thorn Posted May 31, 2014 Posted May 31, 2014 Anyone wanna let me in on the secret? I have no clue what these are. Danks in advance.
davesultra Posted May 31, 2014 Posted May 31, 2014 They are actually HRW pickups. It stood for "Heritage Rendal Wall" pickups. Ren will nor has ever revealed what exactly he did to them. Essentially, they were modified Schaller pickups. My guess was always that he swapped the magnets, but in the end only Ren knows. I had an H-150CM Ultra that had them in it, and they sounded great!
davesultra Posted May 31, 2014 Posted May 31, 2014 Oh, and I forgot to mention that they are no longer available.
thorn Posted May 31, 2014 Author Posted May 31, 2014 They are actually HRW pickups. Yeah, that too. LOL Thanks for the info. Can you tell me any more? DC resistance, wire, magnets?
Keith7940236 Posted June 1, 2014 Posted June 1, 2014 If you could replicate them, you'd have a lot of customers here.
Gitfiddler Posted June 1, 2014 Posted June 1, 2014 If you could replicate them, you'd have a lot of customers here. Uh yep...including Ren's patent attorney knocking at your door. LOL!!
thorn Posted June 1, 2014 Author Posted June 1, 2014 Uh yep...including Ren's patent attorney knocking at your door. LOL!! So he actually got a patent when Gibson could only get a PAF? That's funny.
Gitfiddler Posted June 1, 2014 Posted June 1, 2014 Yep, Ren has a number of patents. Interesting man.
bolero Posted June 1, 2014 Posted June 1, 2014 if you do a search on the forum there are a few threads about them
thorn Posted June 1, 2014 Author Posted June 1, 2014 Lazy me. Except that the minimum search criteria is 4 integers, letters, or spaces. HWR didn't come up. Maybe you can help a brother out. if you do a search on the forum there are a few threads about them
tbonesullivan Posted June 1, 2014 Posted June 1, 2014 they are very interesting pickups, but they sound great, IMHO. I have a set in my Kahuna. Also, as others have mentioned, they are sadly no longer available. Maybe if Schaller pickups were readily available again, he'd be able to make more. I keep hoping that he gets together with some pickup maker to put out a new version. Ren is quite the man.
barrymclark Posted June 1, 2014 Posted June 1, 2014 The HRW is a pickup that I just haven't had the pleasure of playing. The Schaller pickups that once came standard on Heritage I thought were great. Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk
Hbom Posted June 1, 2014 Posted June 1, 2014 I have a set of HRWs in my Academy Custom and really enjoy them. But to be perfectly honest, I have not played standard Schaller pickups so really can't compare. Only thing I can say is that whenever the idea of parting with the AC comes up, an hour or 2 of playing it keeps it here. The pickups are certainly a major part of that.
tsp17 Posted June 1, 2014 Posted June 1, 2014 I've had a couple sets: very articulate, focused, clear, "hi-fi" sounding. i'm no expert, but i'd say they are a little on the high output side, but not so much as Burstbucker Pros or similar. I'm partial to a little darker sound, so i have passed them along to others who have loved them.
thorn Posted June 1, 2014 Author Posted June 1, 2014 Which models / years were these available? Were they stock at some time or an upgrade? How do you know if you have a set? Did he scribble something on them? Did / does he work for Heritage? Danks
Gitfiddler Posted June 1, 2014 Posted June 1, 2014 Which models / years were these available? Were they stock at some time or an upgrade? How do you know if you have a set? Did he scribble something on them? Did / does he work for Heritage? Danks Here are the official answers: http://www.heritageguitar.com/hrw_pickups.html HRW pickups were a source of great pride by the factory. The fact that they offered to retrofit guitars (if they were returned to the factory) was a first! (That is what PRS now does if you want their proprietary 57/08 paf's.). That they bothered to include a special page on their very humble website and posted user testimonials praising them is testament to how highly regarded HRW's were by Heritage. Not sure when they were discontinued, but I think it was after 2008. Also, since they were sourced from Schaller paf's, they are typically mounted in a 4-screw adjustment ring. The factory also made a special pickup selector switch with a small dot in the center to indicate 'HRW pickups installed. Finally, a small card stating that quote was attached to the pickup ring when purchased new. That usually ended up inside the case along with the other very limited Heritage case candy. As with any pickups, it is a matter of personal preference if one loves or hates HRW's. I like them a lot, but since they are relatively hot (as are George Benson designed paf's in his signature GB10), they need tweaking to get the best tone from them. Raise em, lower em, until you get what you want. If not, then yank em out and try something else. That's probably more than you wanted Thorn, but this is an interesting and unique product that always gets us going around here. Glad you asked. (There are many more HOC threads on HRW pickups if you do a search)
bolero Posted June 1, 2014 Posted June 1, 2014 ah interesting the search needs 4 chars? here ya go I just used "hrw pickups" & these came up http://www.heritageownersclub.com/forums/topic/240-hrw-pups/?hl=%2Bhrw+%2Bpckups&do=findComment&comment=2431 http://www.heritageownersclub.com/forums/topic/23372-hrw-pickups/?hl=%2Bhrw+%2Bpickups http://www.heritageownersclub.com/forums/topic/18343-what-kind-of-magnets-are-used-in-the-hrw-pickups/?hl=%2Bhrw+%2Bpickups http://www.heritageownersclub.com/forums/topic/22078-i-learned-something-about-schaller-pickups-today-this-clears-up-some-of-the-hrw-mystery/?hl=%2Bhrw+%2Bpickups
davesultra Posted June 1, 2014 Posted June 1, 2014 Which models / years were these available? Were they stock at some time or an upgrade? How do you know if you have a set? Did he scribble something on them? Did / does he work for Heritage? Danks Early 2000s'. I had an '02 with them in it. They were an option on "H"guitars. Some dealers ordered them for their shops. They were available for any model you wanted them in. The switch tips had either a black dot on them, or a white dot on a black switch tip. I believe they were discontinued in the late '00s.
thorn Posted June 1, 2014 Author Posted June 1, 2014 ah interesting the search needs 4 chars? here ya go I just used "hrw pickups" & these came up http://www.heritageownersclub.com/forums/topic/240-hrw-pups/?hl=%2Bhrw+%2Bpckups&do=findComment&comment=2431 http://www.heritageownersclub.com/forums/topic/23372-hrw-pickups/?hl=%2Bhrw+%2Bpickups http://www.heritageownersclub.com/forums/topic/18343-what-kind-of-magnets-are-used-in-the-hrw-pickups/?hl=%2Bhrw+%2Bpickups http://www.heritageownersclub.com/forums/topic/22078-i-learned-something-about-schaller-pickups-today-this-clears-up-some-of-the-hrw-mystery/?hl=%2Bhrw+%2Bpickups Well, I may have been on the HFC when I did the search. But thanks for helping me out. Here are the official answers: http://www.heritageguitar.com/hrw_pickups.html HRW pickups were a source of great pride by the factory. The fact that they offered to retrofit guitars (if they were returned to the factory) was a first! (That is what PRS now does if you want their proprietary 57/08 paf's.). That they bothered to include a special page on their very humble website and posted user testimonials praising them is testament to how highly regarded HRW's were by Heritage. Not sure when they were discontinued, but I think it was after 2008. Also, since they were sourced from Schaller paf's, they are typically mounted in a 4-screw adjustment ring. The factory also made a special pickup selector switch with a small dot in the center to indicate 'HRW pickups installed. Finally, a small card stating that quote was attached to the pickup ring when purchased new. That usually ended up inside the case along with the other very limited Heritage case candy. As with any pickups, it is a matter of personal preference if one loves or hates HRW's. I like them a lot, but since they are relatively hot (as are George Benson designed paf's in his signature GB10), they need tweaking to get the best tone from them. Raise em, lower em, until you get what you want. If not, then yank em out and try something else. That's probably more than you wanted Thorn, but this is an interesting and unique product that always gets us going around here. Glad you asked. (There are many more HOC threads on HRW pickups if you do a search) Nope, this is exactly what I was looking for. Danks. Any pictures of the switch with the dot. I guess what I'm after is if I see a Heritage in a Pawn Shop I'm looking for a clue what PUPs are installed.
MartyGrass Posted June 2, 2014 Posted June 2, 2014 I'm told that HRWs are made by dunking Schallers in liquid nitrogen. That came from a fairly reliable source at Heritage. But in this land of legend and fairytales, it's hard to know what to believe.
bolero Posted June 2, 2014 Posted June 2, 2014 dunking drunken sailers in liquid nitrogen??? sounds painful
tulk1 Posted June 2, 2014 Posted June 2, 2014 I'm told that HRWs are made by dunking Schallers in liquid nitrogen. That came from a fairly reliable source at Heritage. But in this land of legend and fairytales, it's hard to know what to believe. Callaham cryo's their pickups. And apparently their machinery, tools and hardware. Callaham.
MartyGrass Posted June 2, 2014 Posted June 2, 2014 The resistance of the HRWs is in the same ballpark as Schallers PAFs, which is consistent with the cryo treatment theory. Someone on HOC should take some Schallers for a cold swim and listen to what happens.
HANGAR18 Posted June 2, 2014 Posted June 2, 2014 Anyone wanna let me in on the secret? I have no clue what these are. Danks in advance.
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