H-150 Questions

[3stepbend]

Hi All, new poster here - just looking at some H-150s and I've seen a few that seem to be more expensive than some others. It seems like it's mostly fancy finishes, but I'm not 100% sure. 

 I was just wondering, for a late model H-150 (let's say 2015 to 2021), are there significant differences between the models at various price points. I like a thicker neck and I'd most likely go for a less flashy finish. 

BTW - I'm a former LP Traditional owner. What H-150 would be in that price range? 

 

Thanks!

 

 

[DetroitBlues]

Good Questions!

So here's a few breakdown's in price differences.

Cheapest to highest:

• Standard line H150 is the cheapest model, standard features in figured maple top, Seymour Duncan pickups, etc.
• Standard Line H150 Artesian Aged, same as a normal standard except gone through an aging process to feel and look like a well-played guitar.
• Custom Core H150 are Custom Shop models with beefer neck, custom made pickups, larger headstock w/ special inlays.  Higher end figured tops.  Probably a few more features.
• Custom Core H150 Artesian Aged, same guitar just gone through the aging process.

Biggest difference over the years for Heritages are the neck carves, hardware, and pickups.

• 80's had thinner D shape necks with Schaller pickups and hardware.
• 90's saw C shape necks, still with Schaller Pickups and hardware.
• 2000's saw med C shape necks, transistion to Tone Pros hardware and Seymour Duncan.
• 2010's saw the transition from original owners to Plaza Corp/Bandlab.  Changes in production quality and hardware.

Typically H150's hover from $1500 to $2000 on the used market, depending on model and condition (there were limited runs, deluxes, etc).

Remember on auction sites, there are asking prices and sold prices.  Big difference.

Hope this brief answer helps you.

[PunkKitty]

Standard H-150 is targeted for the 9-10 pound range. Target for the Custom Core H-150 is in the 8 pound range. 

[bobmeyrick]

5 hours ago, DetroitBlues said:

Standard Line H150 Artesian Aged, 

Apologies for the pedantry, DB, but shouldn't that be 'Artisan'? I seem to remember from Geography lessons that Artesian was something to do with wells...

[DetroitBlues]

13 hours ago, bobmeyrick said:

Apologies for the pedantry, DB, but shouldn't that be 'Artisan'? I seem to remember from Geography lessons that Artesian was something to do with wells...

Something like that.... Didn't spell it right the first time and went with the first auto-correct option... 

[3stepbend]

On 7/29/2021 at 11:21 AM, DetroitBlues said:

Good Questions!

So here's a few breakdown's in price differences.

Cheapest to highest:

• Standard line H150 is the cheapest model, standard features in figured maple top, Seymour Duncan pickups, etc.
• Standard Line H150 Artesian Aged, same as a normal standard except gone through an aging process to feel and look like a well-played guitar.
• Custom Core H150 are Custom Shop models with beefer neck, custom made pickups, larger headstock w/ special inlays.  Higher end figured tops.  Probably a few more features.
• Custom Core H150 Artesian Aged, same guitar just gone through the aging process.

Biggest difference over the years for Heritages are the neck carves, hardware, and pickups.

• 80's had thinner D shape necks with Schaller pickups and hardware.
• 90's saw C shape necks, still with Schaller Pickups and hardware.
• 2000's saw med C shape necks, transistion to Tone Pros hardware and Seymour Duncan.
• 2010's saw the transition from original owners to Plaza Corp/Bandlab.  Changes in production quality and hardware.

Typically H150's hover from $1500 to $2000 on the used market, depending on model and condition (there were limited runs, deluxes, etc).

Remember on auction sites, there are asking prices and sold prices.  Big difference.

Hope this brief answer helps you.

Thanks, this was very helpful. 

Are you hearing good/bad/indifferent reviews since the new ownership?

 

[yoslate]

On 7/29/2021 at 4:40 PM, bobmeyrick said:

Apologies for the pedantry, DB, but shouldn't that be 'Artisan'? I seem to remember from Geography lessons that Artesian was something to do with wells...

Thought that was Tunbridge Wells...?   ?  (Sorry!)

[bobmeyrick]

4 hours ago, yoslate said:

Thought that was Tunbridge Wells...?   ?  (Sorry!)

[chico]

On 7/29/2021 at 10:21 AM, DetroitBlues said:

Good Questions!

So here's a few breakdown's in price differences.

Cheapest to highest:

• Standard line H150 is the cheapest model, standard features in figured maple top, Seymour Duncan pickups, etc.
• Standard Line H150 Artesian Aged, same as a normal standard except gone through an aging process to feel and look like a well-played guitar.
• Custom Core H150 are Custom Shop models with beefer neck, custom made pickups, larger headstock w/ special inlays.  Higher end figured tops.  Probably a few more features.
• Custom Core H150 Artesian Aged, same guitar just gone through the aging process.

Biggest difference over the years for Heritages are the neck carves, hardware, and pickups.

• 80's had thinner D shape necks with Schaller pickups and hardware.
• 90's saw C shape necks, still with Schaller Pickups and hardware.
• 2000's saw med C shape necks, transistion to Tone Pros hardware and Seymour Duncan.
• 2010's saw the transition from original owners to Plaza Corp/Bandlab.  Changes in production quality and hardware.

Typically H150's hover from $1500 to $2000 on the used market, depending on model and condition (there were limited runs, deluxes, etc).

Remember on auction sites, there are asking prices and sold prices.  Big difference.

Hope this brief answer helps you.

very informative Detroit. 

thx for that summary

[ElChoad]

One correction go the post by Detroit: the H-150 Standard Artisan Aged now comes with SD Antiquities. These are unpotted. I spent a great deal of time debating between the two. 

[houndhome]

Tunbridge Wells ? Perhaps should be my home town of Tenbury Wells !!

[ej150]

A Standard H-150 will feel most comparable to a Les Paul Traditional

[DetroitBlues]

On 8/2/2021 at 11:35 AM, 3stepbend said:

Thanks, this was very helpful. 

Are you hearing good/bad/indifferent reviews since the new ownership?

 

Some argue new owners have better quality, some say worse.  I have one from the transition year and one from last year.  Quality wise I couldn't tell the difference.

I believe the original owners didn't set the guitars up at the factory, they expected dealers to address the nut and action.  Most dealers did not.  That's a big difference.

Another problematic issue I have experienced with older Heritages is twists in the neck.  I've had 2 with that issue.  Before the modern processes, there was no humidity or climate controls.  Woods didn't evenly dry out and it could take months to complete a guitar depending on the conditions inside the plant.  Some guitars ended up with twists in the neck because of it.

The new setup has a drying area, humidity controls, temperature controls, and dust controls to help improve the quality.  One thing that did change is the deep dish carve of the maple tops on newer models is not as deep.

But just about any guitar manufacture can have this issue as a guitar gets older.  

[MartyGrass]

1 hour ago, DetroitBlues said:

Some argue new owners have better quality, some say worse. 

Whether we realize it or not, we all believe that guitars are individuals.  We all accept that there are lemons.

If you don't agree with that idea, put it to the test conceptually.  Would you buy a guitar without trying it first if you could not return it or in any way leverage for a refund?  In other words would you trust that guitar was satisfactory just by the brand name and the year it was made?  I can't imagine doing that.  Even buying a guitar off the forum in part depends on the reputation of the seller, which could be harmed by bad feedback and thus provide some leverage.  We know that not all guitars are the same coming off the line.

With regards to Heritage, I believe they've changed their image and some of their practices.  They have become more like Nashville in some ways.  And of course the Nashville model was a Kalamazoo transplant.  So it's an evolutionary process it seems.

What about the cost of a H-150 in terms of adjusted dollars?  The Les Paul in 1960 with a case was about $300.  The H-150 today is about $2700.  Has the buying power improved with modernity?  Nope.  Here is a translation of the dollar across time.

$300 in 1960 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $2,753.68 today, an increase of $2,453.68 over 61 years. The dollar had an average inflation rate of 3.70% per year between 1960 and today, producing a cumulative price increase of 817.89%.

Does that mean there is no progress?  Nope.  Today's workers have better health care, working environments, and overall quality of life.  The instruments are Plek'd.  We can order them on line.  We have this forum.

Last weekend I was playing a 1956 Les Paul.  It was well maintained and very playable.  It has been relic'd the old school way.  I would take a good new H-150 with P-90s over it if I wouldn't lose the $100K+ cash difference.

 

[pressure]

Completely agree Mr. Grass, all guitars are different and you never know if you'll the guitar before you try it in person. But if you have a guitar custom made you can't try it until it's finished. I had a Telecaster made in the Fender Master Build shop and it is fabulous but the neck shape is nothing like what I had specified. I could have sent the guitar back to have the neck remade but everything else about the guitar is great. I was worried if I had the neck changed it would affect the guitar in a possibly bad way so I left the neck the way it was. 

 

 

 

[DetroitBlues]

On 8/2/2021 at 10:52 PM, ElChoad said:

One correction go the post by Detroit: the H-150 Standard Artisan Aged now comes with SD Antiquities. These are unpotted. I spent a great deal of time debating between the two. 

Really?  That's really cool!  Wonder how close the sound is to a Seth Lover (also unpotted).

Only really difference between the two is SD ages the covers and magnets.  Otherwise, seems to be the same pickups.

[doward]

Is there any difference between the 2020 H-150 and the 2021?

[TalismanRich]

There should be minimal difference between 2020 and 2021 models.  

[DetroitBlues]

9 hours ago, doward said:

Is there any difference between the 2020 H-150 and the 2021?

One has a higher serial number?  Honestly, I don't think finish options or hardware changed, so should be the same.

[doward]

Ha! Thanks! There were two at the store but the 2020 had a much better top. They both played incredibly.