intrigued by the H-137

[Scooter]

Hey, guys.  I've been checking out those 137s with the P-90's online and have found one soundclip of one being played through a swart AST half-stack (very nice) on youtube (Wolfe gtr).  I've also read some reviews at Harmony Central that were very positive. 

 

I've been calling the guitar shops who supposedly are Heritage dealers in my area just to see if they have any of the guitars I'm really interested in: 535, 150, 137---just so I could test drive them.  So far I've found one place that has one 555.  I haven't gotten a chance to get over there to test-drive it yet, but it's slim pickins around here for Heritage guitars (and I live in a big city).  This also reminds me that because Heritage makes guitars with the fine standards that they uphold and choosing to make those guitars the way they do there is not as many H guitars out there as compared to other companies who mass produce.  So if that means it's slim pickins around here for H gtrs then I see it as a good thing in a way.  Heritage has chosen the good old-school path for making guitars and stuck to it---and slim pickins in my area reminds me that it is because Heritage is doing it right.  This also makes me thankful for the internet, which is how I found them!!!

 

Anyway, my request: I am curious to ask any of you hard-core HOCers who have/had a 137 or who have played them enough to know about them if you could offer your thoughts on the guitar; anything you think stands out or that you particularly like.  Also, I was wondering what the neck is like on them.

 

Thanks, as always.

 

Grasshopper

[Scooter]

Dick Seacup, D-blazer---I know your out there!

[dblazer]

Dick Seacup, D-blazer---I know your out there!

 

Hi Scooter.

 

I'm a lefty, so I shop on-line. There's nobody out there with left handed guitars in stock except in about three places in the U.S.

 

I got my H-140 about 10 years ago, it's always been the centerpiece of my floating collection because of two things, it's really pretty and well made, but the #1 reason is that the neck/fingerboard are like BUTTTAHHHH ! ! !

 

I special ordered my H-137 through Jay because he was familiar with my H-140 (I think he either has or had a 10th anniversary also) so that I could get a neck/fingerboard just like it, or at least real close. Also I didn't have a P-90 guitar of any kind.

 

Long story short(er) now there are TWO guitars that won't leave the fold, they're the most playable, confortable guitars I have. I'm actually thinking of selling my lefty Callaham strat, but the H-140/H-137 aren't going anywhere.

[Spectrum13]

Scooter, got mine at Jay's.... Thick neck and Korina timber.

 

 

 

 

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K137.zip

[Scooter]

Dblazer, good to hear from you.  Thanks for your input.  I'm curious about how the necks vary among all the Heritage models.  I haven't seen that info before.

 

Spectrum, that's a beauty.  And I see you have the P-90s, too.  How're you liking that thing?

[Dick Seacup]

Well, my H-137 is one of the original production H-137s, an H-137D. The "D" is for dual humbuckers. I don't have the P90s. I'm not sure if that's a big deal or not.

 

http://www.shermonster.org/gallery/d/1320-2/IMG_3263.JPG[/img]

 

Solid, one piece Honduran mahogany body, one piece neck. The neck is what I would call medium-thin. It's not thin like the neck on my H-160V, but it's not full, like the neck on, say, my Adamas II. It's a D shape, too, not C, if that makes a difference. It has the original Schaller neck pickup, but the bridge pickup was replaced by a Seymour Duncan Custom Custom. Which is hot and trebly, to my ears. Action is low, probably one of the lowest action setups I have. Tone is...subjective, so it's impossible for me to tell you much about it other than, "This guitar spends more time connected to my home recording rig than any other." And I do have others. ;D

 

How does it compare to the Second Edition, P-90 equipped H-137s? I have no idea. Would I sell it? I thought about it once, but came to my senses. I once got to hang out with a 'vintage' Gibbon LP Special (mid 60s, IIRC)...this H-137D stomps all over that. In fact, I like the H-137D more than I like my Hamer P-90 Special, and that guitar is probably the equal of that vintage LP Special.

 

Not sure what you're looking for, but I hope that gives a little insight (very little, likely).

[Spectrum13]

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Love it! They put a real thick rosewood board to get height over the pups. The Korina's have a d shape neck carve very chunky. Plays and sounds as nice as it looks.

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[Scooter]

Thanks, Seacup, for the reply.  Actually, what you had to say there was very helpful for me.  I left the question open because you guys would probably think of things to say that I wouldn't have thought to ask.  I mostly mentioned the P-90s because that's the only sound clip I've heard and it sounded good...and that seems to be the only 137 Jay is carrying right now at Wolfe---which is where I'm buying, be it P-90 or humbucker.  REALLY appreciate your input, Seacup.  That's a nice guitar, too.

[Dick Seacup]

I'm sure you can custom order a 137 with buckers, but I don't think I've seen any of the second run (reintroduced to the line a couple years back at Jay's request, I understand) with anything but P-90s. If you get one, make sure you check out one of Cryoman's H-137 pickguards...those things look 'right' on that guitar; he did a spectacular job with the design.

 

That's a nice guitar, too.

 

It has quite a bit of wear that doesn't show up in the pictures. Specifically, there is pick wear through the finish and into the wood below the pickups. Also, it has the "finish crack" on the heel, but I suspect that comes from dive bombing notes by pushing on the headstock in the old school manner. Lots of dings and dents, a couple in the back of the neck, but I've never 'felt' them when playing. It's one of those player guitars that has 'it.'

[brentrocks]

the 137 is a cool lil axe....the Lollars are very punchy...if you can find a good used one they are well worth the coin

[JohnCovach]

I find the 137 easy to play; it feels small and compact, though of course it's the same scale as a 150.  But the body is thinner, the guitar is lighter and it is really comfortable to hold.  The Lollar P-90s are pretty hot, though not in a heavy-metal kind of way.  Just a bit punchier than I was expecting. 

 

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg269/jcovach/100_0033.jpg[/img]

[Scooter]

Seacup, thanks for the tip on the Cryoman's H-137 pickguards.  If I pull the trigger down the road on a 137 I'll definitely look to do that.

 

The discussion of pickup types on the 137 leads me to the question: Are a P-90 and a humbucker able to fit into the same rout in a guitar; or put another way, if the guitar has been routed for P-90s will that type of rout not accomadate a humbucker if one so chose to change to that?

[Dick Seacup]

"Standard" size humbuckers will not fit in a P90 route. You can buy P90 size humbuckers, though, and even humbucker sized P90s. I have a pair of DiMarzio Virtual P90s that came out of my Hamer P90 Special. They did sound P90-ish and did not hum.

[GuitArtMan]

I am the proud owner of the second H-137 made.  I bought it from Jay Wolfe (who else?) a few years back when they first came out.  He had the first three in his shop at the time and I had pick of the litter!  He mentioned that the one I bought was a good half pound lighter than the others and so I went with it.  Slab Honduran mahogany body.  Nice beefy neck that is big enough for TONE but still easy to play.  Pigtail wrap around bridge.  Lollar P90s.  Sperzel Vintage Tuners.  Tone, Tone, TONE!  Mine has probably the best clean sustain of any guitar I've owned - certainly the equal.  It has that feeling I've found in the vintage Gbrand guitars that I've liked; light and resonant, yet solid as heck.  Sounds great clean, crunch or scream!  What's not to like? 

[SouthpawGuy]

I am the proud owner of the second H-137 made.  I bought it from Jay Wolfe (who else?) a few years back when they first came out.  He had the first three in his shop at the time and I had pick of the litter!  He mentioned that the one I bought was a good half pound lighter than the others and so I went with it.  Slab Honduran mahogany body.  Nice beefy neck that is big enough for TONE but still easy to play.  Pigtail wrap around bridge.  Lollar P90s.  Sperzel Vintage Tuners.  Tone, Tone, TONE!  Mine has probably the best clean sustain of any guitar I've owned - certainly the equal.  It has that feeling I've found in the vintage Gbrand guitars that I've liked; light and resonant, yet solid as heck.  Sounds great clean, crunch or scream!  What's not to like? 

 

 

 

.....  :this_thread_is_useless_withou

 

8)

[chico]

The early ones had one pickup then two became the norm.  There was an adjustment in the TV Yellow color too, according to Jim. D. at Parsons St., based on early responses from buyers.

 

I don't have one, would like to pick up one sometime.  I like the antique burst on these, but I've seen em white, natural (in this post, my first time), black, TV yellow, cherry, ASB.  probably other colors I left out.

 

those are my impressions, corrections welcome.

 

never even picked one up to play, would love to sometime!

[dblazer]

.....  :this_thread_is_useless_withou

 

8)

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[Scooter]

Nice pics dblazer.  I could stare at that 140 of yours all day; amazing finish.  What kind of pups you got in that thing? (little digression here)

[Taller]

I'd been thinking about scoring my first P-90 ax when I read about the 137s. I'm ordinarily a Fender and PRS player and had nowhere to turn to try a Heritage. I took a shot when Wolfe had a 137 listed at a discount for some shop worn damage (a ding in the side of the guitar about 3/4" long - not through to the wood and really, hardly noticeable). I called and spoke to (English gentleman whose name escapes me at the moment) at Wolfe's and he assured me it was one of the nicest 137s that had come into the shop.

I pulled out my credit card and waited and was not disappointed in the least. My first gig with this guitar put a smile on my face and got me wondering why I had waited so long for a P-90 guitar. I was doing classic rock and blues through a Dr. Z Maz Jr. and I really couldn't be happier.

The neck is a little on the chunky side, but not huge. I've got long fingers and find it comfortable. The Lollars sound wonderful, but again, this is my first foray into the P-90 world, so I have nothing to compare it to, but it does rawk! The adjustable pigtail bridge is great...my only complaint if I had to come up with one would be the fact that with the dogear style P-90, you don't have complete height adjustment with the pickups, but I've seen dogear shims on the 'net that would take care of that if I thought it were really necessary.

Here she is, my '06 Heritage 137:

http://mysite.verizon.net/vzes327m/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/guits005.jpg[/img]

 

...and getting a workout:

http://mysite.verizon.net/vzes327m/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/TGs15.JPG[/img]

[dblazer]

Nice pics dblazer.  I could stare at that 140 of yours all day; amazing finish.  What kind of pups you got in that thing? (little digression here)

 

It came with the Seymour Duncan/Seth Lover 55 PAFs. Sounds as great as it looks. It's a real jewel of a guitar, for sure.

[Dick Seacup]

...and getting a workout:

http://mysite.verizon.net/vzes327m/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/TGs15.JPG[/img]

 

Great looking 137, Donnie, and it's good to see you around the HOC!  You certainly do look to have long fingers. How many octaves can you span on a keyboard, for Pete's sake?!

[Taller]

;D No idea!

For some reason, keyboards are one (common) instrument I've never really fooled with.