Trapeze tailpieces on H575

[JohnCovach]

I'm wondering if swapping out the trapeze tailpiece on the H575 with a generic one from Stewmac would work without modification. (I'm considering the old-style 175 tailpiece.) On G-style guitars, these swap out easily. But Heritage has the output jack in the endpin, so I'm not sure if that affects the placement or size of the endpin, etc.

 

Has anybody here ever tried this?

[backline]

Heritage used to use the same tailpiece as previously used on many Gibsons.

The only difference I see on mine is the big "H" riveted on.

 

Perhaps they still have some old ones at the Kalamazoo factory, or a template for drilling the hole out?

[JohnCovach]

Heritage used to use the same tailpiece as previously used on many Gibsons.

The only difference I see on mine is the big "H" riveted on.

 

Perhaps they still have some old ones at the Kalamazoo factory, or a template for drilling the hole out?

 

I don't think that's correct. The Heritage tailpieces are mostly not the same as the Gibson ones--similar, but not the same, and perhaps sourced from a different manufacturer (Schaller?). So the question remains: are they interchangeable?

[111518]

I thought about this as a cheap solution to making a 575 look more like a 175, given the price of the Howe 175.

 

I haven't done the swap, but one thing I really like about Stew Mac is that their online catalog includes technical drawings of the parts. Here's the link to the specs on Stew Macs 175 tailpiece ...should be enough info to figure out if it would work.

 

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bridges,_tailp...cs.html#details

[yoslate]

FWIW, I'm pretty certain the Heritage tailpieces are, in fact, Schaller....

[JohnCovach]

Ah, you guys know what I'm thinking. I've been adapting my '89 H-575 tobacco sunburst, partly because I'm confident it's a superior guitar in every way to the Gibson Howe model 175. I've had Seths in it for a while and yesterday I installed a TOM. Now for the black pickguard and old-style trapeze tailpiece. I can't do much about the dot inlays.

 

I've got a 575 Custom in natural that has the "parallel slash" inlays, which are my favorites. That one also has the TOM (with ebony base, courtesy of Ren) and Gibson 57 pickups. So who needs the Steve Howe guitar . . .

[backline]

Send it to me. I'll drill a hole in the rim for you.

[yoslate]

I've got a 575 Custom in natural that has the "parallel slash" inlays, which are my favorites. That one also has the TOM (with ebony base, courtesy of Ren) and Gibson 57 pickups. So who needs the Steve Howe guitar . . .

 

Clearly, not you!!!

[JohnCovach]

Well, the Stewmac link Larry provided was extremely helpful (thanks Larry!). It turns out the Stewmac tailpiece will not fit directly on the 575--the endpin hole is off by about 5 mm. So it becomes a matter of moving the hole on either the guitar or the tailpiece--not options I'd go for right now. I suppose the Stewmac tailpiece might not be the same as the Gibson one or the Allparts one, but my guess is that these three would all be about the same but that the Heritage is different. I think this has something to do with the bigger endpin hole that will accommodate the jack, as well as the fact that the 575 is a bit thinner than the standard Gibson hollow body (except for the Byrdland). So best I can tell, tailpiece swapping is out of the equation for now.

 

In my surfing around today I did find a vintage 175 tailpiece that looks very much like the one on my 575 (plain with no H). It's not the tailpiece you usually see on the 175, leading me to believe that Heritage guys lifted the design from the old Gibson one (as they have done with so many old Gibson features and designs that G no longer uses). I'm pretty sure the 175 never had an endpin jack though.

[High Flying Bird]

John, I was thinking that you are trying so hard to match the Howe guitar but, even though you are not much to look at in my opinion, you are no where near as ugly as Steve Howe. Do you plan on wearing a mask?

[JohnCovach]

I have been working on grimacing when I play the steel guitar parts.

[Millennium Maestro]

LMAO

 

Wear a mask? you guys are whack sometimes....

[111518]

Some things just can't be imitated, and when it comes to ugly, Steve Howe is sui generis ...or is that "soo-eee" generis?

 

Maybe his looks and fame are a logical extension of the old saw that guys become guitar players to get girls. Howe is a virtuoso because, bless him, he had a particular challenge to overcome. Or maybe he just misunderstood the concept "trolling for girls."

[Paul P]

John, I was thinking that you are trying so hard to match the Howe guitar but, even though you are not much to look at in my opinion, you are no where near as ugly as Steve Howe. Do you plan on wearing a mask?

You're too hard on the guy, he's old after all.

 

Since John will be playing in a Yes tribute band all he has to do is let his hair grow out :

 

 

These days all the Yes men are old :

 

 

The best tickets I ever had at a rock concert was sixth row center on the floor in '74

in a hockey arena. In the days of Topographic Oceans I think. On keyboards was

Patrick Moraz.

 

I listened to a lot Yes back then, but no more. I've always liked Jon Anderson outside

of Yes, like with Vangelis or this great CD I have of him and Kitaro. He has a great

voice.

[yoslate]

 

 

Wow! Hippiedom and lame don't wear too well after...thirty, do they? Those guys look pretty (maybe that's the wrong adjective?)...road weary (great players, though). Anybody see the film Still Crazy ?

[Dick Seacup]

 

Isn't that Nigel?

[Paul P]

Isn't that Nigel?

Don't think so. Here's another pic off the Yes entry in Wikipedia :

 

[mars_hall]

Nigel is Jeff

[JohnCovach]

BTW, according to the Steve Howe Guitar Collection book, Steve has a Heritage Sweet 16 that was given to him by our boys on Parsons Street. He raves about it. They also built him a special Steve Howe Custom model back in the late 70s--a kind of cross between the Switchmaster and the 175 (they actually built two, since the first one was stolen enroute to the UK). Both guitars are pictured in the book.

 

Maybe we can get him to come to the get-together in July?

[SouthpawGuy]

BTW, according to the Steve Howe Guitar Collection book, Steve has a Heritage Sweet 16 that was given to him by our boys on Parsons Street. He raves about it. They also built him a special Steve Howe Custom model back in the late 70s--a kind of cross between the Switchmaster and the 175 (they actually built two, since the first one was stolen enroute to the UK). Both guitars are pictured in the book.

 

Maybe we can get him to come to the get-together in July?

 

Interesting idea JC

[backline]

...

 

Maybe we can get him to come to the get-together in July?

 

 

 

Great idea, but first let's all post more about how ugly he is.

 

 

 

Y'know, I'd rather have been born rich than good lookin'

but I kinda resent gettin' screwed outa both!

 

[Paul P]

Isn't that Nigel?

Nigel is Jeff

I have the feeling this is something to do with Spinal Tap ?

 

If so I'm lost, I haven't seen the movie.

[High Flying Bird]

Great idea, but first let's all post more about how ugly he is.

 

That'll bring him!

 

Y'know, I'd rather have been born rich than good lookin'

but I kinda resent gettin' screwed outa both!

 

Me too....

[Dick Seacup]

I must have missed the posts about Howe being ugly. I was pointing out that, in that particular picture (and moreso in the Wikipedia one), he looks remarkably like Christopher Guest. I suppose some might consider Christopher Guest to be ugly, but that's their trip, not mine.