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Totally know what you mean. Some guitars just seem to have a need to have a pickguard on them and some just look better without. For the most part I like pickguards on. There is the occasional guitar where it just seems like they look nicer when you can see the entire top without a pickguard covering anything.

I get it, that "Wind Cried Mary" tone is awful!!! (LOL 😛)

The performance is masterful as is the arrangement and improv. At first I thought it was too dark in tone. Thirty seconds later, I changed my mind. Very, very cool.

I complained about his tone. It made me look like a beginner.

I have just lately got back into playing my electric guitars. I went on a 3+ year bender of ONLY playing my acoustics. I did a lot of experimenting with strings and gauges on my acoustics. My conclusion was that most bigger body acoustics(dreadnoughts) thrive with 13s and most smaller body acoustics (small jumbos and OMs) like 12s. But there are some exceptions.... and thus the reason for this reply. I have a beautiful 1957 J-200 Reissue acoustic that you would think based on it's large size would love heavier (13s) strings. But I read many acoustic forums that the heavier strings can "choke" the top and sacrifice tone on a J-200. Well, I didn't believe it until I tried it. Heavier strings (13s) took all the projection and life out of the J-200, so I immediately put 12s back on. So I think string gauges and even brands, can vary from guitar to guitar based on the design and the brand producing the guitar.

And Jimi used 9s... nobody complained about his tone. 🤨

Just my opinion, but I prefer the looks of guitars (especially Gibson & Heritage guitars) WITH the pickguard on the guitar. I always thought the guitars that had the pickguards removed looked hacked, naked, and modified. Plus, the pickguard is really a "finger rest" so it serves as functional part of the guitar as well.

Amen, Brother!

Weight is not an issue for me. All my tube combo amps are around 35lbs (the all tube Headstrong 'Lil King is even much lighter than that). My pedalboard weighs about the same. I am 58 years old and the day I can't haul 35lbs in and out of the car is the day I will stop playing. I don't need 100 watts or a 4x12 cab, they are super cool but unpractical anymore. Mic the cab and use some monitors. If you do this you can lower the stage volume (use the above mentioned attenuate to lower the stage & overall volume even more). So get in shape, butter cup, LOL 😛 and haul a medium size combo amp, a pedalboard, and one the great new attenuators..... no need to sacrifice tube tone for volume or weight issues. Just my opinion, others may vary.

And never once have you regretted it! I'm with you all the way! The best and most simplest option. I think Heritage should just ship there guitars with FABER hardware.

FWIW, I've spoken of this previously, but Heritage is now using a new ABR-style bridge/thumbwheel system on their new CC models that's a direct drop-in replacement for the Pinnacle system. They can be ordered through Mike at Heritage as well. I've compared it to a couple of Fabers, and while I actually prefer the Heritage ABR to the Faber, it's not necessarily better or worse-sounding, just a bit different. It's a little louder and brighter than the Faber with perhaps a little less in the low-mids, so that's something to take into consideration before purchasing this system. Also, I've compared the new Heritage ABR to a recent Gibson Historic ABR-1 from an aesthetic point of view as well as their tonal characteristics, and other than the Gibson name on the underside of the ABR-1, they look and sound nearly identical to one another in every respect. If Kluson is still manufacturing the Gibson bridge, I suspect that they're also producing the same bridge for Heritage. EDIT: Just another note upon comparing the Faber to the new Heritage ABR, if construction is a primary consideration, the Faber definitely beats the Heritage bridge by a mile. Just the fact that Faber has resolved the issue of loose saddles falling out is a big plus for me.

Be aware that Faber website also says that Heritage tended to do different things sometimes, and to measure what you have in hand first. Some of their recommendations were not exact right for what i had in hand.

Is it so much of a volume issue as it is weight? Those modelers/solid state abominations are significantly lighter. For some reason the Fender Mustang craze just came to mind. How many people here and other places raved on the 100w Mustang III combo and the Mustang IV head/cabinet? I know they were lightweight... but was the tone really there?

I have a custom ordered H535, turning 9 years old this year. When I initially bought it, I didn't want the single-ply plastic pickguard that was offered. Years before it would have been a matching flame bound maple pickguard, but cost-cutting measures reduced it to a cheap piece of plastic. A few years ago, I had a newer designed, multiply pickguard installed. Looks better to me. Fast-forward to 2023, I purchased a new H150 factory direct with a standard pickguard. For some reason, I like that guitar without a pickguard. Again looks better. I have a HOC LE H137 with soapbar P90's. To my eyes, it looks "right" with a NOS Gibson pickguard on it vs without it. Can't explain it, but some guitars seem right with a pickguard and others don't. Anyone else do this?

I have used TIs in 14s at times. Here's one of their two sets. https://shop.thomastik-infeld.com/product-category/guitar/jazz-guitar/george-benson-jazz-guitar/product/george-benson-jazz-guitar-gb114/?_gl=1*x4crvl*_up*MQ..*_gs*MQ..&gclid=Cj0KCQjwh_i_BhCzARIsANimeoGybneEuaGoJHyoNpbb8kTGWTwcGe3M7Kgikc6L2t0cJlNqalXoTrMaAjbGEALw_wcB I even tried 15s. Here is what I found. Acoustically, the guitar is loud. The neck has to be straight and the action low to be playable, at least until you build up big callouses and more strength. It's hard to comment on the tone. My bias is that it is richer, but that may be my subconscious trying to justify the work and pain! I've learned whatever everyone else already knew: use comfortable strings and your pickup. Perfect.

I now started to appreciate the abrn faber bridge installed on my H150 .... !!

Thank you, both have done a LOT of work all over on tours with me. The 535 in particular is an incredible guitar! Feels like a vintage instrument

nice H550's in this thread! A lot of players who use heavier strings tune down to make it easier to bend. SRV famously, probably inspired by Hendrix

that was really good. As usual. That Sweet 16 just kills! beautiful guitar

that's too bad, it was funny! edit: I think you guys should change your band name. It would be hilarious, especially with a female singer. I bet you'd get more gigs!

Cold pizza has got me on the run

Yes....

Those are both very nice guitars!

There are reasons why Lester William Polsfuss got into building a solid body guitar, instead of just playing the existing hollowbodies of the time.

This times infinity