NHD...a couple surprises when i opened the case!

[Guest HRB853370]

Congratulations. I dream of owning something like THAT one day!

[Steiner]

The stain on the back and neck maple make it appear like natural rosewood. I really like that color combination! If it weren't for that tone-suckin', hillbilly-crowbar.

 

That's a beautiful guitar Brent. I trust she sounds as beautiful as she looks (a common Heritage attribute)!

[brentrocks]

i think its maple all the way around?

[NoNameBand]

Regarding the question about the benefit of 5 ply necks; Laminated necks are stronger and straighter. This provides the opportunity for better/lower action if desired. It also equates to fewer neck problems over the long haul. In other words, its better, also more expensive.

Enjoy,

Mark

[Patrick]

Regarding the question about the benefit of 5 ply necks; Laminated necks are stronger and straighter. This provides the opportunity for better/lower action if desired. It also equates to fewer neck problems over the long haul. In other words, its better, also more expensive.

Enjoy,

Mark

 

 

While what you say is true . . . in general . . . it's also a very broad generalization. There are many, many 1 piece necks that are very stable, straight as a rifle shot and haven't moved in decades. However, with that being said, I do prefer laminated necks . . . and I prefer 3 piece over 5 piece. There's plenty of debate over which is better, a 3 piece or a 5 piece. To my knowledge, neither side has ever proven its point. My preference is purely aesthetic. The 3 piece is more expensive than the 5 piece because it requires larger (wider) pieces of good maple. I also learned recently, while watching Marv Lamb rolling the 3 piece neck for my new Golden Eagle, that 3 piece necks will carve and roll into shape much differently from each other. It's hard to duplicate the feel of a 3 piece neck when carving and rolling a 5 piece neck and vis-a-versa. Interesting stuff that I never knew.

[NoNameBand]

The only generalization is to assume that 1 piece necks are inferior. One piece necks from a quality manufacturer are perfectly good necks and some will and have lasted for decades trouble free. The fact is though, if you compare 100 1 piece necks against 100 laminated necks, you will find the laminated ones to be a more consistently strong and straight neck with fewer problems. This is not a generalization. This as I mentioned earlier does not mean that 1 piece necks are not good necks. I piece necks are the standard, laminated necks are better. Just like anything else, Good, Better & Best. If a 1 piece neck is "Good", a laminated neck is "Better", is a laminated Through-Neck the Best (for solid body guitars of course)? There's a couple of toothpics to chew on.

All the best,

Mark

[Patrick]

The only generalization is to assume that 1 piece necks are inferior. One piece necks from a quality manufacturer are perfectly good necks and some will and have lasted for decades trouble free. The fact is though, if you compare 100 1 piece necks against 100 laminated necks, you will find the laminated ones to be a more consistently strong and straight neck with fewer problems. This is not a generalization. This as I mentioned earlier does not mean that 1 piece necks are not good necks. I piece necks are the standard, laminated necks are better. Just like anything else, Good, Better & Best. If a 1 piece neck is "Good", a laminated neck is "Better", is a laminated Through-Neck the Best (for solid body guitars of course)? There's a couple of toothpics to chew on.

All the best,

Mark

 

Yep!! I agree with all you've said. It's much more likely to have "issues" with a 1 piece . . . especially mahogany neck. It's also considerably easier to correct the problems on 1 piece neck. However, if you can avoid them to begin with . . . . Only problem is, an H150 would probably look kinda funny . . . or at least different with a laminated neck Then there's the whole issue of the differences of tonal characteristics. Another whole 'nother topic.

regards,

[NoNameBand]

I personally like the tone of a 1 piece Mahogany neck & rosewood fingerboard combination on a 150. Very warm with good sustain. Also, remember that a 150/Les Paul gets a lot of support from the body joined at the 17th fret. Sort of makes the point moot in a 150.

[peacemaker]

Incredible guitar, man! Congrats!!

 

Fuel for my 525 lust . . . one day . . .

[Patrick]

I personally like the tone of a 1 piece Mahogany neck & rosewood fingerboard combination on a 150. Very warm with good sustain. Also, remember that a 150/Les Paul gets a lot of support from the body joined at the 17th fret. Sort of makes the point moot in a 150.

 

I hear people say that . . . but my ear isn't good enough to hear the difference. I thought the body on 150s and LPs joined at the 16th fret? I gotta go back and count 'em now. Anyway, I would love to hear a true side by side comparison of a 535/335 or a 150/LP with the only variable being the wood type of the neck. But, that's totally impossible. I'm not talking about 2 guitars with different necks. That would still allow for variables from one guitar to another. I'm talking about the exact same guitar. But that's impossible to do. Try to imagine what Gregg Allman's guitar work at the Filmore East back in 1971 would have sounded like if his '59 burst had a 3 or a 5 piece neck. . . or Dicky's 1957 gold top with a laminated neck. I wouner if I would have been able to detect a difference . . . or anyone else for that matter.

[NoNameBand]

One comparison is a Strat w/ maple neck & fingerboard and one with a rosewood fingerboard. You will hear a difference and that is both with Maple neck just a different fingerboard. Maple is a brighter wood tone. In a Fender Tele and/or Strat, it has more twang. Single coil pickups marry well and showcase the brighter characteristics of Maple neck & fingerboards. Mahogany is more mellow sounding and has better sustain.

[Patrick]

One comparison is a Strat w/ maple neck & fingerboard and one with a rosewood fingerboard. You will hear a difference and that is both with Maple neck just a different fingerboard. Maple is a brighter wood tone. In a Fender Tele and/or Strat, it has more twang. Single coil pickups marry well and showcase the brighter characteristics of Maple neck & fingerboards. Mahogany is more mellow sounding and has better sustain.

 

 

Yeah . . . I'm not talking about the differences in the tone from maple to rosewood finger boards. The difference in tone in that situation is very obvious. I'm talking about the difference in tone between a mahogany neck and a laminated maple neck . . . with the finger board and all other things being similar. In the case of the 2 Les Pauls I referenced from Dicky and Gregg . . . . both would still have the rosewood boards. I'm just wondering if the tonal characteristcs can be affected by the wood UNDER the finger board.

[NoNameBand]

That is a good point. I don't know that answer to same fingerboard, 1 piece vs laminated neck sound variations. Dicky Betts usually favored a Les Paul while Duane Allman usually favored the SG for slide.

Take care,

Mark

[NoNameBand]

I hear people say that . . . but my ear isn't good enough to hear the difference. I thought the body on 150s and LPs joined at the 16th fret? I gotta go back and count 'em now. Anyway, I would love to hear a true side by side comparison of a 535/335 or a 150/LP with the only variable being the wood type of the neck. But, that's totally impossible. I'm not talking about 2 guitars with different necks. That would still allow for variables from one guitar to another. I'm talking about the exact same guitar. But that's impossible to do. Try to imagine what Gregg Allman's guitar work at the Filmore East back in 1971 would have sounded like if his '59 burst had a 3 or a 5 piece neck. . . or Dicky's 1957 gold top with a laminated neck. I wouner if I would have been able to detect a difference . . . or anyone else for that matter.

 

By the way, you are right about the 16th fret.

All the best,

Mark

[conorb]

Another nice find Brent. Congrats!

 

You definitely have the knack of being in the right place at the right time.

 

conorb

[Patrick]

That is a good point. I don't know that answer to same fingerboard, 1 piece vs laminated neck sound variations. Dicky Betts usually favored a Les Paul while Duane Allman usually favored the SG for slide.

Take care,

Mark

 

Yeah . . .the SG was set up for slide. But on the songs he played without slide . . . Blue Sky, Eliz Reed etc., he played a beautiful burst. Some say it was a '59 others say it was a '60. Either way, it was beautiful and he played the shit out of it. What a musician!! I was fortunate enough to be at the Fillmore East on the second night they played there. I was 21 years old and had just bought my first real guitar . . . . a 1969 Olympic White Fender Strat. Couldn't even play a single note. All I knew was that I loved guitar and wanted to devote my life to it. Unfortunately . . . I continued to love the guitar, but never really made the devotion. I'm, now trying to make up for some lost time.

[Guest mgoetting]

Yeah . . .the SG was set up for slide. But on the songs he played without slide . . . Blue Sky, Eliz Reed etc., he played a beautiful burst. Some say it was a '59 others say it was a '60. Either way, it was beautiful and he played the shit out of it. What a musician!! I was fortunate enough to be at the Fillmore East on the second night they played there. I was 21 years old and had just bought my first real guitar . . . . a 1969 Olympic White Fender Strat. Couldn't even play a single note. All I knew was that I loved guitar and wanted to devote my life to it. Unfortunately . . . I continued to love the guitar, but never really made the devotion. I'm, now trying to make up for some lost time.

 

 

From white Strat to white Johnny Smith. Pretty damn good.

[Guest mgoetting]

New home for this fella.

 

This guy has a wonderful clean tone. The P-90 hum is nominal, although I don't have any dimmer switch nearby- yet. The neck is the heftiest in my stable but comfortable. It's similar to the H137 I had.

 

But this is a sick guitar. It is schizophrenic. It's part Wes Montgomery and part Brian Setzer. There's a little Chet in him, too.

[slider313]

Try to imagine what Gregg Allman's guitar work at the Filmore East back in 1971 would have sounded like if his '59 burst had a 3 or a 5 piece neck. . . or Dicky's 1957 gold top with a laminated neck. I wouner if I would have been able to detect a difference . . . or anyone else for that matter.

 

Patrick, it was Duane Allman who played slide, not Gregg (keyboards/vocals). FWIW I can hear the difference between a maple neck/rosewood fretboard and a mahogany neck/rosewood fretboard. The maple will always sound brighter.

 

Also, Duane didn't use that SG for very long and gave it to Dickey. Duane used a '57 goldtop for most of his famous recordings and after doing the Layla sessions he found the "burst", and swapped out the pickups with the goldtop.

[slider313]

Oh, the burst was a '58.