TalismanRich

Why in the heck didn't you tell me I was supposed to hate the headstock. Now I feel so stupid!!!!

My "D" serial # H-140 has the old style pickguard and poker chip. I've left it stock except that one of the Schaller pickups was bad. I put in a pair of SD Alnico Pro IIs in it.

I agree, make whatever changes you like. I have my preferences, others have different ones. The main thing is that you play it!

Does this mean I can play my Hello Kitty guitar without fear of ridicule or guitar shaming?

Some of my guitars have top hat and reflectors. I like speed knobs, but they make me play too fast sometimes. Going to 11 is probably a good thing, but I have trouble reading those little numbers when I'm playing! I have to stop picking, lift the guitar up, put on my reading glasses and set the volume. It tends to mess up the rest of the guys. They think I forgot the song!

On the other hand, one of these poker chips might be an improvement! I'm partial to playing Mary Ann most of the time, but Ginger can be fun.

If the reason for changing stuff is just to make it "more like Gibson", the my answer is a resounding "NO". Adding a pickguard to the 137 is good because it serves a purpose. Changing tuners to locking ones serves a purpose. Changing electronics can also serve a purpose. Changing the pickguard to an ugly Gibson style is wrong. I think the Heritage guard is far superior, I like how it flows with the shape of the body. Adding a Poker chip is just pointless. It's a worthless piece of plastic. Maybe in 1952 it let people know that up was for "rhythm" and down for "treble", although to me, that doesn't even make sense. You play rhythm, you don't play treble! Seriously, does anyone even look at a poker chip to decide what setting to use? If I wanted it to look like a Gibson, I could buy a Gibson. I bought a Heritage.

Maybe my memory is off, but I thought that all the Heritage made pickups were potted. There was the wax potting setup in the pickup winding room. I'm wondering if the squeal is due to the covers rather than the coils themselves. It's easy to test... when it starts to squeal, press on the pickup cover and see if it stops.

I thought the guitar looked like a "stripped" Groove Master. No inlays, no Kenny Burrell signature, 2 knobs, 1 pickup.

I don't know that they could use a pick guard similar to the one on DB's HOC 137. It's almost exactly the same a what Gibby is using on the USA model. They don't need another Gibby lawsuit. It might have been better to just leave it off. I don't know if using a stoptail/bridge vs the wraptail is another way to distinguish itself from Gibby, but I don't remember any issues with the old H137 with the wraptails. It would just mean additional inventory but that shouldn't be a huge deal. Order a dozen, and do a run. They mention enhanced sustain, but I think a good wrap can be solid as well. The headstock is part of the Custom Core identity. I can understand them using it, but it shouldn't add a lot to the cost structure. I also think $3300 is a bit pricey. $2750 +/- would be more in line. You don't have the carving to deal with, binding, or any of the niceties of the 150 or 535s. Its nice that it doesn't have the poker chip. It's a worthless piece of plastic.

The showcase has been closed for many years. The factory is on Massman, close to the airport, off the Briley Parkway.

I've got Alnico Pro IIs in my H-140 and they sound fine. I put Sheptone Tributes in my H-535, and my Mille 2000 has Seth Lovers. The 157 still has the Schallers in them. Nobody complained about the tone at PSP when I played it. I get more differences from my amps than I do from the pickup changes.

I liken the Ascent line as similar to the G&L Tribute line. When first introduced, the guitars were labeled as Tribute by G&L. I think it limited the appeal of the guitars. Later, they changed to G&L Tribute Series for the logo and I think it gave the junior line a boost. I think Heritage should have done some thing similar. It would differentiate the guitars from the US line (although it easy enough to tell an Ascent by looking at the back of the headstock). I will say that my Tribute ASAT is an excellent guitar. There's no reason an Ascent guitar can't be an excellent guitar as well. As for the company dying in 2016, I would rather have the company stay alive even if it means change. I've got a guitar that was hand built by an outstanding luthier, Gerard Melancon. Unfortunately, he developed cancer and passed away some years back. The company died that day, no more Melancon guitars... JP has already passed, Jim, Bill and Marv are no longer spring chickens (God love 'em) and deserve some rest. Sometimes you just need to pass things along to the younger generation.

Right around the corner from Prospect and Academy is Henderson! Sir Brentrocks could have been immortalized. if only.... 😁

I guess since Jim, Bill and Marv are still floating around somewhere, maybe the best way would be to ask one of them. Any of you K'zoo folks have a connection?

That's certainly a walk down memory lane!!!

I'm thinking that the H-150 came as a succession of numbers. In the early years, there was the H-110, H-120, H-140, then H-150. Maybe the H-100 and H-130 didn't make the cut?

Wow, I never run across deals like that. I'm lucky if they have guitar strings as BOGO.

SInce they were obviously in contact with Gary, I wonder if that was one of his "specs". There are people who like heavy guitars.

I've used the rag trick to pull off the knobs on a few of my guitars. It works fine. Shoelaces would be just as good.

That looks a lot like the wiring of the early Valco amps from the 50s and before.

It looks really nice, but at 9lb 10oz, it's not for those "weak of back". I wonder of being #2 of 75 has any significance.

I didn't realize that, but you're right. The Martin "flowerpot" inlay.

My 87 H140 has a poker chip, and I've seen others from that era with the poker chip. It's easy enough to check on the pickups. They are mounted with a single screw, so being changed isn't beyond the realm of possibility. The pick guard looks like something Heritage would do if they were doing a custom guitar with fancy inlays. As for the Grovers, I have a 74 Guild with chrome Grover Rotomatics. They could easily be original. While I don't know how collectible it will be, I would think a $2500 to $3000 would be more appropriate, especially for someone who is a fan of Maudie's work. Stock H-140s go for $1500 to $2000.