Lets talk Golden Eagles..

[Hfan]

The recent thread here on the Johnny Smith model got a bit of a hijack with the Golden Eagle mentions and I'm considering one so I thought I'd  start a new topic.

Regarding the reg numbers discussed in the other thread, on the back inlay, supposedly they only went up to the 1st 1000 examples. Steiner I believe if memory serves, has # 363 on his 1994 . I spotted # 463 on a 1995 and just today, coincidentally on the Northern NJ CL there is a 2005 (V s/n = 2005) Golden Eagle that is reg# 917 complete with "TRW" pickups and a Bigsby. Interesting set up but not what I'm after.

I'm aspiring to play more jazz and have always wanted a fully acoustic arch top and I've been considering a used Golden Eagle with a floater. I have a few short scale, set pick up arch tops that cover those bases well but have always wanted to try an acoustic arch top and obviously the Heritage builders knew what they were doing with these.

Used prices seem to be coming down on these as well, maybe a good entry point, not cheap for sure but anything comparable from other builders could be much more expensive.

So tell me about this model if so inclined. Thanks.

[skydog52]

Here is a screen shot from specs.

 

[Hfan]

^^ Thanks for the specs. I'm considering an older one, pre "H" tailpiece.

I've heard that they can be very nice unplugged too. An acoustic archtop is one of the few guitar types I haven't owned yet.

[RhoadsScholar]

I have a golden eagle however, it has a mounted pickup and parallel bracing (most have X bracing).  I had a sweet 16 with a floater and ended up mounting the pickup (single neck humbucker). 

If you keep the floater, you might want to consider a handmade Kent Armstrong pickup to replace the Heritage pickup. It makes a world of difference. Not a fan of their floating pickup.

I like the electric sound of a mounted pickup better and practice at a volume level half acoustic half electric.  Some will disagree but I don't think I gave up much regarding the acoustic properties by going with a mounted pickup when I had Pete Moreno perform that mod on the Sweet 16. The Golden Eagle still sounds great acoustically and often times its enough for a good practice session. Either way, you can't go wrong with a Golden Eagle for what you can get them for on the used market. For me, it scratches that itch for a Gibson L5 (for now anyway)

[Gitfiddler]

Hfan, Golden Eagles are big, loud and beautiful archtops.  Mine came with a Heritage jazz floating pickup, but I swapped it out for a handmade Kent Armstrong 12 pole PAF floater. 

They typically are 3" body depth making them slightly thinner than a comparable L5CES, and a lighter build than their Gibson counterpart.  If you get one, be sure to check for tail rise at the end of the fretboard.  I've read about a few of them with this issue, but not aware of it being a typical issue.  My 1993 fretboard is arrow straight. 

Overall they are great values for a full size, full hollow archtop.  I love my old girl!

Here's a collage photo taken after I first bought #363 from HOC'er, DC Ron:

[Hfan]

Thanks for the replies guys. Gitfiddler, that is beautiful, I'm glad to hear they have a good acoustic voice. I thought Steiner had #326, looking at that other thread his is #826.

And Rhoades, good point about the floating pickup in general. My experience with those is exactly 0. But I'm looking at it as a free extra option to a good acoustic arch top if that makes sense. I have other guitars with set pickups.

I played a Sweet 16 once unamplified and it was beautiful, that may be the extent of my acoustic arch top acoustic experience. If the acoustic voice on these are anything like that (I expect it will be "more"..louder, bigger etc) I'll be happy.

Thanks again for the replies.

[pressure]

This is timely.

 

[houndhome]

As mentioned in the Johnny Smith debate I have 103 which appears to be acoustic but actually has a

piezo pickup fitted to the underside of the top and the jack socket being into the rear strap button.I have

no idea whether this was factory fitted but the dealer I bought it off had no idea that it had a pickup! The

guitar cost me £1500 (a reduced price since I bought a Super Eagle off them at the same time.I think I like 

the Golden Eagle the  better of the two).

[Hfan]

Oh well, the one I have been watching and resisting for a while sold today. It was on the NJ CL (and Reverb I believe) for months at $3,600, then the price went down from there a few times until it was listed for $3,100 and he would have gone a few hundred less for a local deal. I called the seller this weekend but he was in LA. I was going to look at it early next week but it sold today on Reverb. My GAS has been terminated.

[Hfan]

And somehow one popped up today thanks to a fellow HOC'er. Gitfiddler spotted one out in California in a GC. He took a look at it and gave me a heads up. Even sent me pictures. It's on it's way to NJ. Thanks Gitfiddler.

Having trouble getting a pic pasted here, tried to down size the image but I'm always over 1.5meg, here's a link. 1997, not sure what finish that is. Natural maybe?

https://imgur.com/nwroFjM

[Hfan]

I resized one enough to stick:

[pressure]

It's possible that one is tap tuned. The natural finished guitars sometimes had premium woods and were given special care.

[Hfan]

6 minutes ago, pressure said:

It's possible that one is tap tuned. The natural finished guitars sometimes had premium woods and were given special care.

Cool, anyway to tell?

I'm wondering about the pickup too. The stock pickups I have seen from the mid to late 90s seem to be black, this one is Gold. I've heard a few times that the stock pickups were not great. We'll see.

The tailpiece too is a little different. In the mid 90s they had that tailpiece with a Black (ebony maybe?) piece with "Golden Eagle" on it over the opening, later they started with the H in script there. This one just has an opening, kind of nice, you can see the wood. I've seen others from this period like that too, with the opening having no "H" or Black piece in it.

And for some reason, all my Heritages some how come with the non pointy Gibbie shaped pick guard. I would not have minded a Heritage pointy guard. It looks fine though.

[Genericmusic]

1997? Most likely tap tuned by Aaron Cowles.  He had his own shop  but tapped tuned archtops and built mandolins for Heritage about the same time Pete Moreno was jobbing electrical work. I have a '97 Mahogany Eagle with the same specs as the Golden Eagle including the ebony finger board  along with Johnny Smith  hardware. It was tapped tuned by Aaron Cowles. He told me quite a few years ago when I brought into his shop. 

[High Flying Bird]

That is a nice looking guitar.

[RhoadsScholar]

That’s a beauty. ,,

[Gitfiddler]

Hfan, your new GE beauty is Antique Natural, and awe inspiring to see in person.  And she's got a very big voice acoustically. 

Glad to help out (er, um, enable) a fellow HOC'er. 

[Hfan]

4 minutes ago, Gitfiddler said:

Hfan, your new GE beauty is Antique Natural, and awe inspiring to see in person.  And she's got a very big voice acoustically. 

Glad to help out (er, um, enable) a fellow HOC'er. 

Enabled I have been ha ha. I’m glad I started this thread now. Never would have heard of it. 

Its funny. I pm’d you on it with the Reverb link and you responded it had sold. And not to me. Funny how things work out. It will be within the HOC fold now.

Thanks again. 

[Hfan]

49 minutes ago, Genericmusic said:

1997? Most likely tap tuned by Aaron Cowles.  He had his own shop  but tapped tuned archtops and built mandolins for Heritage about the same time Pete Moreno was jobbing electrical work. I have a '97 Mahogany Eagle with the same specs as the Golden Eagle including the ebony finger board  along with Johnny Smith  hardware. It was tapped tuned by Aaron Cowles. He told me quite a few years ago when I brought into his shop. 

Interesting!  Any way to tell if it’s tap tuned? It has no COA but supposedly the original receipt is on the case. We’ll see I guess. Now I have to move a few of my other guitars I think. 

[Genericmusic]

9 hours ago, Hfan said:

...Any way to tell if it’s tap tuned? ...

In theory when you tap the top, rim, or back it will resonate to the same pitch.

 

[Hfan]

8 hours ago, Genericmusic said:

In theory when you tap the top, rim, or back it will resonate to the same pitch.

 

Interesting! 

[skydog52]

All this talk. Now I want one! 

[Hfan]

And a quick update..time is limited..The Eagle Has Landed!

I picked it up after working a long shift just before GC closed Friday night.

While it was in transit I tried to determine the return policy. I swear I read the fine print on the GC site, but it was murky, there is "vintage" (3 day return) and there is "used" mentioned with no definitions I could find. So I planned that it would be considered Vintage which meant I needed a good strategy to eval it in 3 days around my work schedule and leave time to get it back there if needed (yes I overthink sometimes ha ha the school of hard knocks at work I guess). The guy at the CA store called it Vintage but it had "45 day return" on the price tag at the CA store. Gitfiddler sent me a picture on my phone which I had ready to show the NJ GC guys. No need, as they explained their used gear is considered "vintage" at the 25 yr mark. Mine squeaked by with a few years to spare. So 45 days it is. In case anyone else is confused on their policy, there it it as per the mgr at the store.

Got it home and unboxed..the H case looked like it was brand new..a good sign in deed.

Opened it up and I had a small uh uh moment..there was a red wire poking out from under the pick guard. I assumed the electronics would be dead, (I was wrong, they worked).  And the pick up was kind of askew, treble end actually making contact to the top. Also the wood block usually in the middle of the tailpiece was in the case pocket (mine had a plain one, no "Golden Eagle Badge") But cosmetically it was in great shape for it's age, some light pick marks on the guard and maybe a tiny ding or two if you really look, frets perfect, neck dead straight with no relief, (pretty much as I do it), and a few tiny marks hardly visible on the tailpiece where the wood block must have been,

Tossed on a set of D'Addario Jazz Lights (.012 high E wound G)..the old ones were.. OLD..black and light gauge...

I pulled off the pick guard a few times that night (happy to see it was wooden). The stray red wire turned out to be a connection to the body of the pot..a ground wire to nowhere..maybe for a possible coil split for another pickup up IDK. I quickly saw ony two possible adjustments to make the pick up and pick guard  position move, the mounting bracket and the pick guard mounting area near the fingerboard, so a small bend of the bracket and a tweek of the height of the of the guard up by the finger board got the pup parallel to the strings and off the body.

By then it was after midnight and I was finally satisfied with the little stuff bugging me to actually play it. It was very nice acoustically, having never played an actual acoustic arch top I have no reference points, but it was nice. My big revelation moment was when I plugged it into the amp I had out, DB's old Traynor from the 70's withEL84s. And there was that voice I had heard on jazz recordings , kind of like a bell, so clear, and as RhodesScholar mentioned recently, with the volume on the amp low with the guitar still audible acoustically, it was really special.

So a BIG thanks to Gitfiddler, I never would have considered a used one from GC really without having a bro out on the west coast to check it out. And having just missed the local one, this was kind of meant to be.

 

 

[Hfan]

And a quick update..had a minute to break it out before watching my son play soccer in the rain (fun ha ha)..played for 90 seconds on my couch acoustically...IT IS AWESOME.