nuke

If anyone wants to actually measure, a set of under-string radius gauges is pretty cheap, under $10 from the usual online sources. Or for $0, get a string, a pencil, an exacto blade, a ruler and some poster board, index card or some other sturdy bit of paper. Tie the pencil to the string and a fixed point like a thumbtack at 12 inches, draw an arc on the index card. Repeat for 10, 11, 13. Trim the arc off with the exacto just wider than the width of your fingerboard. Then measure what you got. (how we did it before pre-made guitar tools became commonplace).

On the subject of fretboard radius: Both Gibson and Heritage guitars are usually specified as "12" radius". However, it is not at all unusual to find upon measuring the actual instrument in your hand to be anywhere from 9.5" to 14" radius!!! My 2001 H535, with all the factory nibs in place (meaning it absolutely left the factory this way) had a 10.5" fretboard radius. I've seen plenty of Gibson guitars, going all the way back to the 1950's, which had fretboard radius well smaller than the spec-sheet number of 12". Usually, radius doesn't matter that much, but if does matter as in the OP's situation trying to fit a 12-string capo, it would be important to actually measure it than to go by the spec sheet. On the 12-string capo, I really like the G7th Capo with the 12-string option. It works really well on acoustic 12-strings and electrics with the normal order of octave strings. (octave above the root string). Many electrics, and some acoustics (like the Taylor 652CE 12-string) have the octave courses reversed. One of the reasons I quickly decided the Taylor was not for me.

You'll need to measure it. The Heritage "specification" is very frequently not what is actually there. I know this from experience... However, a radius gauge is cheap and easy to get from Amazon or other online vendor of stuff, or you can just make one. Less than $10 for a whole set of them from Amazon.

They would appear to be humbuckers, as there are two sets of retaining screws on the back for holding the two coil bobbins. Can't tell without measurement of the electrical properties, or opening them up, but I would presume unless they're not "bucking hum". Depending on the metal used in the "foil", they may have good clarity, same as regular humbucker covers. The wrong metal, even plating, can produce eddy currents, which reduce the highs a great deal. That's often the case with import humbuckers, where brass is used, or even when an otherwise good nickel-silver cover is plated with copper under the finish plating. The Gretsch Filtertron is a great design, as the open area over the covers and the "notch" in the middle, break up eddy currents in the cover.

I have a box full of Schaller pickups, from many different brands of guitars. Schaller manufactured a *wide* variety of humbuckers, everything from low-output PAF style, to high-gain ceramic-magnet meatgrinders. Their PAF clones were really pretty good. Schaller had very good winding equipment in the 80's and 90's, as characteristically, most of their coils exhibit low capacitance, meaning they tend to cut bit less high frequency than comparably wound humbuckers from other makers. I have a Fender Esprit Elite with Schaller's most high-end pickup, also used on the Fender D'Aquisto jazz boxes from the early 80's MIJ "master series" (very nice instruments). Those are dark and highly overwound, but they are quite comparable to the SD '59 neck and JB Bridge combo, though constructed somewhat differently and with coil splitting. Can't really pin Schaller pickups to any one particular sound. They made an enormous variety of pickups, usually to whatever the OEM guitar manufacturer ordered. Schaller wasn't really available in the retail market for the most part. They'd probably still be around had they gotten into that racket. I mostly play blues and rock on the 535 with the HRW's. I find they work really well for that, and I can dial in very good tones with same tube amps I've been playing for decades now. Playing A/B side by side with a Collings I35LC and the Throbak SLE-101 Plus, they really were very similar in the H535 vs the Collings. On the other hand, I find the SD59's that came stock in my H150 to be higher output and darker, with a frequency response peak that sits a little lower in sort of a strident range. to each his own I guess. Changing pickups has become like changing socks these days. In the 1980's, it was kind of an exception to the rule, as pickups weren't quite as readily available on the retail market to players. Dimarzio and Seymour Duncan were kind of the early players in that market.

It's funny, because I have all the electronic test equipment to measure pickup performance, from the magnetic field and strength, to the inductance, capacitance and resistance (LCR). I can even make Bode plots of the full frequency response with a signal generator and an exciter coil with my digital oscilloscope. Truth is, humbuckers in the Gibson "PAF" style are far more similar than they are different. What is different, is generally, quite easily measured. Pickup changing has become a thing, as it is pretty easy, and buying stuff is a lot faster gratification than practicing guitar. LOL 🤔

On the older H535, you also get the wooden pickguard, which I just love. Yeah, the "internet wisdom" is what it is. Mostly, it is whichever way the strongest voices carry, not perhaps the most astute. Kind of like the HRW pickups. Back when they came out and were in production, they were hailed as the best things since sliced bread. In more current era internet lore, they get pooped on. In reality, they're quite good, I wouldn't change the ones in my H535. Also, the Schaller pickups used by everybody in the late-70's through early-90's, also were very well made and good quality. Even the Schaller hardware is pretty decent, though I'm just honestly, more accustomed to the conventional stop tail and bridge. You'll just have to go play some Heritage guitars. Honestly, I was lusting a Heritage back when I got my hands on the early H140. There was a shop that carried them where I grew up, and man, I wanted that guitar so bad. It was great. I just couldn't afford it. Over the years, I've never failed to try them out any time I saw one hanging on the wall in a shop somewhere. I encourage the OP to just go shop for a while and play any H535's he comes across. Most of them will be at least pretty good, some will be fantastic, and a few will have issues.

The older Heritage guitars can be stunningly great instruments. You just got to play them and see, and do a thorough checkout, like any used instrument. Heritage were a lot like Gibson Kalamazoo. Sometimes they were insanely great - and every now and then, just insane. I was quoted earlier in the thread. I have owned two Heritage guitars, both bought used. A 1998 H150, that I bought just over 20 years ago. The second is a 2001 H535 that I bought about a year ago. The necks on both are very similar, and nearly identical to my Gibson Custom Shop 60th anniversary 1960-v2 Les Paul 'burst. The "v2 neck" was a real thing, transitional between the fairly chunky '59 neck, and the razor-thin neck of the 1960-v3 and later vintage Gibsons. It is a very comfortable neck. The H535 is natural blonde and I happened to see it hanging at a shop. It was *pristine* with all the original Schaller hardware and the HRW pickup option. I played it and it instantly had "the sound" of a great ES335/H535, acoustically and through the pickups. The story diverges a bit here. My 1998 H150 has been an incredibly great playing guitar. The 2001 H535, had a not very well done fretboard/fretwork. It was all original, with the nibs in place. The fretboard itself was simply not properly leveled, which would be a factory issue. That kinda explains it being so pristine after 20+ years, it just wasn't playing that great. Some heroic work went into leveling the frets, it was OK-ish when I got it. But eventually, I yanked all the frets off, properly leveled the rosewood, and refretted with slightly larger Dunlop 6100 wire. I also put on a CNC machined nylon nut, just like Gibson used back in the 50's and 60's. (it's better than bone, trust me!) It now plays absolutely incredibly well. I put Faber locking bridge and tail, and the Faber bushings in it. The bushings made a surprising tone improvement. It was good before, it just had even more of that great semi-hollow sound. I capped it off with the lightweight Gotoh tuners that are perfect fit for the Grover Rotomatics. The Rotos were in great cosmetic shape, still quite shiny, but the lubricant inside had gotten stiff. The Gotohs are both light, smooth and just wonderful. I've played it A/B with a Collings I35LC with ThroBak pickups (a very, very nice $8000 semi-hollow). The I35LC is *amazing*. But the now properly fretted H535 gives up nothing to it. No regrets. My H535 is a lifetime keeper.

Funny how the authentic wear & tear isn't as artistic as the factory-produced simulated wear & tear. Just none of the marks that say, "well, that was truly unadvisable". Like the flat dent and cracked paint when the strat fell off the strap and the floor on stage one night...

Interesting comparison and great review. I know exactly where you're coming from. I've got a 1998 Heritage H150 and a 2020 Gibson Custom Shop 60th Anniversary 1960 v2 Tomato Soup Burst. (can you possibly make the name of that any longer?) The 1960 v2 neck is slightly thinner than the '59 profile, but not razor thin as the v3 1960 and later necks. Turns out, Gibson made 3 versions of the real burst in 1960, v1 which is exactly the same as the '59, the v2 which had improved color stability, only-slightly thinner neck profile and double-ring Kluson tuners. The custom 60th is lightly aged, one-piece mahogany body. Mine is a stunningly light 8.1lbs. Pickups are unpotted Custombucker-3 with alnico 3 magnets. I got a deal on the 1960v2 re-issue (brand new) and it is truly, great. I picked it up and it had that "beefy telecaster sound" instantly. The slight aging (not Murphy Lab, just Custom Shop) gives it a played in look without being "relic'd". My 1998 H150 was a special dealer run (I bought used from the dealer who originally sold it), originally made with SD59 p'ups and standard tune-o-matic tail (heavy zinc) and Nashville bridge, and jumbo fretwire (Dunlop 6100 profile). This one originally weighed in a little over 9lbs. The neck is maybe a hair thinner than the 1960v2, but I liked the R0-v2 because the neck was so familiar since I was playing the H150 since about 2001. The "aging" on my H150 is 100% authentic played-the-heck-out-it-lab. (LOL). The H150, I put on a diet, with Gotoh locking SG301 tuners with plastic keystone knobs, replacing the very heavy Grover Rotomatics, and it is now wearing Faber locking bridge, aluminum tail and the Faber bridge post inserts and tail bushings. It's about 8.8lbs now. Much nicer to live with as I get older. I'm just not gonna mess with the Les Paul at all. Just perfect the way it is. Thought I was going to sell the H150 when I got the Gibson. But after putting the lighter hardware on, it seems a lot more comfortable and practical to take out to play. So much for catch-and-release guitar collecting.

Have to say, I’m a very big fan of Faber locking bridge and tail piece and Gotoh SG301 locking tuners. Lighter, sound great, much lighter and far more practical to live with. Nylon nuts too. Same as the late 1950’s Gibson ‘bursts and other models from the golden era. Better than bone.

My 1998 H150 was fretted with Dunlop 6100 (measured with a micrometer), or some equivalent since Jescar and some others make the same size fret wire. It has always played very, very well and it had that resonance acoustically when I first picked it up at the Marin County guitar show 20+ years ago. I bought it on the spot from Buffalo Brothers, who at the time were a big Heritage shop. They said it was a special order run they had made with standard tail piece and SD59, the jumbo frets and no nibs. The original owner had traded it in for something else. I've not really done much other than play it most of that time. It was always a little dark, but when I had to change the output jack, I found they had also used the late-70's era Gibson pot values of 300k volume and 100k tone. I just re-did it all since I was doing the jack. (those enclosed barrel jacks tend to fail). I recently put it on a diet, put on Gotoh SG301 locking tuners in place of the Rotomatics (perfect drop-in fit) and half the weight, which took almost a 1/4-pound off the weight of the guitar! Those Grovers are heavy. Also put on locking Faber aluminum tail and bridge with the inserts. It's now down from a little over 9lbs to about 8-3/4 lbs, which is a lot more pleasant and balanced. Locking tuners and hardware make string changing so easy. I figured the 6100 fret wire would be good on the H535, they feel great and leveling the fretboard was the key. I didn't have to do much to level the frets after installation. I was stunned at how much better it sounded when I installed the longer Faber bushings for the tail and the bridge. They just really made an enormous sound difference in the 535. I think it just coupled the vibrations well into the maple center block, where the original Schaller bushings were much shorter, making little contact with the core. The bushings had little effect on the H150, as the ones that were there were pretty good actually, longer and securely pressed in. I'd recommend the 6100 wire. It's the biggest and smoothest that doesn't feel weird. I have another guitar with the even bigger super-jumbo Dunlop 6000 wire and it feels "train-tracky" to me.

In truth, The Heritage built some wonderful guitars and they built some goofs. Many years ago, I got a 1998 H150, that was just a few years old. It was from a special dealer order, with regular tune-o-matic tail and Nashville bridge and SD59, jumbo frets without nibs. It was on the lighter weight range too. As soon as I strummed it, knew it was right. Have owned that one over twenty years now. Last year I came upon a gorgeous H535 from 2001, in virtually unplayed condition, with HRW pickups and beautiful figured maple, natural blonde. It had, “the sound” that a great semi-hollow is supposed to have. If you’ve gone through a bunch of 335 style guitars, you know can be all over the place tone-wise. But I discovered why it had been played so little, because the factory fretwork and fingerboard was utter poo. After careful measurements I could tell it had a heroic attempt or two at leveling the frets. But ultimately the fretboard needed to be leveled to correct it. Still had the nibs, so it left the factory this way. A notched straightedge revealed the fingerboard was a total roller coaster of high and low spots. Tried everything I could think of first, but ended up pulling the frets and properly leveled the fingerboard, then fretted it with Dunlop 6100. Plays fantastic now. Total keeper. So the old-era Heritage wasn’t immune to screwing up, just like the prior occupants of 225 Parsons. They also made some great gems as well.

What's the difference between grits and polenta? (about fifteen bucks) 😇

As a bit of a followup, I went ahead and installed the Faber tail bushings and INSert Nashville to ABR studs into my H150. My 1998 H150 is a little bit different, as it was originally factory equipped with Tune-o-Matic tail and bridge. (heavy type and Nashville). The tailpiece bushings were not steel, but were longer than the ones in my 535. The Nashville bridge bushings were pretty much the same. Curiously, they didn't make much difference on the H150, unlike the H535. I suspect that the longer Faber bushings made far better contact with the maple center block and coupled the vibrations better to the body. I think the H150 were already well coupled, due to the solid body design of the guitar.

I've measured the HRW's in my 2001 H535... The magnets are almost certainly A5, but they do read a bit stronger than typical. The external appearance is the same as the Schaller pickups. I didn't unsolder the covers on mine to look inside, but they are definitely made out of Schaller components, with the different spacing of the poles for the neck and bridge, double mounting screws, etc. The rest of electrical measurements are very similar to the SD SH-2 jazz set. I'm super happy with them in the 535. I like them as much as the ThroBaks that were in a Collings I35LC I played not long ago.

Yeah, when I re-did my H150 pots (a 1998 that was factory SD59's) I picked values to dial in a good sound. Heritage had used the Gibson "Norlin Era" potentiometer values of 100k tone and 300k volume. That loaded it down a bit too much, and was kind of dark. The output jack was getting funky, so decided to get the pots at the same time. I experimented with the classic 500k/500k and it was a bit too brite, so went with 250k tone pots and the 500k volumes. Curiously, the same factory values used in my Heritage H535 with the HRW pickups. So Heritage was picking values in the late 90's and early 2001 era. Since the tone pots are log taper, a 250k at max is the same as a 500k dialed down to about '8' on the knob. Which for me on this guitar, was about perfect. It has the right amount of brightness opened up all the way, without getting harsh. I did 50's wiring, so rolling off the volume doesn't roll out the highs quite as much. Works pretty well on my '98 H150, as it is one of the lighter ones and very resonant.

Yeah, the thing is, humbuckers that follow the classic, "PAF" pattern (basically all Gibson styled humbuckers) have quite similar response curves. They're pretty flat in the lower frequency range and the differences are the resonant-peak center frequency and acuity (called "Q-factor" in electronics.) There are some things that affect them in non-obvious ways, such as the cover materials, even how they are plated. The guitarnutz2 message board has a sub-board for pickup testing and modeling, which gets quite deeply nerdy in an electrical engineering direction. I'm an EE in real life, and I have the lab equipment to measure magnetic fields, inductance, capacitance, even make Bode plots of the pickup response curves. The response curves are easily manipulated externally with simple electronics such as the guitar tone controls, or even better, an EQ pedal, like a 7 or 10 band, especially if your subtle with it. The Gibson Varitone switch is just a bunch of inductors and capacitors that are switched in order to alter the frequency response and resonant peaks of the pickups. The SD59's have a rather sharp peak in the 2.5k-2.7k range, so they're kind of bright and a bit harsh wide open. But that's ok - because rolling down the volume slightly and slightly reducing the tone knob, it shaves that peak down quite a bit. Similar effects can be achieved by using different values of tone and volume potentiometers and tone capacitors.

FWIW, I'm absolutely loving the HRW's in my 2001 H535 that I bought about 6 months ago. The Faber locking hardware, and surprisingly, the Faber bushing inserts for the tail and the bridge made an absolutely enormous difference in tone. I just refretted it with Dunlop 6100, as it had possibly the worst frets and fretboard I've seen on a Heritage. But those HRW's are fantastic for the blues/rock tones I like. They really complement the excellent tone of this 535. I don't mind the SD59's that came original in my 1998 H150, they're a little "harsh". Slightly rolling off the volume and tone just a little bit makes them better. My H150 is definitely one of the more resonant ones, and lighter at around 8.75lbs.

Thin and properly applied poly doesn't sound much different than a properly applied nitrocellulose finish. The difference in finish is far, far more apparent on acoustic guitars where the body and especially the top play an enormous role in the sound of the guitar. The idea that "poly is bad" came the era when it was applied so thickly to guitars you could chip it off with a chisel and get 1/8" flakes of it coming off. Poly has a lot of advantages, the biggest is it doesn't take much time in the factory. Once it is cured, it is stable. Not to mention the solvents and worker exposure. Rickenbacker is using a UV-cured finish currently, very little solvent is used, and it cures in minutes upon exposure to UV light. For the owner, poly doesn't shink, doesn't react with stuff, isn't easily damaged by common chemicals, like alcohol or acetone, and it is quite easy to make minor finish repairs, as it sands and polishes easily. Harder to make deeper repairs, since it is insoluble once cured. All that being said, I like nitro a lot. It feels right and I like the way it sinks into the grain over time, especially on spruce top acoustic guitars. Nitro finishes are very repairable for the experienced luthier with the proper equipment since lacquer can be blended with fresh lacquer to make nearly invisible repairs. Then we can get into the merits of hand-applied varnish finishes...

LOL, they do! Always thought it was weird, but kind of understand it now. I have one very nice guitar, that is so nice, that I get nervous touching it and have OCD to wipe it down every time I get it out for a while. Bought it from a friend who lives in Japan. I'm afraid to take it out anywhere. It's gorgeous and plays like a dream. But a few years ago, was offered a killer deal on a new Gibson 60th anniversary Custom Shop 1960 Les Paul reissue. It came "lightly aged". I have no "first nick" trepidation and pull it out to play with ease. I'll even take it out to a jam or what not. I've always made my own patina, but it seems to take decades. The most "patina" of mine is a 1984 Fender Esprit, and it already had some significant marks when I bought it in 1988.

Since I was around and 6-string aware when Heritage came along, as well as G&L, I've held both in high regard. I really fell in love with the H140 when I first set hands upon one in the 1980's. Somehow, me owning one, never happened. I can say that among my friends who knew Heritage, we tended to regard them as a "G-style" guitar that was good, more affordable and useful as a tool for the working musician who wanted a good-quality, G-style instrument that was road worthy. That seemed to be the prevailing view of the brand into the 2000's among working musicians. Used Heritage guitars from the 80's and early 90's tend have a lot of... patina in my experience. G&L's, especially ASAT's, same kind of experience. Working man's tools.

Nice channel on youtube. You got a lot of videos there!

Welcome!!! I'm almost 60 myself. Just playing devils advocate a bit, not trolling you.

Why not just buy a Gibson? Not trolling, but what made you get the Heritage instead of the Gibson? My first Heritage was a '98 H150 (I bought used), which was a special dealer order with Seymour Duncan 59's and tune-o-matic tail and bridge (Nashville type) instead of Schaller pups and hardware and jumbo frets. Heritage put some weird value pots in it (basically the same as Norlin era late 70's Les Pauls, 300k and 100k). I played it for almost 20 years like that. Eventually, I had to replace the output jack, so put in the excellent Dimarzio 30% taper pots at the same time (500k and 250k). Much better. Then I put Faber locking ABR bridge and locking lightweight aluminum stopbar. Then I put on a set of Gotoh SG301 locking tuners in place of the heavy Grovers. That shaved a significant weight off the guitar, 8.8lbs now, vs a bit over 9lbs. More balanced and comfortable now. The Faber stuff is great, and is more functional change than stylistic change. Locking hardware and tuners are awesome at string change. Not long ago, I bought a virtually unplayed 2001 H535. It had the typical Schaller hardware and HRW pickups. I liked the Faber stuff so much I put it on the H535, along with a set of Gotoh SG301 tuners. (the Rotomatics had gotten stiff due to lack of use). I put the Faber inserts and bushings in and holy cow, did that ever bring the tone out! I was stunned how much difference that made to the 535. I just refretted it with the same Dunlop 6100 wire too. Turns out it had some of the worst factory fretwork I've ever seen. Explains why it was unplayed so long. But now, it's a forever guitar. I love it, hands down. I've compared it with a Collings I35LC with Throbaks (excellent guitar) and I am totally happy with my 535. I even put a CNC'd nylon nut on it, because they work so much better than bone. I didn't mind the stock Schaller hardware, but I'm much more used to the conventional tune-o-matic when I play. Just more comfortable. I also own a very killer Gibson, a Custom shop 60th anniversary 1960 Les Paul v2. It is a stunner of a Les Paul as well. I know what a great Gibson should be. (where I learned the value of Nylon 6/6 nuts - which were original on all the 'bursts from the 50's and 60's) So I ask, why do you want to change your Heritages? Are you: Correcting something? Changing something for practical purposed? Changing something to suit your playing style as it evolves? Changing something for aesthetic reasons? But I would suggest if you want it to be a Gibson, find the Gibson you want and get that. There are enough, minor, but important differences, that a Heritage isn't and never will be a Gibson. My H150 is never gonna be a Gibson Les Paul, and my H535 is never gonna be a Gibson ES335, but that's OK.