dharv53 Posted January 1, 2011 Posted January 1, 2011 Hi all, I am new to the Heritage forums and I am interested in purchasing my first Heritage guitar. I love BB King-style blues guitar and I would appreciate knowing which Heritage you think best fits this style. Thanks.
Kuz Posted January 1, 2011 Posted January 1, 2011 A 535 or a 555. BB plays a 355 (355s have ebony fingerboard) so if you really want to get as close to his tone... a 555 with pickups out a phase in the middle position. If you don't want to limit yourself to only BBs tone, either a standard 535 or 555 would be perfect.
eljay Posted January 1, 2011 Posted January 1, 2011 welcome to the HOC, dharv53! ya can't go wrong with a 535. as a 530 owner (p90s and full hollow), i gotta put in a good word for 530s, too. enjoy your quest! eljay
schundog Posted January 1, 2011 Posted January 1, 2011 Welcome, dharv53! I agree with the posts above; You can't beat a 535. I have a Gibson ES-335 as well as a Heritage H-535, and I prefer the 535. In addition to having a better "feel," I appreciate the fact that the input jack is on the rim of the guitar, not on the front, like with a Gibson. Enjoy your hunt; Now that you know what guitar, now you have to decide what pickups to get! Mine has the original Schaller's that came with it, but I'm toying with the idea of putting Seymour Duncan Antiquities, Seth Lovers, or Classic 57s in her. If I DO get the 57s, my "real" 335 may go bye-bye. I can't believe I just said that.... It was my dream "goal" guitar that I got myself for my 40th Birthday. Too bad I didn't "get" Heritage before I dropped that much coin! Oh well, knowing myself, I know that I would have had to have the G-Brand at some point, or I'd always have wondered "what if?" Well, now I know. Don't get me wrong, it's a great guitar, but I like the Heritage better. Sorry for all the quotation marks, I just noticed them as I re-read this. Hmmm, maybe I didn't get enough sleep last night for some reason..
dharv53 Posted January 1, 2011 Author Posted January 1, 2011 A 535 or a 555. BB plays a 355 (355s have ebony fingerboard) so if you really want to get as close to his tone... a 555 with pickups out a phase in the middle position. If you don't want to limit yourself to only BBs tone, either a standard 535 or 555 would be perfect. Kuz, thanks for the great advice. Can you tell me what the "out a phase" pickups do specifically?
dharv53 Posted January 1, 2011 Author Posted January 1, 2011 Thanks for the warm welcome and the great help with the quest for my first Heritage. By the way, I have gear envy after seeing the inventories you guys have. Some really great guitars in that list, Eljay. And, Kuz and Schundog, beautiful guitars in the galleries you provided. P.S. Schundog, I say go for the '57s. You only go around once.
FredZepp Posted January 1, 2011 Posted January 1, 2011 I have to agree on the 535/555 answer... but maybe even a Prospect. Similiar design , just very slightly smaller. For some this is a more manageable size...
dharv53 Posted January 2, 2011 Author Posted January 2, 2011 I have to agree on the 535/555 answer... but maybe even a Prospect. Similiar design , just very slightly smaller. For some this is a more manageable size... Thanks, FredZepp. I will check it out.
big bob Posted January 2, 2011 Posted January 2, 2011 I may be wrong but I'm betting you could order a prospect or a 535 with no f holes, just like Lucile.
kbp810 Posted January 2, 2011 Posted January 2, 2011 Kuz, thanks for the great advice. Can you tell me what the "out a phase" pickups do specifically? Welcome to the HOC! Out of phase pickups are wired in a way that sort of makes them work against each other by partially cancelling each other out. The result is generally a thinner/sqwaukey/nasally sounding tone - of course the way I just described that makes it kind of sound like a bad thing, but for certain styles of playing that sort of thing can really fit the bill.
High Flying Bird Posted January 2, 2011 Posted January 2, 2011 If I DO get the 57s, my "real" 335 may go bye-bye. I can't believe I just said that.... It was my dream "goal" guitar that I got myself for my 40th Birthday. Too bad I didn't "get" Heritage before I dropped that much coin! Older and wiser. That's what I tell Linda but she always smirks when I say it. DHarv, a regular run of the mill 535 will serve you well. An ebony fret board will give you a little more bite but why wait forever to find a custom, unless you want to order a custom. I have owned 3 535s and they have all passed my test of BB King style of spanking the notes on the first and second strings with that spastic vibrato. I can't play for shit but I know tone. A 535 will do it to it! The last of these is a custom with an ebony board.
dharv53 Posted January 2, 2011 Author Posted January 2, 2011 Well, I owe you guys a big thank you, again! You have given me plenty to think about. Plus, more photos of great-looking guitars. I don't think I'll be able to stop at just one Heritage. I sure hope my wife's sense of humor improves before I start this quest for the (most) perfect Heritage.
eljay Posted January 2, 2011 Posted January 2, 2011 I don't think I'll be able to stop at just one Heritage. now yer talkin'! welcome, again, and give some thought to attending the parsons street pilgrimage in k'zoo this summer. i made the trip for the first time in august and i'm oh-so glad i did! great music, live (but not by me), and some top-quality humanity. eljay
Guest HRB853370 Posted January 2, 2011 Posted January 2, 2011 Well, I owe you guys a big thank you, again! You have given me plenty to think about. Plus, more photos of great-looking guitars. I don't think I'll be able to stop at just one Heritage. I sure hope my wife's sense of humor improves before I start this quest for the (most) perfect Heritage. Hi Dharv, and welcome aboard! As you can see, the members here are overwhelmingly ready to help you and anybody else out when it comes to the Heritage guitar name. When I joined HOC, I had one Heritage, an antique cherry burst 150. Now, I have 5 Heritages, thanks to the folks on this site (not blaming them at all). They have blessed me with their knowledge and their opinions and I cannot thank them enough, even though I am $6000 poorer now having bought 4 additional Heritages! I have a 555 with a maple neck, an ebony fretboard and its just gorgeous and plays lovely. My next Heritage is going to a 535 as they are so revered on this site. Good luck t to you!
dharv53 Posted January 3, 2011 Author Posted January 3, 2011 Thanks Eljay and Will D. Is there a date set for this year's pilgrimage?
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