h140 vs. h170 ?

[eljay]

i love this forum!

 

in a good way, i view the h140 and h170 models as a bit off the beaten path, and as such, both intrigue more than a little.

 

guessing that 140 is less expensive than 170--confident in the knowledge that i'm probably wrong.

 

what can the 140 do "kick-a## better" than any other guitar, and likewise the 170?

 

why did you get either one? do you (do i) want both?

 

looking forward to feasting on shared knowledge and opinion! thanks, eljay

[H]

I don't have an H-140 and don't envisage getting one as I don't like the pointed cutaway. I do have an H-170 though

 

With identical pickup specs I would guess the difference would be the depth of body wood. The 170 is as deep as a 150 I think, where the 140 is quite a bit thinner. That presumably would have an effect on the warmth of the tone and sustain.

 

I bought mine firstly because of the looks and secondly the sound of the HRW pickups. 170s are smaller in the body than you might think, it feels tiny on a strap. Thinnish neck on mine (60's neck in Gibson parlance) which reminds me a lot of a Firebird I had until recently. Worth a try

[eljay]

thanks, H. i don't like the pointed cutaway either, but the "version 2" has a more rounded cutaway and looks good to me.

 

hoping to read more, eljay

[H]

Yes, there's bound to be someone on the forum who has, or had, both at the same time

[FredZepp]

After playing the 170's at PSP... those really rock. ... Lance's has a great deep dish and the mini's sound nice and clear.. no mud there.

Like a LP double cut.. save some weight, high frets access, nice balance.

 

I love my pointy (1st edition) H-140.. I think of it as a combination of an SG and a LP Special... and with the thick neck and hot pickups, it will surprise you how good it is.

 

It fits into ( for me ) those situations where you'd use a vintage SG with a thick neck. ...

[H]

What's not to love?

 

[SouthpawGuy]

I've always thought of the 170 as a double cut version of the 140. As for the rim thickness according to the Heritage site the 170 is 1 1/2, 140 is 1 5/8 and the 150 is 2 inches. Those are specs for the current models, older models may be different.

 

A shot of my own '86 170 in cherry burst.

 

[eljay]

What's not to love?

 

 

 

i don't think lance likes his very much . . .

 

southpaw, the characterization of the 170 as a double cut 140 is very helpful. thank you. eljay

[big bob]

First the my 170 is the thickest guitar I have it measures 2 1/4 thick at the neck and 2 1/8 at the horn.. It is also the heaviest guitar I own at around 10 lbs. I believe my 170 is thicker than most to accommodate the deep dish. But do not know for sure. And yes I love my custom... made for me with love by Kate..

[FredZepp]

First the my 170 is the thickest guitar I have it measures 2 1/4 thick at the neck and 2 1/8 at the horn.. It is also the heaviest guitar I own at around 10 lbs. I believe my 170 is thicker than most to accommodate the deep dish. But do not know for sure. And yes I love my custom... made for me with love by Kate..

That is the one I played at PSP... I didn't know that it was a custom thickness also... cool. I love it. Like a double cutaway 150.

 

But yeah, at the normal thickness, it would be like a double cut 140...

[big bob]

That is the one I played at PSP... I didn't know that it was a custom thickness also... cool. I love it. Like a double cutaway 150.

 

But yeah, at the normal thickness, it would be like a double cut 140...

I did not know either until I just measured it.

Yes the one you played...

 

But yea, like a twice cut 150. I think Kate left the top thicker so she could rout the dish on the rim deeper. The first time she tried, she sanded through the maple top into the hog, and had to start over.

[barrymclark]

Unless something has changed recently, the 140 now has a rounded cutaway much like the 150. The anniversary model has the florentine cutaway that I prefer.

[koula901]

After playing the 170's at PSP... those really rock. ... Lance's has a great deep dish and the mini's sound nice and clear.. no mud there.

Like a LP double cut.. save some weight, high frets access, nice balance.

 

I love my pointy (1st edition) H-140.. I think of it as a combination of an SG and a LP Special... and with the thick neck and hot pickups, it will surprise you how good it is.

 

It fits into ( for me ) those situations where you'd use a vintage SG with a thick neck. ...

 

 

Tell me more about what you feel the thick neck does for your 140. I ask b/c I'm waiting on a 137 w/a thick neck (double cut). I just like the feel of a neck that's thicker than a 60s neck, and have found that the 137 sustains for almost as long as a 150.

[FredZepp]

Tell me more about what you feel the thick neck does for your 140. I ask b/c I'm waiting on a 137 w/a thick neck (double cut). I just like the feel of a neck that's thicker than a 60s neck, and have found that the 137 sustains for almost as long as a 150.

I find that I don't have a favorite neck feel, it just makes the guitars I play have different personalities, both in sound and feel. And I like different guitars to feel and sound different from one another, it keeps it interesting.

 

The 140 with the thinner body has an amazing tone and resonance, part of which is the excellent grade of Honduran Mahogany. But it feels as though the girth of the neck adds back some of the mass that the body is missing when compared to a 150.

I believe that certain designs and particular pieces of wood have certain harmonic and resonant characteristics . And in the case of the 140... the thinner body allows a higher frequency for resonance, while the thicker neck maintains enough mass to still maintain a solid depth to the lower frequencies.

 

This allows for the complex, yet balanced, and harmonically rich tone of my Heritage instrument.

 

[Guest mgoetting]

i don't think lance likes his very much . . .

 

 

He loves that guitar of his, but he does seem a bit ashamed of it. He just won't show it.

 

Reminds me of that old Lennon tune- Hey, You've Got To Hide Your Tomato Away.

 

Is that how it goes, Big Bob?

[koula901]

I find that I don't have a favorite neck feel, it just makes the guitars I play have different personalities, both in sound and feel. And I like different guitars to feel and sound different from one another, it keeps it interesting.

 

The 140 with the thinner body has an amazing tone and resonance, part of which is the excellent grade of Honduran Mahogany. But it feels as though the girth of the neck adds back some of the mass that the body is missing when compared to a 150.

I believe that certain designs and particular pieces of wood have certain harmonic and resonant characteristics . And in the case of the 140... the thinner body allows a higher frequency for resonance, while the thicker neck maintains enough mass to still maintain a solid depth to the lower frequencies.

 

This allows for the complex, yet balanced, and harmonically rich tone of my Heritage instrument.

 

 

Thanks, Fred. You make it soud like a fine wine! : ) Cheers!

[big bob]

He loves that guitar of his, but he does seem a bit ashamed of it. He just won't show it.

 

Reminds me of that old Lennon tune- Hey, You've Got To Hide Your Tomato Away.

 

Is that how it goes, Big Bob?

I just thought you guys must be tired of seeing her.

[koula901]

These guys never got tired of visuals, Bob. It's like beer to them! ; )

[Guest HRB853370]

But whats that big handle for sticking out of the tailpiece??

[FredZepp]

pics are like beer... I could agree with that..

 

Great Pic , Lance. Super chunky, super cut, super dish, with super triple mini's and a super finish. Heck , even the Bigsby arm is custom...

[big bob]

But whats that big handle for sticking out of the tailpiece??

the bottle opener...

Cheers

[koula901]

Unless something has changed recently, the 140 now has a rounded cutaway much like the 150. The anniversary model has the florentine cutaway that I prefer.

 

Are the 140s generally ligher than the 150s and 170s?

[FredZepp]

Are the 140s generally ligher than the 150s and 170s?

I would expect lighter than a 150, but not necessarily a 170. Although there is , of course, a pretty good amount of variance in particular pieces of wood....