Heritage H-575 for swing / Jazz Rhythm?

[LaVonne]

Hi folks.  I'm new here.  I play a lot of swing / Jazz / Gypsy Jazz rhythm.  I currently play a Shelley Park for Gypsy Jazz and an Eastman AR905 E non cutaway for other stuff.  The Eastman is a great guitar but the neck is just too chunky for me.  I have some minor hand problems and the too fat neck is making it worse. 

 

I'm thinking of switching to an H 575 or something similar.  Does anyone have any comments or suggestions?  I'm planning to play some Heritage guitars and some different Eastman's next week.

 

Thanks.   

[big bob]

The roy clark and the prospect standard both have thin fast necks, both are simi hollow , if your looking for fully hollow 575 plays great but would not say the neck is slim, but I sure like mine.

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[Gitfiddler]

... if your looking for fully hollow 575 plays great but would not say the neck is slim, but I sure like mine.

 

What he said!  8)

 

Here's mine...

 

 

 

http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/879/heritageh575custombodytqm4.jpg[/img]

[Spectrum13]

LaVonne,

 

  I have an Eastman 905 with a cutaway. I would rate the neck wide, thin and flat compaired to my Heritage. Gitfiddler's 575 is just amazing

[ingeneri]

The 575 is based on THE classic jazz guitar, the ES-175.  The Heritage is a bit of an upgrade in that it is carved and about an inch thinner.  But the maple top and mounted pickups will sound different from your Eastman with its carved spruce top and floating pickup.  In general, I find the Eastmans' have a very acoustic voice.  In general, they seem to feed back more than any either of my Heritage guitars.  I suspect the difference as a rythm guitar would be similar to Freddie Green (acoustic archtop) versus Herb Ellis with the Oscar Petterson Trio or Joe Pass with Ella Fitzgerald (ES-175: 16" maple top with mounted pickup).

 

I recently purchased a Kenny Burrell Groovemaster.  This is similar to a 575, but a laminate and reinforced to eliminate feedback.  I got mine customized with Phat Cats for that classic 1950's P-90 jazz box tone.  You may want to check out the review I posted earlier in the week.

[LaVonne]

Thanks guys.  This is the kind of info I'm looking for.  The Eastman AR905 does have a very fat, wide neck. My points of comparison are my Collings flattops. Even my OM's with 1 3/4 nut width are slim compared to the Eastman.   I'm pretty sure the H-575 with the short scale will work.  I'm really looking forward to playing one.

 

Lucky for me J. Hale Music is about 70 miles from here.  Jeff has a great selection of Heritage and Eastman so I'll have fun trying them out.  I like the idea of solid wood as apposed to the laminate ES 175.

 

Thanks and I'm looking forward to more suggestions.

LaVonne

[ingeneri]

Lavonne,

 

Jeff is great! I bought both my Groovemaster and my Jazzkat amp from him.  He's been excellent with both custom ordering the Heritage and was very helpful when my amp developed some problems.  I buy all of my strings from him too just to show my support. 

 

In terms of trying out guitars, Jeff is honest to a fault.  When I was first looking he actually steered me away from some more expensive models towards the Groovemaster once he realized it was better suited to my particular needs.

[brentrocks]

Welcome LaVonne!

 

there a lot of good deals to had on Heritage Jazz boxes all over the place!!!

[soybean]

I'm pretty sure the H-575 with the short scale will work. I'm really looking forward to playing one.

Here's the deal. Sorry to hear about your hand problems. The 575 has a nut of 1 & 11/16ths inches and Heritage is pretty consistent with that measurement (unlike Gibson). Their necks on all models have traditionally been hand-carved so they can vary. In other words, you can find a thin or fat neck from any era. It's always best to play them first. However, after owning many H guitars, i found that the necks Heritage built in from 1990 to about 1997 tend to be thinner than they are today. You'll find some from that era that are as thin as a 1961 ES-175, and that's quite thin!

 

As far as scale length, most of the Eastmans are 25" exactly but some are 25.5. The 575 is 24.75 which is incorrectly called "short scale". (Short scale guitars would include Gibson Byrdland or Fender Jaguar.) 24.75 inches is one of the two standard scales and many call it "medium" scale. The 575 is basically an electric guitar with a lot of acoustic qualities. If you order one with spruce top, it is even more acoustic in nature. Good luck!

[tulk1]

Hi folks.  I'm new here.  I play a lot of swing / Jazz / Gypsy Jazz rhythm.  I currently play a Shelley Park for Gypsy Jazz and an Eastman AR905 E non cutaway for other stuff.  The Eastman is a great guitar but the neck is just too chunky for me.  I have some minor hand problems and the too fat neck is making it worse. 

 

I'm thinking of switching to an H 575 or something similar.  Does anyone have any comments or suggestions?  I'm planning to play some Heritage guitars and some different Eastman's next week.

 

Thanks.     

 

LaVonne, welcome to the HoC. I think you'll find in general, that the H necks tend to be on the slimmer side. Most of the chunkier necks are custom orders. Altho', to build on what soybean said, Ren mentioned this weekend that the necks are tending to be a bit deeper than in previous years. Altho' my '06 535 has in no way, a fat(ish) neck. A bit on the slim side, to me. Good luck in your quest. Let us know what you look at.

[cmr415]

Yea, I tend to agree with the majority here.  While I love my 575 to death, the neck is a baseball bat.  A very comfy, easy to play baseball bat, that I would not trade for anything, but it ain't exactly fast.  Or, maybe im just the not so fast one :afro:

[tulk1]

You know, I have never been able to figure out how a slimmer neck = faster neck. I don't think it's a "one = the other" equation. Either you are fast or you are not. And to keep in the spirit: fast Does Not Equal better, anyway. Just means you can pick a lot of notes. What matters more than any other equation on the neck is -- comfort. If the neck fits your hand you will play better, regardless of slim, fat, narrow, 1 + 11/16 nut, 12" radius, 7" radius, et al.

[SouthpawGuy]

Of my three Heritages the 575 has the slimmest neck, which is a littlle odd as it has the biggest body.

That kinda surprised me at first as I was expecting a fuller neck profile, but as I have got used to it I have grown to like it a lot.

The other two are a 535 and a Millennium, the 535 has the "fullest" neck of the three with the Millie in between the other two.

 

For jazz rhythm playing I actually prefer a wider fingerboard as I have more room to get my fingers in, especially for some of those awkward shapes, not shapes requiring long stretches though but ones where your fingers are very close together.

 

I haven't played an Eastman myself but as a reference point the neck on my 575 is closet in width and shape to my '90s LP Standard and my Takamine EN10.

 

Hope this helps.

[je00143]

I use my 575 with a big band - and it is just great for that.  I did put the HRW pickups in, and Stellartone tone switches, and that helped me get the sound I want.

And because, as an electric, the amp is part of the equation, I use a Roland JC-120 and a Cube 60 with either the acoustic or the JC switch energized.  The JC-120

is great, but it is portable to the extent that it weighs less than 300 lb. and has a handle on it.  It is a brute to shlep to a gig! 

 

I have never heard a 575 with a spruce top but I sure want to.  Not too many of those seem to make it out to the Left Coast.

 

The 575 holds its own as an acoustic, too, which is a real plus.  It's not a Martin, but it'll do!

 

And Gitfiddler, I LOVE the natural 575 look.  That is downright pretty.  Was that a special order?

[Gitfiddler]

I use my 575 with a big band - and it is just great for that.  I did put the HRW pickups in, and Stellartone tone switches, and that helped me get the sound I want.

And because, as an electric, the amp is part of the equation, I use a Roland JC-120 and a Cube 60 with either the acoustic or the JC switch energized.  The JC-120

is great, but it is portable to the extent that it weighs less than 300 lb. and has a handle on it.  It is a brute to shlep to a gig! 

 

I have never heard a 575 with a spruce top but I sure want to.  Not too many of those seem to make it out to the Left Coast.

 

The 575 holds its own as an acoustic, too, which is a real plus.  It's not a Martin, but it'll do!

 

And Gitfiddler, I LOVE the natural 575 look.  That is downright pretty.  Was that a special order?

 

Hello je00143:

 

Thank you and yes, it was originally a special ordered, custom one-off, according to Jay Wolfe.  I purchased it 'used', but it had not been played much by the previous owner.  I love the tone and feel of it.  'Buttery' is the best (albeit over-used) description for it.  I recently upgraded it with a set of HRW's purchased from another HOC member.  All I can say is WOW, what a great sounding instrument!! 

 

I recall you previously raving about the benefits of the 'Stellartone' control.  Also, what kind of strings do you use for your big band gig?  I've been considering trying on a set of round-wound 12's to get more of the acoustic tone from my 575.  Since Heritage archtops are usually solid wood, they should really resonate with more lively strings.  I've always left the flats on them for 'true' jazz tones so far.

[LaVonne]

I appreciate all lthe comments.  I stopped at J. Hale Music this afternoon on the way back from my Parent's house.  Jeff sold me my Eastman 905 and my Jazzkat amp a couple f years ago.  We spend about 90 minutes discussing my playing style and I tried several great instruments.  The Eastman 903CE was great and the neck was very comfortable.  I checked a Heritage Groove Master and really liked it.  The neck was also very comfortable.  Jeff brought out a used (on consignment ) 2004 Heritage Sweet 16 and I fell in love with it.  Although it has a 25.5 inch scale it was very comfortable to play and the sound was a great compromise between electric and acoustic. 

 

I'm waiting to hear if the owner will accept my offer.  I can hardly wait. 

[LaVonne]

YES!!!!!!!!!!!! My offer was accepted and the 2004 Sweet 16 is mine.  It's being setup and I'm adding a strap button.  I hope to pick it up early next week and put my Eastman AR905E on consignment. 

 

This is very exciting  Thanks to everyone who commented!

[Gitfiddler]

YES!!!!!!!!!!!! My offer was accepted and the 2004 Sweet 16 is mine.  It's being setup and I'm adding a strap button.  I hope to pick it up early next week and put my Eastman AR905E on consignment. 

 

This is very exciting  Thanks to everyone who commented!

 

CONGRATULATIONS!

 

You will absolutely LOVE your 'new' Sweet 16.  8)

[tulk1]

Ya gotta love it when a plan comes together! Pics when you get it. It's kinda mandatory, ya know!!  :police:

[big bob]

you knew this was comming  :this_thread_is_useless_withou

Congratulations  :this_thread_is_useless_withou

[je00143]

I think I have tried half of the brands available, but for the last four or five years I have been using DAddario 13-56 flat wounds. These are the ECG-26. For a while, I tried using them with an

ARB-1 bridge, but went back to the rosewood one.  I wipe them down after each use, of course, but with 2-4 times a week usage, they seem to last anywhere from 3 to 6

months.  That's a good thing, too, because the local Guitar Center either doesn't or won't stock that particular size, so I have to get them from Musician's Friend or GC on-line.

 

On another note, I was at a guitar show today and heard something unusual - to my ears, at least.  A Roland factory demo guy was using a Strat through a Roland AC-90, which for practical purposes is a clean

PA amp disguised as a guitar amp.  But you know what??  It sounded pretty nice!!  Whoda thunk it??  They had a JC-120 going there, too, and, adjusted for the volume, there wasn't that much difference that

I could tell, except, of course, for several hundred dollars and about 35 pounds in schlepping weight.  THe AC-90 you could put in a gig bag, which Roland furnishes, throw it over your shoulder,

and walk down the road with it.  Try that with a 120!!

[big bob]

I play my 575, through p-rails , into a marshall jcm2000 with 10's and it sounds greattttttt... I went from 13, to 11, to 10's  and would not go back....

congrats on the 16

 

 

:this_thread_is_useless_withou

[soybean]

I play my 575, through p-rails

P-rails are the new pickups from Seymour Duncan, right? Please tell us more about these. They look really interesting.

[SouthpawGuy]

P-rails are the new pickups from Seymour Duncan, right? Please tell us more about these. They look really interesting.

 

Check out these YouTube videos .....

 

Seymour Duncan SHPR-1 P-Rails pickups

 

Seymour Duncan P-Rails Demo (Part 1)

 

Seymour Duncan P-Rails Demo (Part 2)

 

Seymour Duncan P-Rails Demo (Part 3)

 

My H170 is going to be fitted with these very shortly ...

[soybean]

That's just what i was looking for. Thanks for the clips and please let us know how those babies work out in your guitar.