Jimbob Posted July 1, 2011 Posted July 1, 2011 Many of you have probably seen this guitar a few times before, but I just got this H170-LW 2nd generation model from MartyGrass last Wednesday. He's definitely a great guy to deal with! Thanks, Marty! I'm really enjoying this guitar. It sounds and plays very much like a late 50s Les Paul without the weight but also with much easier access to the upper frets. There were a couple of surprises, but good ones. The chambered body itself is actually 2" thick at the rim as opposed to the standard model, and it came with steel tailpiece studs. I generally like to swap the stock studs for steel while also replacing the stock tailpiece bar with aluminum, so this accounted for a very easy tailpiece upgrade. While I really liked the stock Seth Lover pickups, I already had a set of Throbak SLE-101+ pickups on hand, so I couldn't resist putting them in, too. Other changes included the swapping out of the black speed knobs for gold, replacing the black toggle switch knob for white, and a Graph Tech Resomax NVS TOM bridge. I tend to break a lot of "E" and "B" strings with the standard metal saddles, so this was also a nice upgrade for me. The primary reason I was in the hunt for an H170 was because I wanted to have another guitar that was very similar to my newly acquired H110, and this one fits the bill perfectly. Both are chambered, and while they also sound similar to a Les Paul or an H150, they both have just a slight tonal hint of a hollow body, too. Surprisingly, or maybe not so surprisingly, the H110 and the H170 sound almost identical to one another, although, I tend to think the 170 sounds just a tiny bit richer in the mids while having a little more of a robust roundness in the low-mids. At any rate, it's fun to have a couple of new toys in the house!
fxdx99 Posted July 2, 2011 Posted July 2, 2011 Congrats, Jim - nice mods you've made and that is really a beauty of a goldtop. Like the idea of chambering to get that semi 'depth' along with the weight relief. Good stuff - enjoy!
Hfan Posted July 2, 2011 Posted July 2, 2011 Very nice, love the gold top. What year is it? Enjoy and congratulations.
Jimbob Posted July 2, 2011 Author Posted July 2, 2011 Thanks, guys! Funny about the goldtop, but I've wanted a goldtop LP ever since I saw Dickey Betts play one way back when, and this is my first. Of course, it's not an LP, but it's certainly close enough for me. Hfan, it's a 2010 model. I believe Marty bought it new last year, so it has very little wear on it. It's essentially a brand new guitar, and it's the "2nd generation" H170 model. I really like the newer changes.
Blunote Posted July 2, 2011 Posted July 2, 2011 I'm interested to hear your thoughts on how the Trobacks compare to the Seth Lovers now that you've had both int the same guitar. And what pups are int 110?
FredZepp Posted July 2, 2011 Posted July 2, 2011 That's a beautiful goldtop .. and with Throbaks now... !!!! Your description makes this chambered 170 sound like a real sweetheart of a Heritage. It sounds like it is set up great .. Congrats.
tsp17 Posted July 2, 2011 Posted July 2, 2011 Well done Jimbob! great description of what the chambered body does for tone. i am digging my chambered 150 for the same reasons. Enjoy!
JeffB Posted July 2, 2011 Posted July 2, 2011 Looks great and has got to sound pretty awesome through any of the amps in your sig. Have a whole bunch of fun going from amp to amp with it. Could you describe the differences between the Seths and Throbaks?
Jimbob Posted July 2, 2011 Author Posted July 2, 2011 I'm interested to hear your thoughts on how the Trobacks compare to the Seth Lovers now that you've had both int the same guitar. And what pups are int 110? Looks great and has got to sound pretty awesome through any of the amps in your sig. Have a whole bunch of fun going from amp to amp with it. Could you describe the differences between the Seths and Throbaks? Thanks again! I always have some difficulty describing tone, especially since it's such a subjective topic, but I'll give it a shot. First, I only played this guitar off and on over the course of a couple of hours at home with the Seth Lovers, so I can't really give them a fair evaluation in comparison to the Throbaks. The first thing I noticed upon installing the Throbaks, though, was that there was instantly a little more output, but that's also an inherent feature of the SLE-101+ set. In other words, they'll tend to drive the front end of the amp a little harder due to their higher output. The Throbaks also have unoriented A5 magnets as opposed to the Seth's A2s, so I tend to think they add a little more punch in the high-mids and tightness in the lows while the Seths have perhaps a smoother and well-rounded tone overall but with a little more looseness in the lows, or "spongy" as some might say. While Seth Lover pickups have always been some of my favorite humbuckers, I tend to lean toward a pickup that's a little overwound for a little more gain while still being able to clean up well when rolled back, too, and the Throbaks do a great job of this. It's really just a personal preference. I also have the very same Throbak set in my H110 as well as my H150, so it's just something I've become very accustomed to hearing in this style of guitar. Plus, they don't seem to have the upper-mid/high-end edge or harshness that I hear at times with a Duncan '59. I currently have '59s in my H535, and since I've been looking for a set of pickups that'll tame that guitar back a bit, I have a feeling the Seths may find a good home in that guitar. Anyway, it's getting quite late here, and I'm running out of toothpicks to keep my eyes open.....LOL. Hopefully that sort of explains my thoughts.
H Posted July 2, 2011 Posted July 2, 2011 You've done well, JimBob I thought Marty was going to keep that one. Maybe he's looking for another 170 now...
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