dmruschell Posted October 21, 2022 Posted October 21, 2022 I recently picked up an H-150. Thanks to a member here (thanks, Millennium Maestro!) and contacting Heritage, I’ve found out a bit more about it. It has HRW pickups and is almond burst. The plastics are from my Gibby LP Standard (that I converted to black plastics) because in addition to the original cream 3 hole pickup ring, there was a black pickup ring and black output jack plate. So, it did have cream plastics originally. My question is about the gold hardware. I’ve never seen another H-150 with original gold hardware, and seeing any single cut with cream plastic and gold hardware is rare. Is there anything that would make it special, or is it just an option that could be asked for when ordering? Lastly, I can’t tell if my serial number starts with a U or a V. Does anyone here with more familiarity with these guitars know which one it is? Thanks!
skydog52 Posted October 21, 2022 Posted October 21, 2022 Nice guitar. Congratulations! Have you taken the cavity plate off? Sometimes there is some info there. My vote is V.
Gitfiddler Posted October 21, 2022 Posted October 21, 2022 Welcome to the HOC and Congratulations on your 'new-to-you' H-150. It's stunningly beautiful. Check the rear control panel and see it there is any additional info. Your 150 looks like one of Heritage's special runs of 'Ultra' models. They came with HRW's, gold hardware and 'ultra' high grade flame maple tops. Also, check in with your seller, MM. He might have more details. Play it in good health.
Gianluca Posted October 21, 2022 Posted October 21, 2022 beautiful H150 enjoy it cool golden appointments ?
dmruschell Posted October 21, 2022 Author Posted October 21, 2022 Yes I have looked at the back cover plate, but it didn’t give any info beyond Almond Sunburst and HRW pickups. I thought it might be an Ultra, but it’s not marked as such.
dmruschell Posted October 21, 2022 Author Posted October 21, 2022 3 hours ago, Gitfiddler said: Welcome to the HOC and Congratulations on your 'new-to-you' H-150. It's stunningly beautiful. Check the rear control panel and see it there is any additional info. Your 150 looks like one of Heritage's special runs of 'Ultra' models. They came with HRW's, gold hardware and 'ultra' high grade flame maple tops. Also, check in with your seller, MM. He might have more details. Play it in good health. I just wanted to clarify that MM isn’t who I bought it from. I reached out to him to ask about info on this since he was selling an Ultra and I suspected mine might be. I bought it because it was the cheapest Heritage I could find haha. Guitar Center had it listed in “fair” condition at a good price. It just needed a good cleaning and it came to life. There is some finish missing on the bottom and the nut was loose, but I fixed the nut and I don’t mind having a players grade guitar that still looks nice where it matters.
dmruschell Posted October 22, 2022 Author Posted October 22, 2022 If this is an Ultra, how would I identify it as such? Would it say so on the control cavity cover?
houndhome Posted October 22, 2022 Posted October 22, 2022 I have a H150 Ultra (U34701) and the control cavity cover clearly states it to be an Ultra. My pickups also have twin adjustment screws per side with a third hole between the adjustment screws, so are the pickups still HRW's or have they been changed from the original build,but leaving the original pickup selector switch with the black dot ?
dmruschell Posted October 22, 2022 Author Posted October 22, 2022 9 minutes ago, houndhome said: I have a H150 Ultra (U34701) and the control cavity cover clearly states it to be an Ultra. My pickups also have twin adjustment screws per side with a third hole between the adjustment screws, so are the pickups still HRW's or have they been changed from the original build,but leaving the original pickup selector switch with the black dot ? My guitar had one pickup ring with 3 holes, but the other had been replaced with a black one. So, I’m guessing it had two of them with 3 holes at some point. I wanted the rings to match, so I replaced both. The pickups are still HRWs. The one still had 2 adjustment screws. The middle screw hole had never even been used until I changed out the rings for a matching pair with only one hole. Mine appears to have all of the appointments of being an ultra: the gold hardware, HRW pickups, and a pickup selector switch with a black dot. Multiple people have commented about how pretty the wood top is, too. It just doesn’t say Ultra on the cavity label. I’m curious what my guitar actually is.
houndhome Posted October 22, 2022 Posted October 22, 2022 My estimate is that it probably is,I can imagine that the script on the cavity cover may not always read the same. Mine says nothing about the colour or the wood yet mine looks as though the main body wood is. Korina. Either way yours looks like great guitar,congratulations !
skydog52 Posted October 22, 2022 Posted October 22, 2022 I found this on an earlier thread post on this sight. HRWs pickups, Ultra Curly Top and Gold Hardware seem to be the differences. Yours ticks all the boxes. H-150CM Ultra Specs: Neck - 17 degree peghead pitch; one piece mahogany neck. Fingerboard - 24 3/4” scale rosewood cream bound fingerboard with 22 frets, with mother of pearl trapezoid inlays. Body - Single cutaway solid body solid carved ultra curly maple top and solid mahogany back, cream bound. body size: rim thickness - 2” body width - 13” body length – 17 1/4” Electronics - Two gold plated H.R.W. humbucking pickups; two volume and two tone controls with selector switch. Hardware - Gold plated hardware. Color shown -
dmruschell Posted October 22, 2022 Author Posted October 22, 2022 Just now, skydog52 said: I found this on an earlier thread post on this sight. HRWs pickups, Ultra Curly Top and Gold Hardware seem to be the differences. Yours ticks all the boxes. H-150CM Ultra Specs: Neck - 17 degree peghead pitch; one piece mahogany neck. Fingerboard - 24 3/4” scale rosewood cream bound fingerboard with 22 frets, with mother of pearl trapezoid inlays. Body - Single cutaway solid body solid carved ultra curly maple top and solid mahogany back, cream bound. body size: rim thickness - 2” body width - 13” body length – 17 1/4” Electronics - Two gold plated H.R.W. humbucking pickups; two volume and two tone controls with selector switch. Hardware - Gold plated hardware. Color shown - Thank you! Admittedly, I do want/need to explore more on this site and learn more. Knowing all of this, I might get a new cream neck pickup ring and drill it for two additional holes just to have an “original” set. I prefer the look of the single screw, but I also like maintaining (or having the option of) the unique features of special guitars. And it seems like I stumbled into a special one!
bobmeyrick Posted October 23, 2022 Posted October 23, 2022 12 hours ago, dmruschell said: I might get a new cream neck pickup ring and drill it for two additional holes Before doing that it might be worth seeing if anyone has a set of cream Schaller 3-hole rings lurking in their parts box...
TalismanRich Posted October 23, 2022 Posted October 23, 2022 The neck pickup ring from my H157 cracked a while back. After trying to glue it and hunting for old Schaller rings, I ended up buying a pair of black rings and drilled out two holes. It worked great. I made sure that I got rings that were already curved to minimize the stress and avoid having to sand them to get a radius. The only thing that you won't have is the extra bit of reinforcing under the holes, but since you've just got a spring pressing against the screw on the other side, there's little to no stress on the plastic.
chico Posted October 24, 2022 Posted October 24, 2022 nice find. congrats. and don't be tempted to parcel out those HRWs. just my .02
DetroitBlues Posted October 25, 2022 Posted October 25, 2022 I wouldn't worry about pickup rings. They get old, they crack, they break. It happens. Better off with what you have. Newer pickup rings are shaped for carved tops and they fit just fine replacing the old Schaller rings. Most common changes people make on older Heritages, depending on the year/model's current features ("upgraded" is a subjective term): Replace pickup rings (Schaller 2 on a side adjustments for 1 on a side typical G-style) Replace bridge (Older models have the Schaller Roller bridge, typically replaced with Tone Pros/Callaham/etc) Replace tailpiece (Older models have the Schaller quick change tailpiece, again typically replaced with Tone Pros/Callaham/etc) Replace pickguard (Some don't like the curved pickguard, frequently swapped for G-style w/some modifications) Replace pickups (Older models come with Schallers, typically replaced with whatever flavor of month is popular, Throbak/Seymour Duncan/Bare Knuckle/etc) Replace tuners (Standards tuners are Grovers, sometimes swapped out with locking Grovers or similar) Some like the original parts, some don't. Some buy modified guitars and try to restore them with OEM parts. Bottom line is do what you want. Its your guitar. Hardware and electronics are easy to swap in/out. I only suggest hang on to the original parts because "upgrades" is subjective and seldom add any value (just talk to any company that buys/sells/consigns used instruments)
dmruschell Posted November 4, 2022 Author Posted November 4, 2022 Another question about this guitar: Does anyone know or have photos of what “Almond Burst” of this era would have looked like when new? I found a few examples of what Almond Burst looks like on some recently built guitars, but it is very different than the color of the finish on my guitar. Thanks!
TalismanRich Posted November 5, 2022 Posted November 5, 2022 This is a shot of my Almond Sunburst H157 when it was fairly new. In 2009 it was water damaged and I sent it back to have it repaired. There was water damage up to the stop tailpiece. When it came back, it was a shade darker., but still with the reddish burst. The yellow in the center was less prominent.
High Flying Bird Posted November 5, 2022 Posted November 5, 2022 Their finishes were all over the place. Here is an old HFT 475. It is Almond Burst.
dmruschell Posted November 6, 2022 Author Posted November 6, 2022 Thank you for the pictures everyone! I ended up catching the Heritage bug and have gotten 2 more H150s since I purchased this one. I bought a 2020 Wineburst that plays like a dream (very much like my 2022 Gibson 60s Standard Triburst) and a 2006 Vintage Cherry Burst (very faded with plans to refinish the top) that had a headstock break and also weighs a ton. It’s player’s grade just like the Ultra, so I can play them and not worry about any additional nicks or dings. It’s someone’s nice having those types of guitars that I don’t have to worry about. Thanks everyone for the help and info with this guitar. I’m happy to be a part of the Heritage Owner’s Club!
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