Jump to content
Heritage Owners Club

To HRW or not to HRW?


yuominae

Recommended Posts

Posted

I like the HRWs so much I put them in my Yamaha.

Much,much different type of guitar.

 

I agree with Dr Marty.

Posted

Another consideration...Pickups tend to sound different in different guitars.

 

Patience. You might really like what is already in the 150.

 

If you don't, then start the search. And best of all, you'll always have members here to steer you in the direction that suits them best. :icon_silent:

Posted

As far as you know the HRW's were removed because they didn't sound good in that guitar. I've come to really prefer Sheptone Tributes in a H150, but I know not everyone agrees. In a H535, I don't think Seths can be bested, but again YMMV.

Posted

Another consideration...Pickups tend to sound different in different guitars.

 

Patience. You might really like what is already in the 150.

 

If you don't, then start the search. And best of all, you'll always have members here to steer you in the direction that suits them best. :icon_silent:

 

Yeah, that's probably the best thing to do now. I'm not a big fan of Seymour Duncans, they sound a bit bland to me usually. But I have a set of BG Pups lizards sitting around which I meant to se for something else. I might start with those and then work my way up to more expensive stuff if I don't like them.

Posted

As far as you know the HRW's were removed because they didn't sound good in that guitar. I've come to really prefer Sheptone Tributes in a H150, but I know not everyone agrees. In a H535, I don't think Seths can be bested, but again YMMV.

 

That has occurred to me actually. The thing that is bothering me is that I never actually got to try HRWs and some people really rate them, so I thought they might have sounded great... But from some of the replies here I'm thinking that a lot of other pickups might sound just as great, so I might as well experiment. That's where all the fun is anyway, right? :)

Posted

 

That has occurred to me actually. The thing that is bothering me is that I never actually got to try HRWs and some people really rate them, so I thought they might have sounded great... But from some of the replies here I'm thinking that a lot of other pickups might sound just as great, so I might as well experiment. That's where all the fun is anyway, right? :)

 

If you decide to try them and do not care for them because they are "overly bright", avoid characterizing them as "shrill" or "tinny". Such terminology will be met with much consternation and rending of garments. :icon_joker:

 

Joking aside, I advocate for the folks who say to try them out in a different guitar first. I once bought a Millie with Seths and it sounded awesome. I had already bought the HRWs though and I wanted to try them in the Millie. I sold the Seths, put the HRWs in and did not care for them at all. I felt foolish afterwards.

Posted

 

If you decide to try them and do not care for them because they are "overly bright", avoid characterizing them as "shrill" or "tinny". Such terminology will be met with much consternation and rending of garments. :icon_joker:

 

Joking aside, I advocate for the folks who say to try them out in a different guitar first. I once bought a Millie with Seths and it sounded awesome. I had already bought the HRWs though and I wanted to try them in the Millie. I sold the Seths, put the HRWs in and did not care for them at all. I felt foolish afterwards.

 

Well, Since they really don't seem to be everybody's cup of tea, I'll start with one in the bridge when I'll get a chance to buy one for a decent price. And yeah, I'll be careful to sugarcoat my opinion if I have to disagree with their tone :)

Posted

I think most people who have HRWs, find that it's the neck pickup that provides most of tones an HRW is prized for. For myself, think the bridge pickup sounds best mixed with the HRW neck. I think they were designed to complement each other in that way. If I get another chance to talk to Ren about them, I'll ask his view on the matter.

 

I just don't think you'll get a good evaluation of HRWs by installing one in the bridge.

Posted

I think most people who have HRWs, find that it's the neck pickup that provides most of tones an HRW is prized for. For myself, think the bridge pickup sounds best mixed with the HRW neck. I think they were designed to complement each other in that way. If I get another chance to talk to Ren about them, I'll ask his view on the matter.

 

I just don't think you'll get a good evaluation of HRWs by installing one in the bridge.

 

That is VITAL info! Thanks a billion!

Posted

I think most people who have HRWs, find that it's the neck pickup that provides most of tones an HRW is prized for. For myself, think the bridge pickup sounds best mixed with the HRW neck. I think they were designed to complement each other in that way. If I get another chance to talk to Ren about them, I'll ask his view on the matter.

 

I just don't think you'll get a good evaluation of HRWs by installing one in the bridge.

 

Agreed.

 

The bridge HRW is not what their reputation is built on.

Posted

 

Agreed.

 

The bridge HRW is not what their reputation is built on.

The neck HRW is a thing of beauty. I'd recommend it unreservedly.

 

But when is someone going do the vital experiment: how does a bridge HRW sound in the neck position?

Posted

The neck HRW is a thing of beauty. I'd recommend it unreservedly.

 

But when is someone going do the vital experiment: how does a bridge HRW sound in the neck position?

 

Good thinking H! Since the neck pickup is the one people like, stands to reason that there should be many more bridge pickups for sale, so I should be able to nab one on the cheap.

I'm going to put an WTB thread up now.

Posted

Then I'd suggest you contact Yavus. He wants a neck HRW for his single pickup Millennium. He lives in Turkey and there's currently a set of HRWs for sale by a member in Turkey that are posted in the For Sale section of this forum.

http://www.heritageownersclub.com/forums/topic/25914-wts-hrw-pickup-nickel/

Maybe the three of you could work something out.

Posted

Then I'd suggest you contact Yavus. He wants a neck HRW for his single pickup Millennium. He lives in Turkey and there's currently a set of HRWs for sale by a member in Turkey that are posted in the For Sale section of this forum.

http://www.heritageownersclub.com/forums/topic/25914-wts-hrw-pickup-nickel/

Maybe the three of you could work something out.

 

That's a great idea. I actually PMed the guy selling the pickups, but he hasn't got back to me yet. If he does I'll get in touch with Yavuz as well.

Posted

First off You should get what you pay for. The seller should at least be contacted and informed of the fact his instrument was misrepresented. I personally play a different style of instrument (full body archtop) and I play at low home volumes. I found the HRW tone to fit my needs better than any humbucker I have ever played. Good luck.

Posted

I almost always am too lazy to replace pickups, except in the case of one guitar where they had gotten soda spilled on them and rotted out.

 

I say play what they came with, and see how they sound. If you like it, keep them.

 

However I would definitely discuss this with the person you purchased them from, as HRW's are far more pricey than Duncan 59s.

Posted

First off You should get what you pay for. The seller should at least be contacted and informed of the fact his instrument was misrepresented. I personally play a different style of instrument (full body archtop) and I play at low home volumes. I found the HRW tone to fit my needs better than any humbucker I have ever played. Good luck.

 

Unfortunately or maybe luckily, he didn't. I just bought the guitar because I really wanted a VSB and because it has a top to die for. When I looked at the specs on the Heritage sticker it said that it should have come with RHWs. Here's a photo of it by the way :)

 

post-12532-0-29202800-1392893905_thumb.jpg

 

Whilst waiting for the right deal on HRWs to come along I got a set of Creamery 59 pups off ebay and put those in. Sounds absolutely amazing now. I'm actually wondering if I'll bother getting HRWs at all... It would be nice to have them to put the guitar back to original specs, but it sounds so good now that I'm wondering if I won't just end up taking them out again. But maybe I have to try them out to see with my own ears.

Posted

I wouldn't think twice about installing HRWs to get the guitar back to original. Unlike collectible vintage Gibsons, Heritages aren't valued more for being 'original'. It's a custom shop and these are players guitars.

Posted

I wouldn't think twice about installing HRWs to get the guitar back to original. Unlike collectible vintage Gibsons, Heritages aren't valued more for being 'original'. It's a custom shop and these are players guitars.

 

You're right. I'll keep it as is for now. I'll consider getting HRWs if I ever want to change pickups again :)

 

Beautiful guitar, David, and those Creamery pickups are fantastic :)

 

Thanks H! :)

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...