gnappi Posted February 10, 2013 Posted February 10, 2013 Outwardly how does one distinguish between the two? What is a decent price range for a used Golden Eagle, and would (shudder) Heritage mod a pre-owned one to a two pup version? There's a GE for sale locally and I'm trying to get a handle on if it's a GE and the value.
Number8 Posted February 10, 2013 Posted February 10, 2013 By my estimation (and do not take me as an expert), there are three Heritage "Eagle" guitars which are very similar and probably part of the same "product line": 1. Golden Eagle 2. Eagle Classic 3. Eagle They all have the same dimensions (20" x 17" x 3", give or take, I believe) and thus they sport fairly big bodies and the acoustic benefits that you would expect. They all have binding to some degree and it is more common to see them with floating pickups (except for the Classic perhaps). Starting from the bottom, the Eagle has a 100% Mahogany body, less binding, Rosewood fretboard and single-piece neck. Price: Currently there's a 2000 model on the interwebs for $1500, I have a 2003 for sale for $1700, and there's a 2007 model on Ebay for $1850. The Eagle Classic has a Spruce top, an ebony fretboard, possibly a better tailpiece, gold hardware, more binding and a five-piece neck. Standard model comes with two routed pickups but you will see a fair share with the floating pickup instead. Price: A 2000 model just sold on Ebay for $2200 and I just priced out a new order for $3000. The Golden Eagle, according to my understanding, is an Eagle Classic but with the best choice of woods, binding, hardware, inlays, etc. The Standard model has the floating pickup. Prices: there's a 1993 model here for $2800, there's also a later model for $3000, and it seems like things go up from there. Hope this helps.
Number8 Posted February 10, 2013 Posted February 10, 2013 "would (shudder) Heritage mod a pre-owned one to a two pup version?" If the one pup version is a floating pickup, it likely has X-bracing and it can not be modified for two routed pickups. If a two-pickup model is what you want, you would likely be happiest with a standard Eagle Classic with two routed pickups. There's one at "Gryphon" now for what looks to be a very reasonable price of $2150. It's a 2007 model and it was recently played by two HOC members who said it was wonderful.
gnappi Posted February 10, 2013 Author Posted February 10, 2013 By my estimation (and do not take me as an expert), there are three Heritage "Eagle" guitars which are very similar and probably part of the same "product line": The Golden Eagle, according to my understanding, is an Eagle Classic but with the best choice of woods, binding, hardware, inlays, etc. The Standard model has the floating pickup. Prices: there's a 1993 model here for $2800, there's also a later model for $3000, and it seems like things go up from there. Hope this helps. OK, but WHERE is the binding different? On Gibbys the uplift is extra binding on the F hole, neck and head and rear of the body as well as head stock inlays? I'm trying to tell if these pics are genuine GE
gnappi Posted February 10, 2013 Author Posted February 10, 2013 From what I read so far and seen it actually looks like a GE, the top appears to be spruce
LoneFurrow Posted February 10, 2013 Posted February 10, 2013 Gary, Based on the specs for a Golden Eagle on the Heritage website itself, there appears to be no question the guitar in the pic above is a GE. The Eagle Classic and Super Eagle are completely different, unless somebody specced one to mimic the GE (why???). The fingerboard inlays on the GE are a different design, there is the MOP eagle and branch on the headstock, and obviously the GE only has a single pup as standard. Golden Eagle Specifications Neck : 17 degree peghead pitch; five-piece curly maple neck; multiple white bound head veneer inlaid with mother of pearl eagle and branch; back veneer inlaid with mother of pearl eagle and registration number. MOP truss rod cover, optionally engraved with customer's name. Fingerboard : 25 1/2” scale ebony finger board multiple white bound with mother of pearl cloud inlays; with 20 frets. Radius is 12". Nut width is 1- 11/16". Body : Single cutaway solid carved spruce top, solid carved curly maple back and solid curly maple rim; multiple white bound top and back; multiple white bound curly maple pickguard; with bound f-holes. Body Size : Rim Thickness - 3” Body Width - 17” Body Length - 20 1/4” Electronics : One Heritage jazz floating pickup mounted on pickguard with one volume control. Tone Control is optional. Hardware : Individual gold plated Imperial machine heads; gold plated Heritage bail tailpiece; adjustable ebony bridge with mother of pearl inlays; mother of pearl truss rod cover optionally engraved with owners name. Mind you, I've only been here about 5 minutes so I may be wrong! Michael
gnappi Posted February 10, 2013 Author Posted February 10, 2013 Golden Eagle Specifications Neck : 17 degree peghead pitch; five-piece curly maple neck; multiple white bound head veneer inlaid with mother of pearl eagle and branch; back veneer inlaid with mother of pearl eagle and registration number. MOP truss rod cover, optionally engraved with customer's name. Fingerboard : 25 1/2” scale ebony finger board multiple white bound with mother of pearl cloud inlays; with 20 frets. Radius is 12". Nut width is 1- 11/16". Body : Single cutaway solid carved spruce top, solid carved curly maple back and solid curly maple rim; multiple white bound top and back; multiple white bound curly maple pickguard; with bound f-holes. Body Size : Rim Thickness - 3” Body Width - 17” Body Length - 20 1/4” Electronics : One Heritage jazz floating pickup mounted on pickguard with one volume control. Tone Control is optional. Hardware : Individual gold plated Imperial machine heads; gold plated Heritage bail tailpiece; adjustable ebony bridge with mother of pearl inlays; mother of pearl truss rod cover optionally engraved with owners name. Thanks, I haven't been able to get on the Heritage site must be a problem with my firefox browser, java or shockwave... dunno.
Number8 Posted February 10, 2013 Posted February 10, 2013 Yes, that's a Golden Eagle. As indicated by the inlays on the fret board and most importantly the Eagle on the headstock.
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