H 157 Pickup Question

[Heinz]

Hello,

I recently re-activated an old love - Heritage Guitars... I've owned some in the late 80ies but decided to go "different ways" 

My H150 is running strong with a pair PAFs from Wizz.

My H555 is originally equipped with Peter Florance Voodoos which is written on the label and visible through the bass side f-hole. 

My next one could be a 2015 H157 VWB with a Seth Lovers set which I did not like that much in my 150.

My question is - are Lovers original and is it possible to check this?

Is there any place where the factory made a note ? Inside control cavity or its cover for example...

Thank you for some advice and help here

Kind regards from Germany

Heinz

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PunkKitty]

Hi. Check the control access panel to see if there is a sticker on the inside of it. It may say what kind of pickups were stock 

Where are you in Germany? My family is from Niedersachsen near Bremen. I'll be in Hamburg and Niedersachsen the week after next. 

[Heinz]

Thank You

Seems that I should ask the seller if (s)he is willing to have a look under the hood 

Kind regards from Lower Saxony - Ostfriesland

Heinz

[PunkKitty]

It's just four screws on the back of the guitar to access the electronics. All you need is a cross tipped screwdriver.

[kbp810]

Schallers or HRW's would have been the heritage standards; but being largely a custom shop, they'd often put in whatever a customer requested. So hard to say if they would have been original to the guitar or not (unless noted in the control cavity cover), but I'd say I wouldn't let it be a determing factor. If the lovers work well in it, then great, if not season to taste accordingly with your desired pickups.

[MartyGrass]

Some were ordered by Jay Wolfe with Seth Lovers or his famous mix of a Seth Lover and a SD '59.

 

The control cavity cover may or may not tell you if they are stock.  Sometimes the case compartment with have a card from Heritage that Jay signed and may have the type of pickups he ordered from the factory.

[TalismanRich]

If it's a 2015, there's a good chance that the SD pickups were stock.    Schaller quit making pickups around that time, so the odds of it being either a Schaller or HRW are slim.  My 2003 157 has Shallers, and I have a pair of Seth Lovers that I had planned to install.   Unfortunately I would have to route out the cavity to make them fit.   Schallers have short legs,  the Seth Lovers normally have long legs, and the extra length meant that I couldn't set them without bottoming out.

[HANGAR18]

While Seth Lover pickups may not have been originally installed into Heritage guitars of that era, there is no reason why they would not have been originally installed aside from cost and availability. Rendall Wall at Heritage has spoken favorably of Seth Lover pickups and installing those would in no way diminish the overall authenticity of the Heritage guitar itself. The identity of the guitar is not bound to the brand of pickups which were originally installed.

[PunkKitty]

21 hours ago, Heinz said:

Kind regards from Lower Saxony - Ostfriesland

 

Okay. Same state but a little bit north of where I'm going this time. Beautiful area. I'm staying in Oldenburg for three nights, then Schwerin for three nights, and then Hamburg for 3 nights before I fly back to Chicago.

[MartyGrass]

1 hour ago, HANGAR18 said:

While Seth Lover pickups may not have been originally installed into Heritage guitars of that era, there is no reason why they would not have been originally installed aside from cost and availability. Rendall Wall at Heritage has spoken favorably of Seth Lover pickups and installing those would in no way diminish the overall authenticity of the Heritage guitar itself. The identity of the guitar is not bound to the brand of pickups which were originally installed.

Even while Schallers were the default pickups, Heritage offered Seymour Duncans for an upcharge and kept some on site.  Also, you could supply your pickups and they would install them during the original build.

I knew the original owners and Ren well enough to say with some confidence that they thought Schallers were fine.  SDs cost more to them but most customers didn't have strong feelings one way or another.  Some did.

[bolero]

My 2013 H157 had Seth Lovers stock from the factory

[Heinz]

Thank you for your thoughts about pickups - and now I'm waiting for this beauty... maybe I'll like Seth Lover pickups this time?

If not - happiness is only a soldering iron away

regards

rob

[Heinz]

On 9/11/2022 at 6:16 PM, PunkKitty said:

I'm staying in Oldenburg for three nights....

maybe You will have some extra time to visit Vintage Guitar there ? 

[PunkKitty]

2 hours ago, Heinz said:

maybe You will have some extra time to visit Vintage Guitar there ? 

Maybe I'll take a walk that way. I'm staying much closer to Musikhaus Kötter.

[DetroitBlues]

My 2016 535 was specifically ordered with Seth Lovers, a zero cost change over the standard 59's.

However, 6 years later, I'm going to swap them out this week for Railhammers.

[ElChoad]

Legend has it that this area was the origin of my family. Guess I never realized we were so fancy. We have been beer drinkers for as long as I can trace. 

[PunkKitty]

1 minute ago, ElChoad said:

Legend has it that this area was the origin of my family. Guess I never realized we were so fancy. We have been beer drinkers for as long as I can trace. 

That's further south. Niedersachsen is one of the northernmost states in Germany. It's primarily beer country. Pilsner specifically.
https://www.wine-searcher.com/regions-rheinhessen

 

[ElChoad]

I have never been to Germany, but it is pretty high on my bucket list. I need to go to Oktoberfest.

[PunkKitty]

1 hour ago, ElChoad said:

I have never been to Germany, but it is pretty high on my bucket list. I need to go to Oktoberfest.

Ugh. I once stayed at a hotel about a half block from the Oktoberfest grounds when Oktoberfest wasn't happening. It's a giant drinking and puking fest. No thanks.

[Heinz]

15 hours ago, PunkKitty said:

That's further south. Niedersachsen is one of the northernmost states in Germany. It's primarily beer country. Pilsner specifically.
https://www.wine-searcher.com/regions-rheinhessen

 

This is true - but I had to order my H157 in Vintage Wine Burst - since Pilsner Burst was not available ...

[DetroitBlues]

Unfortunately, I left Germany when I was 2.  I don't remember being there.  (for the record, my dad was a US soldier stationed in Germany)

[Heinz]

It's raining, it's dark outside - autumn is coming ....and while I'm waiting for my 157 my 150 CC has landed!

Now I know what sunburst means ... 

[TalismanRich]

So the sun shines brightly on a dark rainy day???

Nice!

[Gitfiddler]

@Heinz...AWESOME CC 150! 

[Spectrum13]

1 hour ago, TalismanRich said:

So the sun shines brightly on a dark rainy day???

Nice!

Nice version of your old Kentucky home Rich!