16, 2008 Author Share Posted January 16, 2008 Hi, First I would like to thank Tulk1, Yankeefan01, Gitfddler, Yoslate, DickSeaCup and GuitArtMan for their replies to my post, I appreciate very much your welcome to the club... More about the 575 : its serial number is E 53405, it has a '59 Seymour Duncan in the neck position, and the standard Schaller in the bridge position. The sound is really what you should expect from a Gibson 175, but you don't hear on too many jazz records - I won't give you examples, as the guitar playing of those jazz giants makes you forget somewhat weak guitar tones (guitar ? amplifier ? miking ?). I think this guitar would have an even more better tone with another bridge pickup, and I'm not satisfied with the potentiometers (the volume knobs for example only operate between 7 and 10, and the trebble-bass pots lack in efficiency... Any advice welcome !) More about the Sweet 16 : its serial number is M 35202. It is a really light guitar ( 2,900 kg ), which makes it for its outstanding acoustic tone (it reminds me the tone of my Guild F-65 CE - I'm also a Guild fan...). I have strung it with a 0.13 set (I hate extra-light strings...) so you can feel the guitar vibrating against your body when you play it... delightful ! OK, the Gibson pickup is nice, but as the seller gave me the original Schaller floating pickup, I've ordered to a famous french handmade pickups maker (Benedetti (not Benedetto !) : http://n.mercadal.free.fr/) a custom-made mini-humbucking with the same specifications as the Gibson, that will take place in the Schaller black casing - then, the Sweet 16 will recover its original look, with the pickup perfectly fitting the pickguard... but with a tone very close of (and maybe even better than) the Gibson J.Smith ! Now I'm dreaming about a Super Eagle, just like the one Gitfiddler showed on a post... Wow ! I add two pics of the back of my guitars... Just for sharing ;-) Best regards ! Christian. 575-2-HOC.jpg 575-2-HOC.jpg_thumb Sweet16-2-HOC.jpg Sweet16-2-HOC.jpg_thumb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
golferwave Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 Welcome to the HOC Christian! Fabulous looking Heritage! Pickups are a personal taste. I'll let others give you some suggestions but the pickups must sound good to you. As for the pots there are great ones available from RS guitar works or All Parts. They make a big difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundersteel Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 [glow=red,2,300]WELCOME TO THE H.O.C.! [/glow] Very nice guitars! I really like the colors. We're glad you found us. I like the storage area you have for your guitars and amplifiers. Mine are stuck inside a closet! I also noticed that the switch tip on the 575 is missing...hmmm...interesting modification. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparky Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 Nice guitars dude... I especially like the blue sky reflection on the back of the Sweet 16. An artistic reflection on an artistic creation. Way cool.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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