Honest and fair comparison: Heritage Aged Custom Core 150 vs Gibson Murphy Ultra Light Aged R9

[Kuz]

Introduction/Explanation; The Gibson Les Paul Standard (and a close second, the Gibson ES-335/345) has always been my favorite/dream guitar.  To the LP Standard's looks (the Goldtop and especially the Bursts), and to the tone (deep rich, sustaining, detailed sound) has always suckered me in to it's sirens' call.   So even though I have Heritage Aged Cust Core 150, I always wanted to have the best Gibson version of the Les Paul Standard, their 1959 RI.  So after just recently acquiring my R9 Murphy Ultra Light Aged, I thought I would give an honest & fair comparison of my Aged 150 CC (that I have had for a couple years) to the newly acquired R9.

Visual (Looks);  Without comparing the "Aging" - TIE   Both the R9 and the 150 CC are equally gorgeous.  The colors and the wood flames are utterly AMAZING!!!  The wood used by both companies is extraordinary!  The corresponding headstocks on both guitars look like they only belong to their guitar (I can't imagine the R9 with a Heritage headstock and visa versa).  Same with the pickguards, they both seem to "match" the corresponding guitar.  I did add a poker chip to the 150CC for person preference, but it looks fine without it.  I do prefer the look of Kluson tuners over the 150CC "Grover looking" tuners, again personal preference.  I DEFINATELY prefer the look of an ABR-1 tuneamatic, however on both guitars I switched out their bridges to locking Faber ABR-1 bridges.

Visual (Looks) The "Aging/Relicing" - R9 win (slightly)  I do like/prefer aged guitars.  I like the look, the feel, and (in my opinion as well as others) improved guitar tone due to a thinner finish.  I like the fact that I don't have to baby a relic'd guitar like I would a new, pristine finished guitar.   While shopping for my R9, I wanted the "aging" to be either NOS, Ultra Light, or Light aged (the Heavy and the Ultra Heavy aged finish is way too much for me).  So after R9 live-shopping, I can state that the R9 Light Aged (more aging than their Ultra Light) is the same degree of aging as Heritage's Custom Core "Aged".   TO ME, the Gibson "aging" (regardless of the level of aging) is more vintage accurate.  The Gibson checking is more sporadic, less uniform.  The Gibson aging seems to be heavier where a real vintage guitar would be worn more.  The Heritage "aging" seems (TO ME) to look slightly  more artificial and mass produced (especially on the headstock).   Do I regret getting my 150CC in the "aged" version?  Absolutely not.  I just slightly prefer the more vintage accurate Gibson aging look.

Weight - TIE  Both guitars are nearly the same weight around 8.4-8.5lbs.  The decrease weight of Heritage's CC line is probably the MAIN reason to buy a Cust Core Heritage, a HUGE improvement over the 9.5-11lbs of Heritage's standard line.

Factory Setup - TIE  A factory setup is usually useless to me, as I know I will set up the guitars to my personal specs.  But both factory setups were just fine and playable. 

Feel - R9 win (slightly)   Tim Pierce and a few other professional/session guitarist have raved & sang the praises of their new Heritage CC 150s.... except for.... the shorter frets.   I always thought my aged 150 CC felt kind of stiff, regardless of where I set the action.  When I read about the shallower frets, then I knew exactly what they describing.  The R9 has slightly taller, more comfortable frets.  It's not like bass frets verses vintage frets on a Strat, it's definitely more subtle.  But I swear that all my other Heritage guitars (and all my other previous 150s) had the slightly taller R9-like frets.   SO I feel ever so more confident/comfortable playing the R9.  But in a different sense, the 150CC overall feels more vintage, the R9 feels overall "newer".   Picking up the 150CC feels like wearing a broken-in pair of jeans, the R9 feels like comfortable dress slacks.  I would love to play a 150CC with the slightly taller R9 frets.  (Side note; the R9 begs for a slightly longer guitar strap over the shoulder than the 150CC does.  I have no idea way this is but playing the R9 with the same strap I use for the 150CC feels like the R9 is too high.  Huh?)

Neck - TIE  The 150CC is very, very close (if not identical) to the R9 (1959 neck) neck shape.   So the Heritage 150CC is an accurate 1959 neck carve.

Hardware - R9 win (slightly)   The R9 was ROCK solid from the store.  Both the ABR-1 bridge and the aluminum stoptail on the R9 were super stable.  The Gibson Kluson tuners work great.  Heritage has improved their hardware in the Cust Core series by adding a locking Pinnacle tunamatic bridge and aluminum stoptail.  However, the Cust Core tuners are horrendous, incredibly bad.  I know they are laser etched with the Heritage logo, but they slip tuning and just plain break/fall apart.  The Heritage tuners are the absolute WORST part of the 150CC, and Heritage needs to improve/change tuners (luckily, Gotoh makes drop-in replacement tuners that are incredibly great and I was even able to get "aged' nickle Gotoh tuners for my 150CC).  With all this said, I changed to Faber locking ABR-1 bridges and Faber locking stoptail studs on both guitars (using the supplied aluminum stoptails that came on both guitars).   The locking Faber hardware is  "set it up and it will never move".  This was not a necessary upgrade but a personal preference.   (Side note: the holes for the bridge posts and stoptail studs on the 150CC were both drilled at angle instead of straight perpendicular to the top.  I could have lived with this error, I suppose, but with the replacement Faber hardware the angle of the posts & studs is not an issue, fixed.)

Pots, caps, jacks - TIE  Both guitars come with capable components.   I do like the repro "bumblebee" caps in the R9 verse the "orange drop" caps in the 150CC (I had a set of repro bumblebee caps so I put them in the 150CC).   I am going to replace the volume pots in the R9 because the taper is not very long when tuner the volume pots down (turning down past "8-7.5" and the pickups are almost off).  I will get some RS guitarworks volume pot to replace the stock R9 volume pots.  I don't remember this being as big an issue when I first got my 150CC, but I switched out 150CC pots to RS guitarworks pots as well.

Pickups - TIE  Both the 150CC and R9 use A3 humbuckers (A3 magnets for both neck & bridge).  I didn't measure but the outputs of the Parson Street pickups or the Gibson CustomBuckers, but they seemed to be the same.  I don't really like A3 magnets (especially in the bridge), so I swapped the pickups in both guitars for Throbak pickups ( I love the SLE-101s and ER-Custom sets).   A lot has been said about Heritage "wax potting" their Parson Street pickups, but I didn't really hear a difference compared to the unpotted CustomBuckers.  They sounded the same to me.  Both companies' pickups were very good and it was just personal preference to change both guitars to Throbak pickups.  (Side note; There was a more discernable difference in tone when I switched pickups in the R9 than after switching pickups in the 150CC.  So I guess the 150CC seemed to keep it's personal sonic character more than compared to the R9's.)

Sound/Tone - TIE   I was able to compare over 7 different R9s and personally handpicked my Ultra Light R9.  I had to buy my 150CC from a dealer that played a few 150CCs through the phone and gave me his description of each guitar.  Bottom line, both the R9 & 150CC sound amazing.  The R9 has a little more "bloom" after the fundamental note, and the 150CC is more focus & ballsier.  The sustain is equally great on both.  

Cost/Value - 150CC win  I think I paid $4200 for my new 150CC Aged and $5700 for the new R9 Murphy Light Aged.  The R9 will retain it's resale value more than the 150CC. 

Bottom line/Summary:  I truly love both these guitars equally.  Each has it's own personal appeal.  Do I need both?  Absolutely not, but neither one is leaving me.  The R9 is more of European sports car, the 150CC is more American Muscle Car.  If forced to own only one, I don't think I could choose.  The best value is to buy a 150CC then update/modify it as you see (the tuners have to go for sure), where the R9 is more "nothing needs changed".  The R9 will retain more resale value, but you will definitely pay more upfront for a R9 over a 150CC.

[Kuz]

Almost forgot the best part... PHOTOS!!!

150 Custom Core Aged

 

[Kuz]

R9 Murphy Ultra Light Aged

[hopkinwfg]

I like the look of ya H150CC better !! 

[nuke]

Interesting comparison and great review. I know exactly where you're coming from. 

I've got a 1998 Heritage H150 and a 2020 Gibson Custom Shop 60th Anniversary 1960 v2 Tomato Soup Burst.   (can you possibly make the name of that any longer?) The 1960 v2 neck is slightly thinner than the '59 profile, but not razor thin as the v3 1960 and later necks. Turns out, Gibson made 3 versions of the real burst in 1960, v1 which is exactly the same as the '59, the v2 which had improved color stability, only-slightly thinner neck profile and double-ring Kluson tuners. The custom 60th is lightly aged, one-piece mahogany body. Mine is a stunningly light 8.1lbs. Pickups are unpotted Custombucker-3 with alnico 3 magnets. I got a deal on the 1960v2 re-issue (brand new) and it is truly, great. I picked it up and it had that "beefy telecaster sound" instantly. The slight aging (not Murphy Lab, just Custom Shop) gives it a played in look without being "relic'd". 

My 1998 H150 was a special dealer run (I bought used from the dealer who originally sold it), originally made with SD59 p'ups and standard tune-o-matic tail (heavy zinc) and Nashville bridge, and jumbo fretwire (Dunlop 6100 profile).  This one originally weighed in a little over 9lbs.  The neck is maybe a hair thinner than the 1960v2, but I liked the R0-v2 because the neck was so familiar since I was playing the H150 since about 2001.  The "aging" on my H150 is 100% authentic played-the-heck-out-it-lab.  (LOL). 

The H150, I put on a diet, with Gotoh locking SG301 tuners with plastic keystone knobs, replacing the very heavy Grover Rotomatics, and it is now wearing Faber locking bridge, aluminum tail and the Faber bridge post inserts and tail bushings.  It's about 8.8lbs now. Much nicer to live with as I get older. 

I'm just not gonna mess with the Les Paul at all. Just perfect the way it is. 

Thought I was going to sell the H150 when I got the Gibson. But after putting the lighter hardware on, it seems a lot more comfortable and practical to take out to play. 

So much for catch-and-release guitar collecting. 

[Steiner]

Are those mineral streaks on the 150?!!
Love it!
You’ve taught me a lot about improving guitars over the years.  Every insight has improved my guitars.  It seems like most manufacturers put “placeholders” on their retail goods.  You taught me about the harness's influence, thank you.  I’ve found the bridge makes a lot of noise and have swapped out for KMS brand; they are consistently quiet.

Bottom Line, an axe has to look good before I bring it home or I just don’t use it.  Yours are a couple stunners.  Play them in good health!

[Kuz]

Greg, I think what you are seeing on the 150CC is more the heavy aging (cracked nitro finish) on the top than actual mineral streaks.  But it is a fantastic looking too either way!

[rockabilly69]

Good review Kuz, I would like to see a close up of the R9 top, love the color of the back on that one, love the top of the CC. I see mineral streaks too, running perpendicular to the treble side tailpiece stud running right through the checking and I love them!

Both guitars are great looking. Odd though, the bridge of the CC looks more like a Nashville (wider frame) than the ABR on the Gibson. Was that before the switch, or is it an optical illusion.

Would also love to hear some clips!

[big bob]

Great comparison captain! 

[fxdx99]

Way to start the new year with a full course post, John.  Thorough, lot of effort to include all that detail - thanks.  Sounds like you've a couple of wonderful guitars there.  The local shop had a few cores last year and I was impressed with the fit/finish of them.  From your pics, I really like the looks of your core.  A beautiful finish/grain on that body.  

[golferwave]

Great review and an absolutely beautiful pair of guitars! I'll bet they sound incredible through that Vibrolux!

[bolero]

 

 So it looks like mission accomplished, as far as Heritage bringing Edwin Wilson onboard.

I'd like to have been a fly on the wall & heard some of the discussions that went on between the experienced & knowledgable Heritage builders and Edwin. I'm sure there was a lot of mutual respect, and a lot of guitar grimoire dissected.

It must have been satisfying too, for Edwin to come back & work in the Sistine chapel of electric guitar building.

[bolero]

I assume he was involved with the custom core models? He said he was working on the Harmony models designing pickups when I was there.

[TalismanRich]

Since Wilson was so deeply involved with the Gibson Custom Shop,  and then setting up the Custom Core line, you would expect them to be quite similar.    The man apparently was VERY good at what he did.  

I"m hoping that Kuz doesn't run into any of the issues with the nitro peeling that some folks with Murphy Lab guitars have experienced.   I know he takes extraordinary care of his guitars, so it there's a problem, it won't be from his lack of care.

 

[bolero]

Yeah that's why I only have authentic wear & tear on my guitars

Those are both nice though.

You're right: of course Edwin setup the CC line, I forgot all about that promo vid he did on them.

Edited 23 hours ago by bolero

[Kuz]

On 1/5/2025 at 4:44 AM, rockabilly69 said:

Good review Kuz, I would like to see a close up of the R9 top, love the color of the back on that one, love the top of the CC. I see mineral streaks too, running perpendicular to the treble side tailpiece stud running right through the checking and I love them!

Both guitars are great looking. Odd though, the bridge of the CC looks more like a Nashville (wider frame) than the ABR on the Gibson. Was that before the switch, or is it an optical illusion.

Would also love to hear some clips!

Great eye Daniel!!! That picture of the 150CC was BEFORE the Faber Hardware change.

[Kuz]

On 1/5/2025 at 10:48 PM, bolero said:

I assume he was involved with the custom core models? He said he was working on the Harmony models designing pickups when I was there.

Yes, he was the MAN on the Custom Core models before he passed. RIP

[nuke]

11 hours ago, bolero said:

Yeah that's why I only have authentic wear & tear on my guitars

 

Funny how the authentic wear & tear isn't as artistic as the factory-produced simulated wear & tear.  

Just none of the marks that say, "well, that was truly unadvisable".  Like the flat dent and cracked paint when the strat fell off the strap and the floor on stage one night...

[bolero]

Ha, true!

Although there's the broken headstock on that Duane Allman LP?

 Both of these product lines are a testament to Edwin Wilson's vision & skills

RIP

[skydog52]

In John I trust. Great reviews!

 

I have played several CCs and loved them. 

[MartyGrass]

That's a very nice review.

My belief is that Gibson and Heritage do quite well these days.  I have more confidence in Heritage because it's a smaller operation.  Their QC is pretty solid.  The Gibson Custom Shop is competitive except in cost.

I have fairly recent ES-345 and H-535 builds.  The build quality of each is wonderful.  I can squabble about their choice in inlays, tuners, and other things if I want to.  Those are inherent in the models.  The workmanship is spot on in both.