New Heritage Tap Tuned Archtop Model? H-717

[tbonesullivan]

I had thought that the days of the Tap Tuned Archtops was over, but apparently it's not. I hadn't heard anything about this before until I got the email. I'm glad that they are once again making them, but oh boy, that price. I'd probably rather get something truly bespoke for that price.

https://heritageguitars.com/pages/core-collection-h-717

https://heritageguitars.com/products/custom-shop-core-collection-h-717-archtop-guitar-honey-burst

Edited April 3 by tbonesullivan

[pressure]

What a surprise, a new Fab jazz guitar from Heritage. Reasonably priced for a hand built American made jazz guitar.

[tbonesullivan]

29 minutes ago, pressure said:

What a surprise, a new Fab jazz guitar from Heritage. Reasonably priced for a hand built American made jazz guitar.

It definitely is reasonably priced for what it is, and now that Gibson has pretty much pulled out of that market entirely, it was time for Heritage to get back into it.

Still, I'd think you'd at least be able to specify a color for that price. Then again, compared to flat top acoustics, archtops are definitely a much higher end and more limited market item. I was always amazed at how Heritage was able to offer different types of archtops at a relatively low price compared to G-brands.

I wonder how it compares to the archtops that Heritage used to make like the Sweet 16. Which of them were tap tuned? I admit I never paid nearly as much attention to the Jazz Box side of things.

[big bob]

Not tap tuned,  tone-tapped spruce top

[rwinking]

Easily affordable for the working jazz musician.

[RJLII]

They need to resurrect the H-516. Gimme that with a fat neck and some P90s. Jazz, blues, rock, country. It would be a do it all guitar. I’m convinced it would sell for less than $13k. 

[tbonesullivan]

2 hours ago, RJLII said:

They need to resurrect the H-516. Gimme that with a fat neck and some P90s. Jazz, blues, rock, country. It would be a do it all guitar. I’m convinced it would sell for less than $13k. 

I mean, Chicago Music Exchange has a used one from 1994 for about 3700. I was tempted.

[bolero]

Looks nice!

There's 3 different threads here about the same gtr. Don't you guys read before you post?

Big news though: the 1st new model in a long time. Undertstandable.

[TalismanRich]

The archtop market is different from the normal electric guitar market.   There aren't a ton of companies making them.  Most are smaller hand builds and  most often they are made to order. 

While $13k isn't cheap, it really isn't out of line with other custom archtop builders.   American Archtops go up to about 16 grand,   Wilkie archtops start at 15 and go to $25k.  Marchione runs $25 to 50K.    The affordable archtops are from Eastman,  running from $2500 to $5500.

I do find it interesting that Heritage is staying somewhat active in the market with the Eagle, 575, and now the 517.   It's a nice looking guitars, for sure.

[bolero]

agree it's good to see Heritage making big archtops again. And especially a new model!

The Cadillacs of the guitar world

[tbonesullivan]

11 hours ago, bolero said:

Looks nice!

There's 3 different threads here about the same gtr. Don't you guys read before you post?

Big news though: the 1st new model in a long time. Undertstandable.

Based on the time stamps, we were literally writing them at the same time.

[DetroitBlues]

On 4/3/2025 at 1:53 PM, big bob said:

Not tap tuned,  tone-tapped spruce top

Not sure what the difference is, but it’s not going to sway me either way.  I won’t be spending that kind of money on a guitar…

[bolero]

9 hours ago, tbonesullivan said:

Based on the time stamps, we were literally writing them at the same time.

Oh, I thought yours was the first!

I was referring to them rather than you...which is why I replied in your thread. I guess I could have worded it better apologies

[zguitar71]

On 4/3/2025 at 3:01 PM, rwinking said:

Easily affordable for the working jazz musician.

Ha! It’s all the free dinners at the gigs that really helps to put the big bills in the pocket. 

[yoslate]

On 4/9/2025 at 7:55 PM, zguitar71 said:

Ha! It’s all the free dinners at the gigs that really helps to put the big bills in the pocket. 

I have it on good authority that the caterers provide those free dinners for the exposure....

[zguitar71]

17 hours ago, yoslate said:

I have it on good authority that the caterers provide those free dinners for the exposure....

Oh yeah, the catering gigs just come pouring  in after that!

[Kuz]

I was told that when Heritage used to make Archtops, they only tap-tuned the one with floating pickups.... so maybe these are tap-tuned.

Personally, I prefer the tone of humbucker archtops.

Vince Lewis told me to my face that floating pickup archtops are fine for "solo jazz", but he said if you are going to be playing with other instruments/musicians then floater archtops are near impossible to use.  He said the feedback is awful on floater archtops when you play with a band, their volume is too low, and they won't cut through a mix for solos.  I respect Vince's opinions. 

[bolero]

There are reasons why Lester William Polsfuss got into building a solid body guitar, instead of just playing the existing hollowbodies of the time.