Millie-scellaneous

[myoldfriend]

So, what qualities do you Millie owners find in your Millie that you don't find in your H____? (fill in the blank).

 

In other words, why do you grab your Millie instead of your H535, your 150 or other member of your stable?

 

Been silently pining away for a certain specimen out there on the interwebs: no f holes, no gold hardware, single "cut" if you will. Thing is I don't know that there is sufficient territory, tonal or otherwise, to gain in order to justify going after this fine piece of Heritage craftsmanship (yes, pipe down you all in the peanut gallery, when has this ever stopped one of us before...) Also, I heard through the grapevine that The H is ceasing production of the Millenium; any substantiation to this gossip that you know of?

 

Grateful for your perspective.

 

... and btw, Happy Holidays!

 

 

Oh yeah, TV Jones is whispering in my ear for this application.

[schundog]

Well, let me help you out. They are beautiful. I think that this is my most pretty guitar, period.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's lighter than my 157 by a couple dozen pounds, and as I get older, those heavy guitars are not kind to my shoulder when I play standing up. Mine has Seth Lovers, which I like in my 535, too, but they somehow sound sweeter in the Millie. I am NOT crazy about the position of the toggle switch, and the somehow-not-LPish enough lower bout, but I can live with it.

 

It's not a necessity to have one for what I play, but I really do like it; I'm normally not a fan of the Gold hardware, either, but it really seems to work on this guitar (I wouldn't mind swapping the bridge for a tonepros, but only for aesthetics; the Schaller stuff works just fine).

 

These next few pics show off it's real beauty.....

 

 

 

[Spectrum13]

It's size is more comfortable than a 535 (to me) and more comfortable than my Prospect.

It's lighter than a 555 or 535

Most important the neck pickup (Seths) gets pretty good hollow body jazz tones, not Golden Eagle or L5 thunk but close enough while the bridge can do classic rock, Fusion Jazz and more. Not 150 or LP sustain or power but pretty good.

 

Negative is the toggle on the lower horn.

[Yooper]

My Millie has no f-holes too. I love the lighter weight and balance. Most comfortable of guitars. It can sound close to the H150, but has some of the "string separation" open sound and acoustic flavored tones of a semi-hollow as well. It's right in between a 150 and 335 sound.

 

The A2 magnets in the Fralin Pure PAFs give it nice, sharp, almost tele bite in the bridge and sweet full jazz tones in the neck. A2 magnets are perfect in them, as testimony shows.

 

Very versatile and darn near perfect. In fact, I can't say what's not perfect about it. No quack?

 

Bottom line: If you play one, you will love it. That's what happened to me when I was just vaguely interested in trying one.

[myoldfriend]

Bottom line: If you play one, you will love it. That's what happened to me when I was just vaguely interested in trying one.

 

Exactly what I'm afraid of!

 

[RhoadsScholar]

The Maestro is soon to come along but they are my favorite model. At present I have two.. One with F holes, and one without. The one without the f holes has the toggle like a les paul. it was custom built to look just like a les paul standard with trap inlays.

 

I have had different ones over the years but have actually narrowed it down to two (unless GAS strikes). I find that I prefer SD 59's vs the Seth Lovers as I can get more volume without feedback (Seth Lovers are not potted. In fact I have always wondered if SD59's were just potted version of a Seth Lover).

[tulk1]

My Millie NFH, altho' a double cut, is so very much like an H150 LW. Pretty much everything else is just as Yooper describes. With the exception mine has Phat Cats. I've toyed with letting it go, but it's just SO danged gorgeous. And I do belive the record still stands for the quickest turn around for an HOC custom order.... 30 days from order to my front door.

[bolero]

It's size is more comfortable than a 535 (to me) and more comfortable than my Prospect.

It's lighter than a 555 or 535

Most important the neck pickup (Seths) gets pretty good hollow body jazz tones, not Golden Eagle or L5 thunk but close enough while the bridge can do classic rock, Fusion Jazz and more. Not 150 or LP sustain or power but pretty good.

 

Negative is the toggle on the lower horn.

 

 

Spectrum summed it up nicely!

 

I have gotten used to the toggle on the lower horn, but still prefer it up top like a LP

 

If I were to order another one, it would be the Millenium Pro: florentine cutaway, toggle up top

[skydog52]

Here is one I ordered and received at a PSP. Fun

 

 

 

 

[bolero]

YEAH!!

 

 

was that the one I saw at Steiner's?

 

he told me he found it in a landfill

[Gitfiddler]

Here is one I ordered and received at a PSP. Fun

 

 

 

 

Perfect!!

[Yooper]

This and a 5f1 through a 12" speaker are all I need for this afternoon's jam:

 

[CJTopes]

If I grab my Millie DC it's because I want "that sound" My Millie has it's own sound. Not like a 535, H150,SG or anything else. Then add size, weight and action. (not to mention it's a cool looking axe!!)

 

I hope the discontinuation of the Millie line is just a rumor...

[Yooper]

If they are discontinued, we lucky few have some real gems for posterity.

[Millennium Maestro]

Millenniums are the most unknown product in all The Heritage's series over the last twenty years! Most players don't have the privilege of playing these wonderful guitars.
Heritage is still manufacturing the DC and Standard models. Most previous models are manufactured with Maple Top, back and sides with a Honduran mahogany neck, Ebony board and bound and inlaid headstock, Gold Hardware standard. "Obviously all the bling" more than any other series!
Each one has its own model specific benefits:
DC - Neck access similar to the 535

STD- Mahogany back and sides (Hybrid between H-157 and maple body Millenniums tonewise

 

Series Benefits:

You cannot make any model sound muddy, IMHO

Things to consider:
Models with F holes will respond with your amp
A2 Magnet pickups mellow the chimey quality of the Maple/Ebony construction
Non F hole Solid top will control feedback better (being Semi solid/Hollow)

 

I have/had many and really struggle with the thought of parting with any, I can't keep them all though, Yooper is an indirect benefactor of one...

My current struggle... I should but...


And another... Yooper made her p90s sing! Bought some Tonepros, they are probably the next upgrade!

 

[Gianluca]

wonderful guitars

thanks for sharing those pictures

[Gitfiddler]

Folks around her love Millies so much, there have been a few threads dedicated to it. Here's the most recent. (Once again...great Millie porn!)

 

http://www.heritageownersclub.com/forums/topic/30744-show-us-your-millie/?hl=ultra

[buzzy]

I wanted a Millie from both a player and collector perspective.

The venetian cutaway, semi solid body, smaller size and ebony board ticked the functional and aesthetic boxes.

I also wanted f-holes and I don't mind the switch position.

 

Circumstances have led me to reluctantly become more collector than player. So, (like all of my guitars) I play mine unplugged more than at volume.

 

But, when I play, it involves a fairly hot amp and I want controlled feedback from the guitar. So on a very simplistic level, I pick the Millie when stage volume is a bit loud and I can stand off axis at least six foot from the amp. Louder/on axis/closer then I pick the H150; vice versa, I grab the H535 or JA15

 

 

[Spectrum13]

[

The venetian cutaway, semi solid body, smaller size and ebony board ticked the functional and aesthetic boxes.

I also wanted f-holes and I don't mind the switch position.

 

Circumstances have led me to reluctantly become more collector than player. So, (like all of my guitars) I play mine unplugged more than at volume.

 

But, when I play, it involves a fairly hot amp and I want controlled feedback from the guitar. So on a very simplistic level, I pick the Millie when stage volume is a bit loud and I can stand off axis at least six foot from the amp. Louder/on axis/closer then I pick the H150; vice versa, I grab the H535 or JA15

 

 

Buzzy,

 

Is that Josh's custom with the real large neck?

[buzzy]

Yep, that's the one; hard to mistake the wild top.

The neck is a handful - I like it!

 

I have to be a bit picky about using it because the Skatterbranes can produce a nasty microphonic squeal. I can get the same squeal from my PRS w/ 53/10s and I just work with/around it.

[TalismanRich]

I always wondered what it was that Josh didn't like about that Mille? I remember some comment about not being able to do a good jazz tone (or something to that effect).

 

The kid has turned out to be an excellent guitar player. He does mostly classical and jazz stuff these days. It looks like he's been playing a Gibson 330 with the P90s. He still has a video of that Mille on his Youtube channel from years back when he was playing a lot of blues.

 

[Spectrum13]

I always wondered what it was that Josh didn't like about that Mille? I remember some comment about not being able to do a good jazz tone (or something to that effect).

 

The kid has turned out to be an excellent guitar player. He does mostly classical and jazz stuff these days. It looks like he's been playing a Gibson 330 with the P90s. He still has a video of that Mille on his Youtube channel from years back when he was playing a lot of blues.

 

When he came over my place to try out a Millie, he played my 150 too. I had my P90 prospect at the time but I can't remember him playing it. He was 15-16 years old with his dad his biggest fan. Listening to that clip, I reminds me a little bit of Sean Costello who lived the next town over. I could hear in my mind Josh using P90 tones to a better effect on numbers like that and if it were a semi, better able to handle the octaves. His dad said he was moving on to CP Thornton after the Heritage and he showed my the Korina strat he had built with the super big neck. Yes he is entertaining and a great player.

[Gianluca]

nice looking Millennium

is that a standard build?

 

I wonder if a spruce top and rosewood back+sides has ever been made....but likely yes(?)

[pressure]

Here are images of my 2012 Millie with a Spruce top and a Flame Maple back, I tried to get Rosewood but that didn't happen. Ren found the Maple for this guitar and sent me a picture for approval. Started the design in November 2009, the order was accepted, after a lot of discussions in March of 2010 and I received it July 2012. It looks simple but the Spruce top was very difficult to do on a Millie. It took a fuIl year to dry and stabilize the spruce. I'm pretty sure they will never do another Spruce Millie.

 

 

[pressure]

I've got Spruce on most of my guitars. Spruce top on 2 Heritage Johnny Smiths, Spruce top on a Heritage Millennium, Spruce back on a Heritage H170, Spruce top on a Heritage Prospect and even a Spruce body on a Fender Custom Shop 54 Strat built by Dennis Galuszka.