doggy1972 Posted July 31, 2007 Posted July 31, 2007 Hi, My names ian from the UK and Ive owned a Heritage H170 for 2years now. Anyone else have this model or wanna post some pics of their Heritage. Im very interested in this company. They are very rare in the UK and fetch quite a lot of money. Hope to chat with some of you soon. Heritage H 170 cm.jpg Heritage H 170 cm.jpg_thumb
GuitArtMan Posted July 31, 2007 Posted July 31, 2007 Welcome Ian. I'm familair with but don't own a 170. Looks like a sweet guitar!
doggy1972 Posted July 31, 2007 Author Posted July 31, 2007 Thanks for the reply. Yeah these seem to be quite rare birds. Seen one or two around but, never in the flesh. Im the only person in my town who has even heard of them. Gonna have a look around the forum at other peoples. Again thanks a lot for posting so quickly.
Dick Seacup Posted July 31, 2007 Posted July 31, 2007 Welcome to the Club, Ian. I actually was watching a black w/ black binding on eBay, but forgot to log in and bid before the end. Which pickups do you have in there?
doggy1972 Posted July 31, 2007 Author Posted July 31, 2007 Hi. Thanks for the welcome. Ive still have it stock with the tricky schaller roller bridge and Schaller pups (think they are golden 50s but, not 100% sure) Heard bad things about these pickups but, I think they sound terrific. It sustains like a real beauty.
modRod Posted July 31, 2007 Posted July 31, 2007 They are very rare in the UK and fetch quite a lot of money. hi, i´m arndt from germany. if you´re interested in heritage guitars you should have a look for them on ebay. here in germany the they go for ridiculously little money. cheers arndt
doggy1972 Posted July 31, 2007 Author Posted July 31, 2007 Hi Arndt. Thanks for the comments. You think I should look on German Ebay? I bought mine from UK Ebay and it was pretty expensive though, not as bad as Gibsons. Theres two on UK ebay but they are a bit steep. Ill have a look.
doggy1972 Posted July 31, 2007 Author Posted July 31, 2007 Heres some more photos H170.jpg H170.jpg_thumb H170_2.jpg H170_2.jpg_thumb
Thundersteel Posted July 31, 2007 Posted July 31, 2007 Welcome, Ian! Nice guitar! To me, it looks similar to the Gibson "Johnny A" model.
doggy1972 Posted July 31, 2007 Author Posted July 31, 2007 Hi Thundersteel. Thanks. Yeah its kinda similar but, its a solid body not a semi. I agree tho very similar shape. Think the sound would be quite similar as these pickups are quite bright. Would like to know how others find the pickups in these earlier models. Ive cranked mine and they really do sound good. They seem to bit quite a bit brighter than Gibson PAFs or Duncan 59s. Would be interested to hear the HRWs too. Ive never even played another Heritage. HeHe. What a noob.
englishaxeman Posted July 31, 2007 Posted July 31, 2007 Well, there's a thing! I'm also from the UK (Kent). I don't have a 170, but I do have an H535 Custom (Jay Wolfe special) and a Sweet 16 made for me with twin HRWs. Both are super guitars to play - I also have Gibson, G&L and Hamer USA electrics to use as yardsticks - and the build quality and finish are first class. The 535 is a like a Gibson 335 on steroids -the sustain on a "clean" amp is unbelievable, and the Sweet 16 is a top class jazz guitar with a wonderful rich sound. I first came across Heritage in a now defunct local music shop about five years ago, but his stock was in very poor condition. Having established that there was no distribution network in the UK, I contacted Heritage, who put me in touch with Jay Wolfe, of whom I cannot speak too highly. He provides a first class export service, which I have now used three times. His co-conspiritor Graham is an English expat, and a very helpful guy. If you're serious about a 170 - check out his website(just Google Jay Wolfe) The inventory link is mouthwatering (not just Heritage!) and given the strength of the £ against the $ you will get a real bargain, even allowing for shipping costs, import duty and VAT.
englishaxeman Posted July 31, 2007 Posted July 31, 2007 Oops - Sorry Ian. Mental block. I intended to say that if you were serious about another Heritage!
doggy1972 Posted July 31, 2007 Author Posted July 31, 2007 Hi englishaxeman. Glad to hear from you. I would love to get hold of another Heritage or at least try some more. I dont think my funds can stretch to it in the near future as I will have to sell a few guitars first (sob sob) Maybe in the next few years. Such a pity that no music stores are really familiar with these fine guitars. Mine feels and plays a lot like an SG. The neck is supposed to be a 60s thin taper but, having played Gibsons with this type of neck I would have to say that it feels a little flatter than that. I would love to see some pictures of yours (they probably put mine to shame) I have gigged with this guitar once but, I tend to use my Yamaha AES as I wouldnt be too bothered if that gets beaten a little. The sound is not far off but, still not quite on par with the 170. Guess I should play it live more as, thats what nice guitars are for. Sorry for waffling any how.
Thundersteel Posted July 31, 2007 Posted July 31, 2007 Would be interested to hear the HRWs too. I had my H157 retrofitted with HRWs from the stock '59s--excellent pickups!
doggy1972 Posted August 1, 2007 Author Posted August 1, 2007 would love to hear some clips of the HRWs but, somehow sound clips never do things justice. Think its the digital thing. I doubt if I could source them in this country. Just have to look for a good alternative. I love the Schallers too though. Cant understand the disregard for them. Guess its just the vintage voicing that puts people off.
jacques Posted August 3, 2007 Posted August 3, 2007 These I found in my archives - there have been variations on the 170 concept, I suppose... a_10627163399428_2.jpg a_10627163399428_2.jpg_thumb 7c_1.JPG.jpg 7c_1.JPG.jpg_thumb
doggy1972 Posted August 5, 2007 Author Posted August 5, 2007 Ive seen the 3 pickup model on the Internet but, there really is not much info on this model. All the ones that Ive seen have been very different. Guess thats to be expected with them being made to order. Think the person who ordered mine must not have wanted anything flash as its a bit of a basic model (no neck binding or real flame) It doesnt detract from the quality of the guitar tho. Guess double cuts arnt everyones thing as this model was discontinued some time ago. I love em though. Love to find another with some nicer flame and appointments. This sucker really sustains. The best sustain of any guitar Ive played. You gets what you pay for (maybe pushing it with G***** tho) This is the nicest Ive seen though h17001.jpg h17001.jpg_thumb
Thundersteel Posted August 6, 2007 Posted August 6, 2007 I really like the maple top on that one! Very nice!
Growlyman Posted August 16, 2007 Posted August 16, 2007 Hi all, I have an H-170 ASB that I picked up new back in May of 1986 from Sam Ash in White Plains, NY. At the time, I wanted to get an SG and I tried one in the store, but didn't like it. So the salesman suggested this "new company of the old Gibson guys" called Heritage. He showed me the H-170 and told me it was just like owning a Gibson. I remember thinking that sounded so much like a New York salesman thing to say, but seeing as I had no knowledge of guitar craftsmanship, I had to take his word for it and hope he wasn't interested in scamming a 14-year-old kid. Either way, the SG at $500 was out of my range, so the Heritage was a deal for me at $333. I even had some cash left over to get a Tom Scholz Rockman (talk about a strange pair)! What has always confused me is this - it's my understanding that Heritage started in 1985. So when I picked up my 170 in 1986, the company was, at best, one going on two. Yet the serial on my guitar is C33002, indicating a third-year model. How is that possible? Somewhere someone's numbers must be off, and I know it's not me with my 1986 purchase date! Can anyone educate me on this? I don't really know much about Heritage serialization and have never gotten an explanation from Ren. My hope is that the 002 means it was the second one of that model made that year. Perhaps my guitar was a third-year model having its first run of production in '86. Does anybody know about these kind of things? It's only recently, say the last four years, that I've finally seen other 170s on the web (barring the Heritage site) mostly on eBay. And I did actually see another 1986 H-170 ASB two years ago on the eBay. But I've not seen another one in person. No matter. I love my guitar and have for the last 21 years I've had it. Ain't it nice to be a kid with dumb luck? Audio Chris Heritage H-170 ASB 1986.jpg Heritage H-170 ASB 1986.jpg_thumb
doggy1972 Posted August 16, 2007 Author Posted August 16, 2007 Hi Chris, Welcome. Nice H170. Much nicer flame than mine (vintage sunburst) Is it all still stock? Not sure about the numbering thing. Seems a little odd but, Im sure one of the other guys on here can shed some light on this for you. Being 14 at the time, that would make you 35 (?) I am too hehe. I find the 170 plays a little like an SG and sounds just that little bit chunkier. Its a real players guitar and, Ive been very happy since getting mine. Think thats why you dont see many around. People just play them. I would love to see Heritage start making another DC like the 170. Bit of a gap in their range I think. I love DCs and have owned a Paul DC but, it wasnt a patch on the H170. I think the 170 looks a little like an Ibanez artist from the 70s. Very nice. Ive heard people say they dont like the headstock on heritage guitars but, I think it really looks the business on the 170. Kinda looks sleek. You really did get a great bargain with yours Chris. How does it play/sound? ibanez_artist.jpg ibanez_artist.jpg_thumb
Growlyman Posted August 16, 2007 Posted August 16, 2007 Mr Doggy! Another 72'er? How cool is that? I've got a musical Corsican Twin in UK! I did have to replace the nut on the guitar at one point. I think I chipped it way early on and my Crazy-Glue fix didn't really do the trick! LOL! Got to start somewhere as a tech. And I'd have to go back through my bag of parts, but I may have also replaced the output jack. If memory serves, it stopped having enough friction to hold the cable in place. I could be wrong there - I know I swapped one out on another guitar. And again, this would have been yeeeeeeeeeeears ago. I've owned 32 guitars, so it's hard to remember the story of each one. For a while, I did toy with removing the pickguard - like a McCartney late-Hofner look. And as a kid, as much as I loved the guitar, the ASB finish was sooo tame for me, especially growing up in the MTV 80s. But having outgrown Van Halen stripes and Vai crackle finishes, I'm very pleased to have a classic looking guitar. I also am not sure why at the time I thought an SG was for me. I was a huge Zep fan at that point and would lust heavily for a Les Paul. But I had a picture of an SG in my bedroom and thought it was damn cool looking. So being disappointed with the SG when I played it, it was nice to pick up a guitar that was Les Paul-ish. It wasn't until many years later that I even saw that Heritage made Les Paul shaped guitars. I think I would have liked owning that more as a kid, cosmetically speaking, but it's really cool these days to have a "rare" and early Heritage. I do have a few Epiphone SGs now (my girlfriend and I paint guitar replicas and have done a few Clapton Fool guitars) so I got my sexy guitar fix. I was surprised to find the SG having a muddy sound, especially for its lack of wood. When I first plugged it in, I immediately heard Badfinger's "No Matter What" tone. Big ugly mud! Loved it. But then plugging in the Heritage to A/B it, yes, I would absolutely agree with you that the H-170 has a very chuncky sound. I think it's perfectly suitable as a jazz guitar on clean settings, neck pickup, tone rolled off, and a nice spring verb on your favorite amp. The guitar is also heavy as all hell! Big slab of wood. But its range of tones are beautiful. I've always loved the lead tones I get off the bridge pickup. And speaking of bridges, to this day, the Heritage bridge is my favorite, both in terms of technical flexibility (with all the rollers) and playability. It's so comfortable. I grew up and around this guitar and to this day, it fits like a glove. My friends comment that no other guitar looks so at home in my hands than the Heritage. My palm knows exactly where to go (hence the slight tarnish on the chrome). You are right - it is a real player's guitar. From what I've seen, Heritage started making these again around 97 or so, and then stopped again. I don't know what the story is, but I would love to know about production numbers. As for how it looks in motion, check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WY2uQYy-3Do - After Brad Delp committed suicide, I wrote, performed, recorded and produced a BOSTON tribute song in the style of 70s BOSTON. So I made a video for it too. Check it out if you like. You'll see the Heritage and even one of the Fools. Audio Chris PS - If any of you out the are BOSTON fans, you can download the video and MP3 at http://www.thirdstage.ca/boston/content/view/403/2/
doggy1972 Posted August 30, 2007 Author Posted August 30, 2007 Great stuff Chris. Really enjoyed that. Im not big on boston but, my girlfriend really likes the early stuff so, Ill check them out a bit more. Im more of a Zep typa fella but, looks like I need some more education.
sweet-tooth Posted August 30, 2007 Posted August 30, 2007 What has always confused me is this - it's my understanding that Heritage started in 1985. So when I picked up my 170 in 1986, the company was, at best, one going on two. Yet the serial on my guitar is C33002, indicating a third-year model. How is that possible? Somewhere someone's numbers must be off, and I know it's not me with my 1986 purchase date! Can anyone educate me on this? I don't really know much about Heritage serialization and have never gotten an explanation from Ren. My hope is that the 002 means it was the second one of that model made that year. Perhaps my guitar was a third-year model having its first run of production in '86. Does anybody know about these kind of things? Audio Chris "A" guitars were built the last couple of months of 1984 and the beginning of 1985 during the switch from GB to Heritage. Starting in April of 1985 "official" serialization began with "B" and continued from there.
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