Significance of the "Sweet 16"

[sykofiddle]

I have a Sweet 16 that I absolutely love.  I've never known why the particular model has its name.  Does anyone know?

[toddinjax]

I believe it's a referrence to its own 16" body.

[JohnCovach]

I always thought it was a reference to the old Neil Sedaka song . . .

[Dick Seacup]

She was just seventeen, you know what I mean...

 

No, wait, that wasn't Sedaka, and it's a year off. 

 

Heh.

[JohnCovach]

Here's Wikipedia:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweet_sixteen_(birthday)

 

And here's our boy Neil:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWOFNau6BqM

[sykofiddle]

Very helpful, thanks...   ;D

[jazzbo]

The Sweet 16 is so named because it has a 16" bout (body width) unlike most other archtops which are 17 " or larger. The sweet 16 also has an exceptional tone, which I guess is good reason to call it Sweet ! 

 

It is pretty much a Gibson L4-C with the florentine cutaway

[Dick Seacup]

The last time I went through a serious jazz phase, the guys on the rec.music.makers.guitar.jazz (I think that's right) were raving about the Sweet 16.  So, figuring it would magically make me sound better, I went to feePay and started searching.  As soon as I saw the going rate, I decided there wasn't anything wrong with I-IV-V rock.  Heh.  Anywho, that was recently as 18 months ago (roughly) and there were quite a few serious jazz players touting quality and desirability of the Sweet 16.

[sweet-tooth]

The sweet 16 excells at I-IV-V rock. Oh yeah and when I get my twin really going the tube distortion would make Zakk Wylde cry in envy. I'm dead serious, no overdrive pedals needed. My newest project is a pirate punk outfit and I use my sweet-16 exclusively. >:(PUNK ROCK!!!

[Dick Seacup]

Actually, now that I'm thinking about it, it was the Prospect not the Sweet 16, that the guys on Usenet were hyping.  Heritage has too many models.  Heh. ;-D

[Gitfiddler]

Yo, Sweet Tooth, what strings are you using on your Sweet 16?  I've only tried flats on mine and love the tone for jazzy stuff.  Never ventured into Zakk Wylde territory. 

 

 

 

http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/1294/heritagesweet161hn9.jpg[/img]

[sykofiddle]

Very interesting, thanks.  I have to say that I did notice the sweetness of tone immediately.  I had about a two week period where I had both an H-575 custom (solid spruce top, maple everything else) and the Sweet 16.  The Sweet 16 had a brighter, clearer, but equally warm tone.  Mine has a Seymour Duncan Jazz pickup, and through my Carvin Vintage tube amp it can do pretty much everything from Jim Hall to Grant Green in terms of tone.  I use flats (.012's) and I play with a thumbpick and fingers.  Pretty awesome guitar for the money, I must say.  ;D

[sweet-tooth]

DR TITE-FIT .11 - .50 round core nickel. I use to use the HHI-Beams, but I find the round-core to be more well... rounded.

[Saulius]

Hi, 

I'm brand new to this forum.  I joined because I've fallen in love with this Sweet 16 guitar at GC in Kirkland, WA.  I currently play a 1982 Ibanez Artist AS200 through a 1964 Fender Pro amp.  I bought the amp a year ago, and it made a big difference in my sound.  Lately, I've been working on some of Joe Pass' solo material, and the tone I get is way too thin for my ears.  But the sound I get from the Sweet 16 is simply beautiful.  Now, the one I'm playing at GC is new and has a Bartolini pick-up, but I understand that the guitar normally comes with a Heritage pickup.  I read some reviews of the Sweet 16 that dissed that pickup.  That concerned me a bit since I would prefer to find a used instrument for sale.  I'm curious if anyone out there has any opinions or suggestions about this.  :-   

[Gitfiddler]

A.  If the Sweet 16 at GC has a Bartolini p'up, it's probably great sounding...since Bartolini only makes great sounding pickups.

 

B.  The original pickups Heritage used for years was the Schaler humbucker.  Many players believed it was not as sweet sounding as that archtop deserved.

 

C.  Now Heritage installs an HRW pickup in the Sweet 16 (at least it is an option).  Wonderfully sweet sounding PAF style pickup in my opinion.

 

D.  Welcome to the Heritage Owners Club! 

[Saulius]

Hey 

 

I just wanted tell everyone that I just brought home the Sweet 16 that I was eyeing at GC.  It turned out to be a used instrument that was tagged as new.  So I traded in my Guild FCE30 and my John Scofield Ibanez, and now I own a Heritage!  .  I'd like to find out a bit more of the history of this lovely guitar.  The serial number is P22201.  If anyone has any info I'd appreciate it.

[Gitfiddler]

Saulius~ Wow, that was fast!  Congrats on the 'new-to-you' Sweet 16. 

 

Too bad you had to let loose the Scofield.  That's one of my favorite Ibanez gits, and the only semi-hollows I know of with a compound radius fretboard.  (Other than an extra cost Heritage custom order, of course).

 

Let's see some pics of your new 'Sweetie' when you get a chance. 

[Dick Seacup]

The 'P' prefix would indicate it was built in 1999.  I'll try and get this right..the 22201 indicates it was the first guitar built (01) on the 143rd day (365-222) of the year.  I believe the first three digits indicate how many days remaining in the year, not the actual day of the year (although I could be wrong, as I'm half way through a very nice bottle of 2006 cabernet...a little young, a tad tart, but it's getting the job done...heh).

[sweet-tooth]

I would generaly have to agree with what Seacup has said, except I dont believe the HRW is offered as a floating pup. And the floater is a big part of the sweet tone in that particular guitar. However, the #3 jazz pup has a very nice,if a bit sharp, tone. Of course one could always go for the four-point HRW, or even a bartolini or Armstrong floater. The sky truly is the limit.