Solid body weights

[Guest mgoetting]

Skolnick's model is about 13 lbs. I heard that mahagony is selected for its density, and the most dense is used for his guitars. The body dimensions are the same as other 150s.

 

Does anyone know how Heritage selects density for the 137, 140, 150, 170 and 157? Are there target weights for each? Is the 157 usually heavier than the 150?

 

When I was on a Heritage tour I was surprised to learn how they select different woods for similar models. Specifically the appearance standards are higher for the 555 than the 535 even though the dimensions and materials are the same. Is this true for the 140 vs. the 150?

 

What I'm asking for is inside information on how woods are selected for these models.

 

Thanks.

[koula901]

Good luck garnering information - I can't wait to read the responses.

[Guest mgoetting]

Good luck garnering information - I can't wait to read the responses.

 

 

I'm not sure that this is top secret info. To find out about the wood selection for 555s vs. 535, all I had to do was ask Jim. He told a group of us without blinking.

 

In fact, the context of the question was that we were looking at a stack of assembled, seemingly identical rims. I asked if some of these will be for 535s and some for 555. That's when he said they use the better woods for the 555.

 

There are some HOC members who may well know if there is a selection process for the different maple and mahagony components for solid body models. If so, it must be purely cosmetic unless density is a factor in the heavier models.

[MuDBoNe]

FWIW regarding body weight. My 2000 H150CM weighs in at 10lb 6oz. It sustains for days. I owned a 1995 Studio with a fat 59 neck and the difference is night and day between the two.

[Guest mgoetting]

FWIW regarding body weight. My 2000 H150CM weighs in at 10lb 6oz. It sustains for days. I owned a 1995 Studio with a fat 59 neck and the difference is night and day between the two.

 

 

Were there differences in tone, sustain and weight?

[MuDBoNe]

The Heritage is much fatter and warmer. I dont really know how to describe tone with words, but the guitar seems much more responsive and alive than the Studio. It certainly inspires me to play differently. I beleive the weight has something to do with the increased sustain.

[Kuz]

You can select an approximate weight range when you custom order.

 

I like my 150s around 8.5-9.25lbs for max TONE!!!!

 

All my 150s are in that weight range.

[rjsanders]

over at the LP Forum the consensus seems to be that optimal weight for a les paul is somewhere in the 8.5-9.5 range. IMHO 13lbs for a mahogany solidbody like a 150/157 is way high. that's solid rosewood weight. i had a heavy '79 fretless Precision bass that was that heavy. my Heritage (137 & 157) & Gibson (LP customs - no maple caps) & Chapin Hawk solidbody guits are mostly mahogany, chosen for their resonance, etc. & weigh between 7.5-9.8 lbs.

 

point being i don't think weight is necessarily a function of resonance or sustain...

[skydog52]

My H-157 weighs in at 9.0 lbs. It has a lot of fight in her.

Good left hand with a wicked right cross.

[Spectrum13]

Beauty of the Burst has the 8.5 - 9.5 weights for the 58-60 LPs - We don't have the same old growth hog as we did 50 years ago.

 

Since Jim and Marv have been working white wood since 1956, I would trust them to choose the best tone wood available today. If current stock needs to be 50% heavier to get the tone Alex wants, so be it.

[erictheweasel]

Skolnick's model is about 13 lbs. I heard that mahagony is selected for its density, and the most dense is used for his guitars. The body dimensions are the same as other 150s.

 

 

Thanks.

 

 

My 157 Classic weighs in at about the same, I believe. It's the heaviest guitar I've ever had in my hands. Even heavier than an Les Paul bass.

 

eric

[Guest mgoetting]

Koula901 seems to be right. No one is divulging how woods, including densities, are selected for each model.

 

Topic for PSPIV.

 

My H140 is 7.9 lbs., for the record. It feels comfortable. I'm not going to complain about a 10 lbs. LP though. I've seen too many people smaller than me shoulder these for set after set and still smile.

[blues]

My h-137dc is 6lbs 4 oz on a postal scale

[Guest mgoetting]

My h-137dc is 6lbs 4 oz on a postal scale

 

 

Your in Fender territory.

[koula901]

FWIW, the 150 I got a month ago weighs 10.4, and the shop said that the 150s coming in are at that weight. Also, the H 137 DC that was shipped to me same day weighs 7.6 lbs. Judging by the fact that "blues"'s H 137 DC wights 6.4 lbs, I'd say that Heritage might be dealing with a shipment of heavy mahagony - maybe the lighter stuff is not currently available. Just a guess.

[blues]

It helps being a double cut,one piece body,and one piece neck. I had a tele that was less than 7 too.

[Gitfiddler]

As Kuz mentioned above, if a buyer wants to be sure of the approximate weight of their instrument, they can special order same from the factory via an authorized Heritage dealer.

 

That certainly must have been the case with my three p'up H-157 Custom. (I'm the second owner)

 

In addition to having three HRW's, it weighs just UNDER 9 lbs, and that configuration typically is on the heavy side. I sold a Gibson Black Beauty three p'up that weighed about 12 lbs!

 

[SouthpawGuy]

solid bodies

 

'86 140 = 7.4lbs

'06 137 = 9.0lbs (!)

'86 VIP2 = 7.8lbs

 

semi hollows

 

'07 535 = 7.8lbs

'96 535 = 7.4lbs

'01 Prospect = 7.8lbs

'04 Millie = 7.4lbs

 

fully hollow

 

'05 575 = 7.0lbs

 

================

 

for comparison

 

'90 LP Standard = 9.4lbs

 

and a couple of others for further comparison ...

 

G&L Legacy(s) ash body = 8.6lbs,

 

EBMM Axis with solid rosewood neck and rosewood top = 8.6lbs

 

===============

 

The surprise of the Heritage bunch is the 137 at 9.0lbs, it does however have great sustain and rock solid tuning. The neck Fralin, surprisingly, sounds amazing for clean jazz tones.

[the jayce]

over at the LP Forum the consensus seems to be that optimal weight for a les paul is somewhere in the 8.5-9.5 range. IMHO 13lbs for a mahogany solidbody like a 150/157 is way high. that's solid rosewood weight. i had a heavy '79 fretless Precision bass that was that heavy. my Heritage (137 & 157) & Gibson (LP customs - no maple caps) & Chapin Hawk solidbody guits are mostly mahogany, chosen for their resonance, etc. & weigh between 7.5-9.8 lbs.

 

point being i don't think weight is necessarily a function of resonance or sustain...

 

Right on! sustain is 90% pickups, guitar wood and density as well as weight affect the tone and feel.

[SouthpawGuy]

ooooops !

 

for "'86 140" please read "170", the double cut version of the 140.

[Guest mgoetting]

Got a H157 today. Thanks so very much to BMG.

 

This feels lighter than my Black Beauty, which MIK has now. The neck is medium, not plump.

 

The scale shows 9.6 lbs.

[JeffB]

10.5lbs of great tone and playability. I just dont jump around as much as I might with my strat.

I tend to gravitate to heavy guitars regardless of type.

[koula901]

Got a H157 today. Thanks so very much to BMG.

 

This feels lighter than my Black Beauty, which MIK has now. The neck is medium, not plump.

 

The scale shows 9.6 lbs.

 

That's gorgeous Mark - is that a white rim I see, or cream?

[Guest mgoetting]

That's gorgeous Mark - is that a white rim I see, or cream?

 

 

It's white. I may need to fatten it up with some cream though. It seems like it's a bit underweight.

[Guest mgoetting]

My 157 is 3.4 lbs lighter than the Skolnick 150. That's a lot of variance in wood density. As far as I know, mine wasn't designed to be the lightest. There are probably some lighter than mine.