Does Heritage h157 guitars get faked like Gibson guitars do?

[pnovick]

The store sent me them pictures I requested - see pictures below. 

[pnovick]

Another - 

[pnovick]

[bolero]

3 hours ago, ElNumero said:

Well, it doesn’t say Made in China! That speaks volumes!

At first I suspected it was a fake, as the text was legible!!

 

 

Pnovick, that looks pretty legit to me!

[TalismanRich]

Ah HA.   The H-157,  from Jay Wolfe, with a belly cut!

Another mystery solved!   Well done, Dr Watson.

[TalismanRich]

4 hours ago, ElNumero said:

Never knew such sites existed. Are these sites similar to the Russian dating sites where the girls are fake? Thought you might know a thing or two about them, since your single.  

You got it...   BTW,  Kateryanna was asking about you.   Wants to know where the old guy with the silver hair is?  She said you still haven't paid for her yet.

[pnovick]

What would be a current market price (fair price to pay / value) of this guitar? 

[TalismanRich]

Pricing is a bit tough to pin down right now.    Listings on Reverb right now range from $1800 to $2800.   That's a big range.   I think some of those prices are a on the high side, still reflecting the "covid bump".   Obviously it was worth $1100 in 2005.  Why would it double in value in that time?  

If I was looking to buy right now, I would be thinking in the $1700-2000 range for that guitar.  The "custom" features don't really command a premium.   A new H-150 is $2500.   A used instrument should be a 20-30% discount in my book.

 

[pnovick]

Thanks for the reply - it’s helpful.  This guitar is documented as an H157 - does that make a difference in pricing? Or is it basically an h150 with an upgraded neck (binding, block inlays, and ebony board) along with the belly cut? 

[kbp810]

1 hour ago, pnovick said:

Thanks for the reply - it’s helpful.  This guitar is documented as an H157 - does that make a difference in pricing? Or is it basically an h150 with an upgraded neck (binding, block inlays, and ebony board) along with the belly cut? 

It is essentially just the "bling"; think of it as a Les Paul Standard vs a Les Paul Custom (although in this example, it's far more custom than a Les Paul "Custom"). 

[skydog52]

Some of the features on the Deluxe H-150. This one has extra electronics.

 

 

 

 

[skydog52]

[pnovick]

I went and checked it out today and bought it. It’s a one of kind hybrid custom ordered geetar  The neck is fabulous in like new condition. I don’t know what pickups are in it - suppose the only way to really know is open it up and look.  The transparent red is nicely flamed yet subtle. I don’t know what it weighs yet but with the belly cut it must be less than it would be otherwise.  It didn’t feel overly heavy yet it felt solid.  I’m going to weigh it tonight and take a peek under the pickup. It is documented as an H157 custom with all the paperwork in the original hard shell case that came with it. It has the matching flamed pickguard in the case with all the good mounting hardware.  It’s never been put on so there’s no holes to mount it which is nice. The red flame is too nice to cover it or put holes in it.  Thanks everyone. 

[LK155]

The label under the back access cover may tell you what pickups are in it.  Simpler than removing a pickup.  Congrats.  Great looking guitar.

 

[kbp810]

1 hour ago, pnovick said:

I went and checked it out today and bought it. It’s a one of kind hybrid custom ordered geetar  The neck is fabulous in like new condition. I don’t know what pickups are in it - suppose the only way to really know is open it up and look.  The transparent red is nicely flamed yet subtle. I don’t know what it weighs yet but with the belly cut it must be less than it would be otherwise.  It didn’t feel overly heavy yet it felt solid.  I’m going to weigh it tonight and take a peek under the pickup. It is documented as an H157 custom with all the paperwork in the original hard shell case that came with it. It has the matching flamed pickguard in the case with all the good mounting hardware.  It’s never been put on so there’s no holes to mount it which is nice. The red flame is too nice to cover it or put holes in it.  Thanks everyone. 

Congrats!!!

[bolero]

Congratulations pnovick!!

I'm sure you're gonna dig that gtr. It's a nice one!

[pnovick]

The back panel control cover only says H157 - cherry top - black back. Are the two screws on each side of the pickups a clue to what they might be? 

3 hours ago, LK155 said:

The label under the back access cover may tell you what pickups are in it.  Simpler than removing a pickup.  Congrats.  Great looking guitar.

 

 

[kbp810]

4 minutes ago, pnovick said:

The back panel control cover only says H157 - cherry top - black back. Are the two screws on each side of the pickups a clue to what they might be? 

 

That would typically mean they are either schallers or HRW's (Rens own secret pickup recipe). 

[ElNumero]

On 11/17/2022 at 11:35 PM, TalismanRich said:

You got it...   BTW,  Kateryanna was asking about you.   Wants to know where the old guy with the silver hair is?  She said you still haven't paid for her yet.

LMAO!!!!

[ElNumero]

On 11/17/2022 at 6:53 PM, pnovick said:

Another - 

That’s freakin cheap!!!

[ElNumero]

6 hours ago, pnovick said:

I went and checked it out today and bought it. It’s a one of kind hybrid custom ordered geetar  The neck is fabulous in like new condition. I don’t know what pickups are in it - suppose the only way to really know is open it up and look.  The transparent red is nicely flamed yet subtle. I don’t know what it weighs yet but with the belly cut it must be less than it would be otherwise.  It didn’t feel overly heavy yet it felt solid.  I’m going to weigh it tonight and take a peek under the pickup. It is documented as an H157 custom with all the paperwork in the original hard shell case that came with it. It has the matching flamed pickguard in the case with all the good mounting hardware.  It’s never been put on so there’s no holes to mount it which is nice. The red flame is too nice to cover it or put holes in it.  Thanks everyone. 

You did great!  And this HOC forum always here to help!

 

[pnovick]

Here is a picture of the bottom of the neck pickup (I was able to loosen the strings and wiggle it up for a peek). Shaller pickup for sure but given I don’t know much about these sort of things, how would I know it’s HRW or not?  Or what model Shaller? Looks potted with some waxy looking stuff at the bottom of the screws. 

[High Flying Bird]

1 hour ago, pnovick said:

Here is a picture of the bottom of the neck pickup (I was able to loosen the strings and wiggle it up for a peek). Shaller pickup for sure but given I don’t know much about these sort of things, how would I know it’s HRW or not?  Or what model Shaller? Looks potted with some waxy looking stuff at the bottom of the screws.

That would be a standard Schaller pick up.  Nothing wrong with them in my opinion.  Best of luck with it. 

[TalismanRich]

HRW pickups will have a sticker that says Heritage Guitar Pickup by Rendall Wall.   Those are the original Schallers, which are a wax potted Alnico 5 pickup that Heritage sourced from Germany.  They are similar to a Seymour Duncan 59 which is what Heritage switched to when Schaller stopped making pickups.

Having an S serial number would make it a 2002 model.  I have a 2003 H-157, shown here:

 

 

[bobmeyrick]

7 hours ago, pnovick said:

Or what model Shaller?

I believe they're Golden 50s. Their DC reistance is very similar to Seymour Duncan 59s, and I'm fairly sure they use Alnico 5 magnets. Schaller stopped making pickups a few years ago to concentrate on hardware.