What Heritage for Travis and Rockabilly Pickin?

[jmrose]

What are ya'lls thoughts, I havent ever got to play a Heritage so I am open to any and all comments. Thanks so much. Joe

[tulk1]

HI JM, welcome to the HOC. We have a couple of Rockabilly-ites here on the HoC. I'm sure they'll chime in soon. I'd think the 525 and 575 semi's would lend themselves to that genre` fairly well. I play mostly country and use both my custom Prospect and a 535 Custom. Either could do Rockabilly, as well. You really need to get your hands on a Heritage. You'll be amazed.

 

 

[TalismanRich]

I would think this would be the ticket for Travis picking.

 

[barrymclark]

What are ya'lls thoughts, I havent ever got to play a Heritage so I am open to any and all comments. Thanks so much. Joe

Hey there, jmrose!

 

Rockabilly fan here.

 

I use the H575. However, there are a number of these I think would sound great.

 

The H550 is constructed very similar to a Gretsch Nashville save for the bracing on the inside and the PAF style humbuckers. So, if that is where you are wanting to go, that just might be your horse.

 

Now... if you are REALLY wanting to kick it old school, you might wanna look into a Rhythm Eagle. I think they make those on special order still. It is a non cutaway and doesn't have an inset pickup. Very cool.

 

No travispicking but check out the video below to get an idea of the 'billy tone I am getting from my 575 and a Roland Cube 80x.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1EWZI1_nt8

[NoNameBand]

Hey there, jmrose!

 

Rockabilly fan here.

 

I use the H575. However, there are a number of these I think would sound great.

 

The H550 is constructed very similar to a Gretsch Nashville save for the bracing on the inside and the PAF style humbuckers. So, if that is where you are wanting to go, that just might be your horse.

 

Now... if you are REALLY wanting to kick it old school, you might wanna look into a Rhythm Eagle. I think they make those on special order still. It is a non cutaway and doesn't have an inset pickup. Very cool.

 

No travispicking but check out the video below to get an idea of the 'billy tone I am getting from my 575 and a Roland Cube 80x.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1EWZI1_nt8

 

I'm in agreement with Barrymclark on the 550 or 575. I would add the TV Jones pups available from Stewmac. They will fit in the humbucker cavity with No modification. Get both feet together and Jump in.

[barrymclark]

I'm in agreement with Barrymclark on the 550 or 575. I would add the TV Jones pups available from Stewmac. They will fit in the humbucker cavity with No modification. Get both feet together and Jump in.

Yup. If you're goin the Gretsch sound route, then absolutely. Nobody does filtertron like TV Jones. I have gotten away from them over the past few years in favor of PAF style buckers but that is me.

[FredZepp]

Wow, Barry. Very enjoyable video.

 

And Welcome to the club, jmrose.

[DetroitBlues]

Yup. If you're goin the Gretsch sound route, then absolutely. Nobody does filtertron like TV Jones. I have gotten away from them over the past few years in favor of PAF style buckers but that is me.

 

I was going to say the same thing. Rockabilly and TV Jones are almost one and the same!

[big bob]

I would think this would be the ticket for Travis picking.

 

 

 

Rich, please don't show my lady all naked.

here is a proper pic, and yes she sounds good for billy.

 

The mini buckers on the 170 can dial in the billy sound as well

[jmrose]

Thanks so much for the replies guys!! Love the videos and pics of the guitars, I had no idea that you could buy tv jones pickups from stewmac, I am a banjo player first and have done quite a bit a of business with them!!

[barrymclark]

Thanks so much for the replies guys!! Love the videos and pics of the guitars, I had no idea that you could buy tv jones pickups from stewmac, I am a banjo player first and have done quite a bit a of business with them!!

Yes sir, you can.

 

My favs were always the TV Jones Classics. I think, though, that for the humbucker mounts, they are called TV'Trons. Don't hold me to that though.

[tulk1]

Thanks so much for the replies guys!! Love the videos and pics of the guitars, I had no idea that you could buy tv jones pickups from stewmac, I am a banjo player first and have done quite a bit a of business with them!!

A banjo player, eh? Awesome. I just took up the banjo about 2 months ago. Chording seems rather easy. Figured chording basics out fairly quickly; and the rolls. It's doing leads that I haven't spent enough time with, yet. Of course, that would be really! playing the banjo. So, maybe I should say I'm playing at playing the banjo? Still, we're already featuring it on about 3 songs per set. Really adds a different flavor to the music.

[Fernando]

A banjo player, eh? Awesome. I just took up the banjo about 2 months ago. Chording seems rather easy. Figured chording basics out fairly quickly; and the rolls. It's doing leads that I haven't spent enough time with, yet. Of course, that would be really! playing the banjo. So, maybe I should say I'm playing at playing the banjo? Still, we're already featuring it on about 3 songs per set. Really adds a different flavor to the music.

 

I never learned to play Banjo, but I love the sound of it, and it sounds awesome in Traditional Jazz as well.

[Fernando]

Hey there, jmrose!

 

Rockabilly fan here.

 

I use the H575. However, there are a number of these I think would sound great.

 

The H550 is constructed very similar to a Gretsch Nashville save for the bracing on the inside and the PAF style humbuckers. So, if that is where you are wanting to go, that just might be your horse.

 

Now... if you are REALLY wanting to kick it old school, you might wanna look into a Rhythm Eagle. I think they make those on special order still. It is a non cutaway and doesn't have an inset pickup. Very cool.

 

No travispicking but check out the video below to get an idea of the 'billy tone I am getting from my 575 and a Roland Cube 80x.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1EWZI1_nt8

 

Thanks for sharing, that is very nice.

[High Flying Bird]

A few years ago Wolfe Guitar had a cherry 550 thin-line with HRWs and a Bigsby. I suspect it is still there.

[jmrose]

I take it most heritage lovers are jazz folks right !! I know where I come from there just isnt much of that, hard to find a good jazz box!! Thanks once again for all the replies guys, whats the difference in the tone of the say the 525's versus the 575's 550's etc?

[tulk1]

I take it most heritage lovers are jazz folks right !! I know where I come from there just isnt much of that, hard to find a good jazz box!! Thanks once again for all the replies guys,......................

Uh ............... No!

[barrymclark]

I take it most heritage lovers are jazz folks right !!

If you were to make a pie chart, there wouldn't be a want for jazzers, that is for sure. However, another large group I think would be larger than the jazzers would be the blues/rock guys.

 

I tool around with jazz standards but far from a jazzer like Ingeneri or Vince Lewis here on these boards. I would say I still fall in the rock/blues category due to my rock/metal tinged rockabillyish playing.

[NoNameBand]

If you were to make a pie chart, there wouldn't be a want for jazzers, that is for sure. However, another large group I think would be larger than the jazzers would be the blues/rock guys.

 

I tool around with jazz standards but far from a jazzer like Ingeneri or Vince Lewis here on these boards. I would say I still fall in the rock/blues category due to my rock/metal tinged rockabillyish playing.

 

If jmrose were to make a pie chart, the blues/rock guys would eat half of it and throw the rest at the jazzers. Well, Heritage makes one of the Best Jazz Boxes, so, they would have a lot of Jazzers. It is a pleasure to hear so many fine players at PSP. You should try to join us (no pie throwing, not even the chart).

[Gitfiddler]

Now it you are a TRUE rockabilly picker, THIS is the gitfiddle for ya!

 

It's not mine, but...........Yee Hawww!!

 

Rockabilly 575

 

[jmrose]

That is truly awesome right there, can't beat that kind of stuff!! I wish I could have lived back then...

[NoNameBand]

Now it you are a TRUE rockabilly picker, THIS is the gitfiddle for ya!

 

It's not mine, but...........Yee Hawww!!

 

Rockabilly 575

 

 

Awesome. Great PG, TV Jones, Bigsby along with the right look.

[barrymclark]

I wish I could have lived back then...

Love the music from then... but I rather like that I can eat with friends out in the open and not be hung from the nearest tree by the local bedsheet merchants.

[Gitfiddler]

I thought it was kinda cool and novel...that is, until I took a look at the HEADSTOCK!!

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[Halowords]

I thought it was kinda cool and novel...that is, until I took a look at the HEADSTOCK!!

 

Exactly. I find what they did to the headstock hideous (says the guy who legitimately likes Hamer's and Heritage's headstock designs). I try to not let cosmetics get in the way of an otherwise nice guitar, but that would be a deal breaker, or something where you redo the headstock. It's atrocious, and yet it's not the worst thing I've seen done to a guitar.