How limited or rare were the H150 LW's?

[ElNumero]

Does anybody know how rare or limited the 150LW's are? I have one, been contemplating selling it, but I'd like to know a bit more about them. Were they a custom shop order back in the day, or part of the regular lineup? I am also guessing they were probably more costly. Mine has a bound headstock (see my avatar on here). Skydog? Maestro? DBlues?

[skydog52]

Can't answer that. I will be at the factory soon and ask Ren and see if he knows. Picture courtesy of FredZepp

[davesultra]

I had one, couldn’t get rid of it fast enough. Didn’t like how the neck would dive, even when using a suede strap. But one things for sure, you don’t see a whole lot of them.

[Buckyrock]

Hello.    I have a H-150LW and a H-157LW.  It was an option listed in the price guide.  It was (I think) a $150 upcharge.  Mine don't neck dive.  They don't sound like a solid body.  They lack the punch of a solid H-150.   Sound more like a semi hollow.  YMMV    

[pressure]

Nice piece of Maple about to go on that H150, it's marked "Ultra".

[DetroitBlues]

I doubt there were records kept explaining LW designation.  Nearly all Heritages were custom orders back in the day.  The LW was just an option added to a guitar, no different than pickup selection or color option.

There might be records on anything produced in the past couple of years, but that's probably it.

[ElNumero]

14 hours ago, Buckyrock said:

Hello.    I have a H-150LW and a H-157LW.  It was an option listed in the price guide.  It was (I think) a $150 upcharge.  Mine don't neck dive.  They don't sound like a solid body.  They lack the punch of a solid H-150.   Sound more like a semi hollow.  YMMV    

I have to disagree. The only difference I can tell from my other H150's is with the weight. My ears can't tell any difference in sound. And no neck dive, whatever the hell that is. 

[ElNumero]

21 hours ago, skydog52 said:

Can't answer that. I will be at the factory soon and ask Ren and see if he knows. Picture courtesy of FredZepp

Thank you Paul

[ej150]

22 hours ago, skydog52 said:

Can't answer that. I will be at the factory soon and ask Ren and see if he knows. Picture courtesy of FredZepp

That's going to be a great looking top.

 

As far as chambering like that goes, it definitely affects tone. I had a couple Les Paul Custom Shop Moderns, which were fully chambered just like above. 7 pounds, 4 ounces, felt so light especially for an LP. It definitely gave it a rounded hollow like tone.

[Steiner]

21 hours ago, davesultra said:

I had one, couldn’t get rid of it fast enough. Didn’t like how the neck would dive, even when using a suede strap. But one things for sure, you don’t see a whole lot of them.

There's no neck dive with the one I curate.  It's currently my go-to LP style and certainly a cold dead hands guitar.

15 hours ago, Buckyrock said:

Hello.    I have a H-150LW and a H-157LW.  It was an option listed in the price guide.  It was (I think) a $150 upcharge.  Mine don't neck dive.  They don't sound like a solid body.  They lack the punch of a solid H-150.   Sound more like a semi hollow.  YMMV    

An H-157LW!???  That's a new one.  I've never heard of or seen one. 

The H-150LW is closer to the Gibbonss I own than the 535/555 I've encountered.  It's possible that we're listening for different characteristics.  My preference tends toward H-575 and Eagle hollowbody via a good, high-gain amp.

[DetroitBlues]

2 hours ago, ElNumero said:

I have to disagree. The only difference I can tell from my other H150's is with the weight. My ears can't tell any difference in sound. And no neck dive, whatever the hell that is. 

Clearly you've never played an SG.  The weight of the tuners and the strap position make the headstock drop when you let the strap hold the guitar up.  

[Steiner]

6 minutes ago, DetroitBlues said:

Clearly you've never played an SG.  The weight of the tuners and the strap position make the headstock drop when you let the strap hold the guitar up.  

Ah, truth!  But SGs are so much fun to play, it's worth it!

[skydog52]

I had this one made back in the day. Don't know if it was a one off. I called it a Supreme. Thundersteel ended up with it in a convoluted way. I think he sold it.

Constructed like a Millie

 

[DetroitBlues]

46 minutes ago, Steiner said:

Ah, truth!  But SGs are so much fun to play, it's worth it!

You speak the truth, and if you have some sort of wiggle stick on it, it makes a great counter-weight.

[Steiner]

12 minutes ago, DetroitBlues said:

You speak the truth, and if you have some sort of wiggle stick on it, it makes a great counter-weight.

Sacrilege!  How does one stab a 4x12 cab with a hillbilly crowbar attached?

57 minutes ago, skydog52 said:

I had this one made back in the day. Don't know if it was a one off. I called it a Supreme. Thundersteel ended up with it in a convoluted way. I think he sold it.

Constructed like a Millie

 

Skydog52, Green Oak Guitars always seems to get the BEST!!!

[DetroitBlues]

1 minute ago, Steiner said:

Sacrilege!  How does one stab a 4x12 cab with a hillbilly crowbar attached?

 

Think of it as a hilt so you don't go in too far...

[ej150]

Stick a few stick on wheel weights in the control cavity to offset the weight of the neck and prevent neck dive.

[DetroitBlues]

Just now, ej150 said:

Stick a few stick on wheel weights in the control cavity to offset the weight of the neck and prevent neck dive.

Even a stack of pennies will work.

[davesultra]

1 hour ago, DetroitBlues said:

Clearly you've never played an SG.  The weight of the tuners and the strap position make the headstock drop when you let the strap hold the guitar up.  

When SG shopping I always look for 'em that weigh over 7.25 lbs, and have the later '60s style extended neck joint. Also going with Kluson gears as opposed to Grovers helps too.

[loudtubeamps]

1 hour ago, ej150 said:

Stick a few stick on wheel weights in the control cavity to offset the weight of the neck and prevent neck dive.

Perfect for playing Lead Zepplin tunes.... ka-ching.

[ElNumero]

On 11/12/2020 at 11:42 AM, DetroitBlues said:

Clearly you've never played an SG.  The weight of the tuners and the strap position make the headstock drop when you let the strap hold the guitar up.  

Clearly I have as I own a 2008 Standard. That neck dive is stuff of myth and folklore. But then again, I play it mostly sitting with no strap. 

[DetroitBlues]

Just now, ElNumero said:

That is stuff of myth. I have one, a 2008, and it has very nice balance! But then again, I play it mostly sitting with no strap. 

Of course.. You need to pull out your strap and slap it on.  Stand up and see how it balances.

[ElNumero]

On 11/12/2020 at 9:42 AM, ej150 said:

That's going to be a great looking top.

 

As far as chambering like that goes, it definitely affects tone. I had a couple Les Paul Custom Shop Moderns, which were fully chambered just like above. 7 pounds, 4 ounces, felt so light especially for an LP. It definitely gave it a rounded hollow like tone.

I bet you wouldn't be able to tell in a blindfold test. But then again, no two sets of ears are identical.

[ElNumero]

3 minutes ago, DetroitBlues said:

Of course.. You need to pull out your strap and slap it on.  Stand up and see how it balances.

I have tried that too, not slapping it though. My guitars do not engage in BDSM. NO balancing issues at all. SG's are so damn light to begin with too. 

[ElNumero]

Just now, ElNumero said:

So I have been playing the LW and I am reconnecting with it. Isn't that how it is supposed to be? Love em, leave em, then play em and love em again. It has marvelous tone. Can't explain it other than it seems dirtier sounding than my other 150's.