Reintroduction and MEGA Heritage NGD !

[BigMike]

​Hello everyone I am BigMike, I've been a member here a long time. I know many of you from the Ibanez Collectors World forum and other pit stops along the internet as BigMike. Formerly of California, then New Jersey and now River Forest Illinois.

 

Last year an old friend of many of you, Patrick Amato, passed away. A really knowledgable guy who did make as many friends as enemies along the way. Patrick spoke his mind and tried to help many. I came into contact with his widow and his son back in March and we eventually brokered a MEGA deal on almost the last of Patricks find guitars. I bought:

 

1994 17 inch Unity (made by Aaron Cowles)

1995 Heritage built D'Angelico

?? Heritage Golden Eagle (single set pickup)

Heritage H150 burst

2013 (14 ?) Heritage custom one off I call the Super Patrick.

 

I always wanted a Heritage arch top and via my own Mom passing away in February I came into some money and made the most of buying Dream Guitars and help Fran Amato secure a more financially secure future.

 

So a BigMike hello to you all. And to beat you to the punch, I post in BOLD because I am legally blind from open field glaucoma, so no I am NOT shouting... Just handicapped.

 

Cheers and Blessings to you all

 

Big Mike

 

 

 

[DetroitBlues]

Welcome (Back) to the HOC.

 

Nice collection you have acquired.

 

Most importantly, I'm sorry for your loss. Losing a family member is hard.

 

If you have any newer pics of your new collection, we'd love to see it.

[PunkKitty]

HI Mike and welcome back. We are neighbors. I live in Berwyn, IL.

[schundog]

Check out all the hair on Big Patrick! Nice story, Big Mike, welcome back to the forum. Patrick was very knowledgeable, and I'm glad you got some great guitars and were able to ease his widow's financial burden, as well. We'd love to see some pictures of your new guitars!

[BigMike]

Howdy Punk Kitty !!!

 

I just noticed my avatar is one of my better baked items, a carrot cake with butter/cream cheese frosting !! Cool !!

 

​I don't know if I will get jammed up with the Moderators doing this, but the fastest way for me to show you many pictures of what I got and to read comments from some very Heritage hip folks is this thread. You MAY have to register to see the photos, I forget, but it's worth he effort...

 

http://www.jazzguitar.be/forum/guitar-amps-gizmos/53774-bigmikes-mega-heritage-ngd.html

[AP515]

Hi Big Mike. Sorry for you loss but happy you improved your collection.

[Spectrum13]

Glad you are back Big Mike. some photos of Patrick's archtops would be appreciated.

 

Sorry about the glaucoma. From New Jersey myself, it's a great state to be from but why not California or Colorado?

 

[Gitfiddler]

Hey Big Mike~ Some folks might not realize that the Patrick Amato who passed away, was also one of the first HOC members, and an East Coast Heritage Rep. Patrick somehow got himself banned from the HOC, but went on to other guitar forums to continue praising/discussing the Heritage brand. He amassed a wonderful guitar collection, some even purchased from other HOC members.

 

Great to see you over her, my friend.

 

Here are some of Patrick's guitars that were sold by his son on behalf of his estate.

 

Patrick Amato with his custom Super Eagle:

 

 

(Mike, all you need to do is 'cut and paste' your photos from the Jazz Guitar Forum) Tim

[BigMike]

 

 

 

[BigMike]

Ok, that wasn't too painful. I cheated and went to using Photobucket... OK

So the heavy hitters, and a note, the guitars are not rose tinted they are NATURAL, it's the lighting and background, such as the drapes.

The top shot is the single pickup Golden Eagle

Next is the Super Patrick, he actually got Heritage to use his wood and essentially build a one off that is not 18 inches but not 17 either. Three inch depth

Next is what gets called the HDA Excel

Lastly the guitar that brought me to the table to deal, the Unity. I saw photos of it the day after I got to River Forest. 2 weeks from when my Mom passed away. Seeing that Angel on the headstock really got me.

Her maiden name was Angell... angel with 2 L's...

They're all remarkable guitars. I like them all best. Each takes a little getting used to. It's like dating movie stars, which one to go out with, they're all gorgeous.

 

Yeah God really Blessed me letting me close the deal on these.

 

Big

[BigMike]

Thanks to you Tim, I really miss hanging out with you man...

[Blunote]

Welcome back. How long has it been?

 

I recognized Patrick as a kindred spirit of sorts. He was just a lot more adamant & totally unapologetic about his views. That can rub many folks the wrong way. I tried to look past that to see the more gentle, empathetic man I believed him to be.

 

I was really sad to hear he'd passed away.

 

I hope his widow is doing well.

[FredZepp]

A MEGA Heritage NGD... indeed ! Patrick had great tastes in instruments and you now have many fine Heritages, Congrats.

 

It's nice that a mutual beneficial arrangement could be worked out.

[BigMike]

​I never met Patrick but I read, sometimes in awe, sometimes aghast, at what he said and knew. I'm a lot like he was, I got my opinions and I try to help.

​SO OK, it's backside time now. This first post will be just the Unity, it is not a guitar you can just walk in and pick up. You gotta get your mind ready, put on some Grover Washington or maybe a little Ben Webster and then proceed.

So without further adieu is the back shots.

 

 

 

 

Tailpiece hand engraved by Maudie Moore, now long retired.

 

 

 

 

 

[BigMike]

Here is the back of the Super Patrick, it's a weird guitar, weird GOOD weird, very comfortable.

This is one solid stain, no burst, no dark areas, it was hand stained one color so you can see ALL THE WOOD everywhere.

 

 

[BigMike]

The back of the Excel.

 

 

 

Back of the Golden Eagle (single set pickup), Chris, Patrick's son, says this was his Dad's go to guitar... It's really nice playing and sounding.

 

 

 

 

 

The ebony insert in the tailpiece has a carved raised part. The detail and workmanship is so jaw dropping.

 

[Polo]

Hello Big Mike.

[Steiner]

NICE guitar porn!

 

Thanks and congrats!

[DetroitBlues]

Just out of curiosity, how can someone identify a D'Angelico as a Ghost Build from Heritage? I've always been curious about that.

[BigMike]

You're looking for a label inside that looks like this, signed by the builders, see on the label where it says D'Angelico II ??? The outside is pretty true to the original design. Heritage used a Golden Eagle form to shape the rims. The D'Angelico family supplied an early 50s Excel for Heritage to use as a model, the body on the Excel is a little longer, and the body on the New Yorkers they built was model after a '56 the family supplied. They wanted craftsman they knew would make something "as good as a Gibson" so picked Heritage, Jim Triggs and Michael A. Lewis...

 

[Steiner]

Sweet!

[DavesNotHere]

Welcome back. Those are beautiful guitars!

[BigMike]

​Thanks for all the compliments

[Genericmusic]

[kidsmoke]

welcome Back to the Fray Mike, sorry I missed you, after 26 years in Oak Park, I recently relocated. I would have enjoyed having another Heritage Apologist in the neighborhood. I'm also a Dominican Alum....

 

Beautiful guitars. Play them in good health!