big bob Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 I bought both my 575 and my y2k millie ltd from elderly...picked out there not mail ordrerd.. they were set up perfect.. Both set up's were done by Big Dave.. the dealer is the person that does the set up.. I would crap at wolfe not heritage.. now the stat dlx,,,,,, that one was set ub by a real.... um ...well ... Brent.. action was a little high.. but not bad.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthpawGuy Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 I've ony bought one new Heritage, my 535, and it was perfect. Bought it unseen and unplayed by me from Wolfe Guitars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrankS Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 I have had my H-150 for a couple of months now and while it was new it was made in 2007. The volume controls are a little scratchy and the tone controls didn't work until I cleaned them. I chalk this up to sitting in the store for so long. The nut is horrible. The string spacing is very obviously wider between the E and A strings than all the others and the high E string is too close to the edge of the fingerboard. The slots are not cut properly either. I will have it replaced locally as soon as I can bear to part with it for long enough to have the work done. My strat, that I bought new in 79, will probably will appreciate me sending my Heritage away for a while anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuz Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 While I believe that the nuts on Heritage guitars are by far their weakest quality component, I have not had to replace any of mine. The good news is that a bone nut upgrade is relatively inexpensive. I just don't play enough open chords in my church praise band to justify having any of my Heritages gone for a week. Also FWIW, the worst nut by far of any guitar I have owned is on my PRS David Grissom Trem (PRS a company know for their impeccable quality). I have spent two set ups from to different luthiers and it's still only 85-90% correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzpunk Posted May 24, 2009 Author Share Posted May 24, 2009 Thanks for all of the information guys. This has been a very informative thread. I'll post an update once I get her back! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul P Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 I have had my H-150 for a couple of months now and while it was new it was made in 2007. The volume controls are a little scratchy and the tone controls didn't work until I cleaned them. I chalk this up to sitting in the store for so long. My 2007 535 controls are also scratchy and were that way new. Twisting them back an forth a bit usually cleans them up for a while. I plan on replacing them some day when I find the time to dissect the guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnCovach Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 Like others here, I adjust every guitar I buy and they all have some little problem or another. The Custom Shop Steve Howe 175 that I discussed in another thread is almost new and yet has all kinds of minor issues that need sorting. Every Heritage I own has required some work, but so have my Fenders and G&L's. (I must say that the Gretsches have been great.) I figure that's just part of the process of acquiring a new guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qcvol Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 Just an observation but I am also a member of the Les Paul Forum and I hear the same complaints about the new Gibsons. Particularly the nuts not properly cut. Part of the nature of the beast in a production environment especially if its an unautomated process done by hand. I've taken every Gibson guitar I've bought to a luthier and had a graphite nut installed. BTW the 150 I bought from Wolfe was flawless. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brentrocks Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 I've only purchased two of my Heritages brand new (H-555 & H-150 P90)...both were PERFECT!! my 140 goldtop was new when i got it and it was perfect as well....there is a check by the toggle but i knew it was there before it was painted. the body was NOS from 1993 and the toggle cavity was drilled a little too deep, so the maple was a little on the thin side, thus it cracked. no biggie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brentrocks Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 now the stat dlx,,,,,, that one was set ub by a real.... um ...well ... Brent.. action was a little high.. but not bad.. i agree Lance....that guitar has a fine line when it came to the truss rod adjustment. its kinda like a wife w/ PMS, if you tweek it too much, you might as well wait a few days and try again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brentrocks Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 It is really interesting to listen to everyone's points of view. As most of you know i mostly buy used. I have very rarely had a guitar come to my door "perfect". Before i even play a new (to me) guitar, i pull off the strings, polish the frets, oil the fretboard....re-string, set the truss rod, set the bridge........ ....then if it doesnt play right to suite me needs, (which, considering my talent level, would have to be pretty crappy) i will as a pro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffB Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 My H150 was right out of the box. I played it, put it back in the caes and took it home. At the 1st string change I gave the frets a light polish and slight tweak to the truss rod. I dont think any of the Heritages that Ive been involved with has had any issues...... Or no one has got back to me to complain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbltwin1 Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 Ordered my 535 from a local dealer. It;s antique something. Can't really remember what they call it. It is undoubtedly the finest guitar I have eve owned and I've had a few. I own and have owned gibsons, fender, ricks, hamers, and even a haagstrom or two. The 535 is hands down the best I've ever owned. Set up was good, just the way it came. Was set up with 10-46, just the way I play it. I don't claim to be a luthier, but have done thousands of setups and repairs, inluding all done at the music store that I used to work at. Nothing compares. ALL people play differently, hence all people want something else. Buzzes happen, temperature changes, people screw up. Get your guitar checked and play it. Like one poster said, back in the day, all the blugrassers wanted action high because they beat the poop out of it. Does that make it a bad guitar for those of us that like it low? Adjust to YOUR likes and go with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzpunk Posted May 24, 2009 Author Share Posted May 24, 2009 I appreciate all of the responses here but some are losing sight of the details mentioned in my initial post. String action may be subjective but an over cut and shoddily filled nut is poorly done work-period. Some might find this acceptable on a $2400 guitar, I do not. The matter of the bridge is also not subjective. It's either wonderfully crafted to fit the body or it is not-period. If the luthier I hired is confident that he can make improvements in this area than either a) he is more skilled than the original luthier or b ) the original luthier had a different standard per what was considered acceptable. I already stated that I expected to pay for a set up in my initial post. I did not expect to find a botched nut filled with baking soda and glue nor to be told that there was a fundamental construction detail that could be improved upon. We all have varying standards as to what is acceptable so if some here think this is fine on a $2400 guitar great, I'm not going to argue with you. One thing I don't need is to be told that my expectations are foolish thank you very much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brentrocks Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 Jazz...have you called Heritage yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuz Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 I appreciate all of the responses here but some are losing sight of the details mentioned in my initial post. String action may be subjective but an over cut and shoddily filled nut is poorly done work-period. Some might find this acceptable on a $2400 guitar, I do not. The matter of the bridge is also not subjective. It's either wonderfully crafted to fit the body or it is not-period. If the luthier I hired is confident that he can make improvements in this area than either a) he is more skilled than the original luthier or b ) the original luthier had a different standard per what was considered acceptable. I already stated that I expected to pay for a set up in my initial post. I did not expect to find a botched nut filled with baking soda and glue nor to be told that there was a fundamental construction detail that could be improved upon. We all have varying standards as to what is acceptable so if some here think this is fine on a $2400 guitar great, I'm not going to argue with you. One thing I don't need is to be told that my expectations are foolish thank you very much. Who said your expectation were foolish? I think the consensus is that a general set up from the factor or the dealer is only going to be a "general" setup that will need to be tweaked (by either you or a luthier) to get it to your specs. I also would be the house that the build up nut was done at the dealer, not Heritage. Finally, I can't argue with you about the bridge (and I don't remember anyone saying that a faulty bridge is acceptable). Good luck and I hope the guitar is fixed to your specs. Again, I know what you are going through after dumping $175 on my PRS David Grissom Trem to get it to stay in tune. My point is these issues are not unique to Heritage, all companies let a couple slip through that should have been fixed on the spot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High Flying Bird Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 I think the consensus is that a general set up from the factor or the dealer is only going to be a "general" setup that will need to be tweaked (by either you or a luthier) to get it to your specs. Amen, I play with an action that most of you would call way to high and I like the neck to be bowed just a tad. I wouldn't expect anyone to ship a guitar set up like I want it. I may seem hard on Heritage and some of their dealers but when the time comes to order my custom I will be spending my money on a Heritage. I am thinking about sending the gold 535 up there to get HRWs and new wiring put in. I have had some trouble with the pots and switch and when I was trying to clean them I noticed small pieces of Seymore Duncan wires attached to the pots. I know Heritage didn't ship the guitar out like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freshmattyp Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 I think it's been said before but it bears repeating. You should contact your dealer. They are the ones who need to make this right, not Heritage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brentrocks Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 I think it's been said before but it bears repeating. You should contact your dealer. They are the ones who need to make this right, not Heritage. VERY GOOD POINT!!!! thank you sir! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spectrum13 Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 Back to work after a three day weekend and this AGAIN? OK. The toggle switchs Heritage uses are well below switchcraft quality. Caps and pot values may need to be changed depending on what you play and play through. The nuts are a $30 upgrade to bone and even after Ren cuts them they need a touch of trim. Very few dealers have a first class luthier setting up their stuff and "if" they do the setups they should be netural. This weekend I got back three of my guitars from the Luthier. (see my favorite luthier). My 137 is going on two year old so it got a new Swithcraft toggle and a ivory nut cut to replace the plastic one it came with. When new it needed to be shimmed as the G was cut too low. I like to wait for the wood to settle before doing this work. The toggle was cutting out and loose as a goose. The only used Heritage I have is the 150. The string spacing at the nut was off so that got a bone nut to correct. Got the Edwards 355 type back and this "I thought", was set up perfect in Japan. Even though it flawless, my Luthier was able to improve it to a point I did not think possible. Also got my Eastman 905 back. Two years old and was also "perfect" from China. The luthier was able to better seat the bridge, adjusted the neck and nut and it too is also better than I thought possible. Here is the reality check... accept that what you pay for something and where you buy it is NOT a guarantee it will be what you WANT or EXPECT it to be. Sometimes we need to work with what we got. Sure it may cost a little more than we think is should but the end result, plays for itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzpunk Posted May 26, 2009 Author Share Posted May 26, 2009 Back to work after a three day weekend and this AGAIN? Wow, you actually had a 3 day weekend? Must be nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitArtMan Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 I spoiled you with that 535 I sold you. Have Michael Tuttle do the set up... Have Michael Tuttle do the set up... Have Michael Tuttle do the set up... BTW I had Michael build me the strat of my dreams. It ships out this coming Monday. Can't wait!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundersteel Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 Wow, you actually had a 3 day weekend? Must be nice! I had a 4-day weekend... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spectrum13 Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 [ BTW I had Michael build me the strat of my dreams. It ships out this coming Monday. Can't wait!!! If that strat comes out equal or better than your standard gear, we are going to need more than just pictures. I'll be traveling to SF in July! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smurph1 Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 I had a 4-day weekend... Me too..Didn't get paid for it though..OUCH..I have to chime in on this discussion..First off, I really try to avoid buying a guitar i can't play first..that's just me.. I need to fall in love with the TONE of the instrument, not the way it looks..I'n not criticizing those who like to order spanking new instruments..That's your call..I also think if there's a problem..a real problem, like a crappy nut etc..Just send it back..If you are spending in excess of $2K for your guitar, you have the right to be a pain in the butt..Make 'em fix it.. However, if it's a set up that is not to your liking, maybe the action is a bit high, or the truss rod needs a tweak, well then I personally will go to my trusted tech and tell him what I want..But I generally buy used, my finances won't allow me to to otherwise.. so I already know how the guitar plays, looks and sounds.. Which, IMHO is the only way to go..Ok, I'm off my soap box.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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