Newbie Owner Checking In

[Silvercrow]

Hi All- just thought I'd say hello and let all of you know that after 37 years of playing guitar, being a dedicated "strat" and "tele" guy, I visited a locally owned shop over the weekend to seek a replacement for my stolen G&L ASAT Classic. I ended up walking out with a 1995 Heritage H-140. Not only am I blown away with the appearance, tone and playability of this guitar, not to mention the workmanship; I am blown away by the fact that it was so easy to transition from my two previously chosen guitar types to The Heritage.

 

I'm well aware that the H-140 is a totally different guitar from the G&L & F**ders I've played all my life. (I still have a strat..actually a Legacy), but everything about the H-140 fits me perfectly. Wish I'd have tried one of these years ago!

 

It's a 1995 Gold top, minimal playwear- almost no fret wear, some minor dings and scratches- nothing even close to being annoying.

 

I know this is useless without pictures :>) so as soon as I set up a Photobucket account I'll post.

 

Question- the "point" of the cutaway on my H-140 is "pointy". I've looked around at various pics of other's H-140s and note that they (the ones I have found) all have a more "rounded" horn. Anyone know when or why they go from pointy to rounded? Just curious.

 

Also the previous owner (shop owner is a reputable guy and ststed that it was a one owner guitar) changed the tailpiece to a traditional style (Gibson) tailpiece- "stop" type. Included is the original but I kinda like the traditional so I'm keeping it the way it is.

 

Trying to learn about the pups- they are the open coil design. Not5 being familiar with humbuckers all that much- I wonder hown I can determine what the pups are and learn about them. I wonder if there is a capability to "coil tap" these pups?

 

Shop owner further stated that the owner had done the Peter Green (?) mod to the wiring of the pickups. Can anyone tell me what that is?

 

Sorry for all the apparently stupid questions- I'm just very unfamiliar- although one thing I know- I LOVE MY NEW H-140. Will be using it at a blues jam this coming Sunday. Sounds great through my Deluxe Reverb clone..

 

Thabnks for all of your time and consideration as this newbie feels his way around.

 

Brian

[tulk1]

Brian,

 

Welcome to the HoC. And congrats on finding your first Heritage. You'll find that many of us here are fans of G&L, as well. I own two ASATs, as well as 3 Heritages. Which pales in comparison to a certain afficianado(sp?) we have here.

 

Your H140 is a "first edition". Not sure when the tranistion was made, but the "2nd" edition has the softer horn of the H150.

 

Peter Green mod has one of the magnets flipped in the ... I think it's the neck pup. Kuz will chime in and verify, I'm sure. Which kinda leads me to believe your pups may not be original. There should be a sticker on the cover plate giving some details about the guitar. And of course, the pics will tell a lot more. One way to tell if your pups may be original is if they have 2 screws on each side of the pup ring. That would indicate Schaller pickups. Either way, sounds like you got something you can love .. and more importantly, to play.

[Kuz]

The Peter Green mod (I have it on my "Greeny" 150) is where the neck pickup magnets are flipped so the guitar sounds "out of phase" when the toggle is in the middle (both pickups on) position.

Peter Green used this position a lot.

[yoslate]

Welcome Silvercrow!

 

Congrats on eliciting responses from two of the esteemed regulars on the HOC. You may rest assured that virtually any response you get here will be gracious and have plenty of "street cred." As Kenny noted many of us are also G&L owners. I have two ASAT's and a Legacy, in addition to my three Heritages. Great planks, all! And sorry to hear about the theft, but it did bring you here, with a 140. Welcome!

[shook494]

Welcome to the HOC. I also have an ASAT and two Heritage. Great guitars! Can't wait to see some pictures.

[JeffB]

Welcome to the HOC Silvercrow.

Im another reformed long time strat user. Also wish I made the change earlier.

Feels like I finally found my voice with my 150.

[Thundersteel]

Welcome!

 

I've got 3 Heritages and 3 G&Ls, so you're in good company.

[brentrocks]

Welcome Silver.....

 

sounds like a sweet 140...cant wait to see it

[SouthpawGuy]

Hi Brian and welcome to the HOC !

 

Another G&L fan here, I'm into double figures now , and half a dozen Heritages. Nuts I know but there you go ! Congrats on the 140.

 

I'm also a long time Strat player and only recently discovered the joys of semi hollow and hollow body guitars with my Heritages. Wait until you're here a few weeks and I think you will catch that particular bug.

 

A couple of things I have found about coil tapping humbucker pickups are that one: they never really sound like a Strat even if they are in a Strat style guitar and second when "split" the volume drop is dramatic, and vice versa when going back from split to humbucking.

 

Don't forget to post pics of your 140 !

 

Regards ... Paul

[Paul P]

Hi All- just thought I'd say hello and let all of you know that after 37 years of playing guitar, being a

dedicated "strat" and "tele" guy, I visited a locally owned shop over the weekend to seek a replacement

for my stolen G&L ASAT Classic. I ended up walking out with a 1995 Heritage H-140.

Goes to show there can be a good side to bad luck.

 

Welcome to the HOC. I'd try your guitar wired like it was originally, if possible (might not be without

changing or rebuilding the pickups ?). Who knows, you might like it even better.

[Silvercrow]

Geez- Thanks for all the responses folks! Wow- so I have a "first edition"...cool! I know I'm going to have this one a long time- I can't put it down and thats a rare thing for me. Seemed to take forever to find guitar/amp combos that I've stuck with and this guitar sort of "found me" as I was perusing the shop, looking at all of the tele style offerings. LOL.. I played it through a vintage deluxe reverb, put it down (last Thursday) and the dang guitar literally haunted me until I finally gave in!

 

Yes, the pups have two screws on either side of the pup ring. I haven't taken them out yet to investigate but can further say that one coil each has screw type pole pieces, the other coil has the standard slug type pole pieces, similar to a strat or tele.

 

I've noticed today when I got home that the Grover tuners will prolly need replacement- the plastic spacer thingie on three of them is split and "off-kilter". No biggie- they are readily available I believe.

 

I'll post some pics soon.

 

Again- thanks for the overwhelming response! Great to feel immediately welcomed- not all forums are like this...

 

Brian

[SouthpawGuy]

Geez- Thanks for all the responses folks! Wow- so I have a "first edition"...cool! I know I'm going to have this one a long time- I can't put it down and thats a rare thing for me. Seemed to take forever to find guitar/amp combos that I've stuck with and this guitar sort of "found me" as I was perusing the shop, looking at all of the tele style offerings. LOL.. I played it through a vintage deluxe reverb, put it down (last Thursday) and the dang guitar literally haunted me until I finally gave in!

 

Yes, the pups have two screws on either side of the pup ring. I haven't taken them out yet to investigate but can further say that one coil each has screw type pole pieces, the other coil has the standard slug type pole pieces, similar to a strat or tele.

 

I've noticed today when I got home that the Grover tuners will prolly need replacement- the plastic spacer thingie on three of them is split and "off-kilter". No biggie- they are readily available I believe.

 

I'll post some pics soon.

 

Again- thanks for the overwhelming response! Great to feel immediately welcomed- not all forums are like this...

 

Brian

 

 

Ain't that the truth !

[backline]

I've said it before: my '88 H-140C was the best sounding solidbody I ever experienced. The stock Schaller pickups are 4-wire (I believe) so can be easily wired to suit various applications.

I too am a longtime user of a G&L Legacy.

 

Welcome aboard!