Mills Posted July 30, 2009 Posted July 30, 2009 I did a quick search but didn't find anything on it so I thought that I would start a new topic. If it gets passed over I guess I will just have to do a bit more searching! Personally, I had no idea that Heritage guitars existed until yesterday evening when I started looking for who makes good Gibson style guitars. I have a Desert Burst Supreme which is a wonderful guitar. Could not ask for better really. But you all know how it goes It all started when I was looking for 1959 bursts as every young guitarist does at some time in his life so I started wondering how much one of those would run me. The big thing for me is that I want to get the best guitar sound possible and I really don't care who makes it like many of the people here. With that in mind, I'm going to ask all of my Heritage questions here and see what happens! 1. What is the difference between a 140 and a 150? 2. Has the quality in the guitars changed for better or worse after the recent management shift at Heritage? (I may be totally off base on this. I just was under the impression that it had) 3. Could I order a Heritage that had the G***** bridge and tailpiece from the factory? 4. Do you feel that any improvements are needed on your guitars once you buy them? If so, what did you switch out? Thanks for your help guys! As has already been remarked, I love how low key, friendly and helpful this place is. It is such a far cry from so many other forums on the web!
Scooter Posted July 30, 2009 Posted July 30, 2009 I did a quick search but didn't find anything on it so I thought that I would start a new topic. If it gets passed over I guess I will just have to do a bit more searching! Personally, I had no idea that Heritage guitars existed until yesterday evening when I started looking for who makes good Gibson style guitars. I have a Desert Burst Supreme which is a wonderful guitar. Could not ask for better really. But you all know how it goes It all started when I was looking for 1959 bursts as every young guitarist does at some time in his life so I started wondering how much one of those would run me. The big thing for me is that I want to get the best guitar sound possible and I really don't care who makes it like many of the people here. With that in mind, I'm going to ask all of my Heritage questions here and see what happens! 1. What is the difference between a 140 and a 150? 2. Has the quality in the guitars changed for better or worse after the recent management shift at Heritage? (I may be totally off base on this. I just was under the impression that it had) 3. Could I order a Heritage that had the G***** bridge and tailpiece from the factory? 4. Do you feel that any improvements are needed on your guitars once you buy them? If so, what did you switch out? Thanks for your help guys! As has already been remarked, I love how low key, friendly and helpful this place is. It is such a far cry from so many other forums on the web! Welcome to the HOC, Mills! To quote Yoslate from my very first thread/question here last February: "Let the games begin!"
Millennium Maestro Posted July 30, 2009 Posted July 30, 2009 Wow... I could talk for days on this post... but I am not gonna. Heritages are consistantly getting better...and they were really good handcrafted guitars to begin with. I also have a "one of a kind" Supreme, they are nice guitars... I would rather have a heritage any day of the week. Built by a real person... not a machine! Peace out!! M.M.
Mills Posted July 30, 2009 Author Posted July 30, 2009 Thanks for the welcome! I'm glad to hear that Heritage is still getting better and better! In Colorado we don't really have a dealership (that I know of) to go and try one out so it would have to be an online order if I got one which makes me a little nervous. I'm a big proponent of try before you buy. Did you like the Heritage better than the supreme? I definitely understand the handmade aura. Do you find it to be a better guitar in terms of tone though? What would you say is the difference?
barrymclark Posted July 30, 2009 Posted July 30, 2009 My experience with Heritage as a retailer and now as an owner is that the tone/quality is custom shop Gibson at all levels of Heritage AND.... you don't get the headache of Gibson's Customer (Dis)Service. Case in point: my 140. I got mine used. It was roughly 18 years old at the time I got it. Sent a couple of pictures to Ren at Heritage as he asked to see it. Unannounced, I got new pickup rings in the mail. He noticed in the pictures that they had been split over time. Can you in your wildest dreams imagine Gibson doing ANYTHING like that? Having worked for a couple of larger retailers who were Gibson dealers, I can assure you... don't hold your breath.
Mills Posted July 30, 2009 Author Posted July 30, 2009 My experience with Heritage as a retailer and now as an owner is that the tone/quality is custom shop Gibson at all levels of Heritage AND.... you don't get the headache of Gibson's Customer (Dis)Service. Case in point: my 140. I got mine used. It was roughly 18 years old at the time I got it. Sent a couple of pictures to Ren at Heritage as he asked to see it. Unannounced, I got new pickup rings in the mail. He noticed in the pictures that they had been split over time. Can you in your wildest dreams imagine Gibson doing ANYTHING like that? Having worked for a couple of larger retailers who were Gibson dealers, I can assure you... don't hold your breath. That's awesome! Got to make you feel good about the manufacturer when they do something like that!
barrymclark Posted July 30, 2009 Posted July 30, 2009 That's awesome! Got to make you feel good about the manufacturer when they do something like that! It does. No doubt. They stand behind their guitars. These days, if I decide I am going to get a Gibson Les Paul or SG or something... it will just be an Epiphone. About the same care goes into them... and i will get the same customer service but not spend much to get it. Might be a drop in the quality of woods... but I can live with that. After my 140, I definitely want others. I really wanna get my hands on millie to try. That, from hearing recordings, might be an 'everthing' guitar. Does jazz well enough. Does rock well enough. Very interested. Fella on here with a sealed version. REALLY wanna hear that one!
barrymclark Posted July 30, 2009 Posted July 30, 2009 It does. No doubt. They stand behind their guitars. These days, if I decide I am going to get a Gibson Les Paul or SG or something... it will just be an Epiphone. About the same care goes into them... and i will get the same customer service but not spend much to get it. Might be a drop in the quality of woods... but I can live with that. After my 140, I definitely want others. I really wanna get my hands on millie to try. That, from hearing recordings, might be an 'everthing' guitar. Does jazz well enough. Does rock well enough. Very interested. Fella on here with a sealed version. REALLY wanna hear that one! To clarify: There is nothing wrong with Gibson guitars overall. You get a good one... you got a good one. My issues are with the company itself. Customer service and quality for price is why I prefer Heritage.
Thundersteel Posted July 30, 2009 Posted July 30, 2009 Welcome to the HOC! 1. What is the difference between a 140 and a 150? The 140, I believe, is thinner than the 150, and has a slab-style (not arched) body. 2. Has the quality in the guitars changed for better or worse after the recent management shift at Heritage? (I may be totally off base on this. I just was under the impression that it had) It has gotten better! Not that they weren't bad before! 3. Could I order a Heritage that had the G***** bridge and tailpiece from the factory? Heritages now come standard with the Gibby-style bridge and tailpiece. 4. Do you feel that any improvements are needed on your guitars once you buy them? If so, what did you switch out? The only thing I add are knob pointers, a Faber locking bridge, Tone Pros tailpiece, and Schaller strap locks. But they can add those for you if you order one.
Millennium Maestro Posted July 30, 2009 Posted July 30, 2009 Thanks for the welcome! Did you like the Heritage better than the supreme? I definitely understand the handmade aura. Do you find it to be a better guitar in terms of tone though? What would you say is the difference? I quess the fact that I bought my 2003 Supreme brand new, first off the line with handpicked wood when it was supposed to be only 2003 guitars, limited edition... I paid a pretty penny. What does Gibson do... the fu*kn aholes... they release the guitar as a regular production model. If mine was not a one of a kind... it would not even be mine!!! Nice guitar or not. Since then I have bought almost every Millennium model and 140, 150, 157, 170, class of 59 etc. Bottom line, pickups are one of the most important features in any guitar... I prefer Seymours...Stock from heritage, not gibson!! I WILL NEVER TRUST GIBSON!! To them its all about the $$$. M.M.
brentrocks Posted July 30, 2009 Posted July 30, 2009 Welcome Mills!!! looks like you are ready to get some good wood!!!
barrymclark Posted July 30, 2009 Posted July 30, 2009 The 140, I believe, is thinner than the 150, and has a slab-style (not arched) body. The 140 is thinner and it IS an arched body. The 137's are slab type. Ask me how I know that. Did I tell you about my 140?
Mills Posted July 31, 2009 Author Posted July 31, 2009 I'm not going to lie you guys are getting me pretty jazzed about these instruments! I had a pretty bad experience with a VOS SG from G which started my quest to find other good guitars. I've never played anything that expensive (5k) that was that bad! So if I was shooting for a '59 style guitar I'd probably get a long neck tenon and 50's neck on a H-150CM with the pointers added after market. Ooh and the locking tuners... oh GAS, why must you torment me so? First I've got to finish my AC30 build project. Though that should be done at the beginning of next week!
Mills Posted July 31, 2009 Author Posted July 31, 2009 Thank you for all of the information! I've seriously never been anywhere on the web that answered everything so thoroughly and so fast!
TalismanRich Posted July 31, 2009 Posted July 31, 2009 Welcome to the HOC 1. What is the difference between a 140 and a 150? The 140 will be thinner (1/2 "), lighter, dot markers. The 150 is as thick as the std LP. You can get it however you want... dots or trap inlays, bound headstock, etc. They also have the LW light weight chambered model. The 157 is like a Custom. They'll put whatever pickups you want in. 2. Has the quality in the guitars changed for better or worse after the recent management shift at Heritage? (I may be totally off base on this. I just was under the impression that it had) They seem to be as good as ever. This is a custom shop. I don't think they spend a lot of time trying to figure out how they can save an extra $1.37 on 100,000 units. Give 'em a good piece of wood and they'll carve you a guitar. Plus they have some younger folks in there learning the craft. 3. Could I order a Heritage that had the G***** bridge and tailpiece from the factory? Lots of people seem to go for the Tonepros stuff. I have the stock Schallers on my 157 and 535, the 157 is a roller bridge. 4. Do you feel that any improvements are needed on your guitars once you buy them? If so, what did you switch out? I modified the tone control by adding a treble bleed. If I ordered a new one, I would probably go with bone nut, or possibly an Earvana. I don't know what I would put in for pickups. Good luck in your search.
brentrocks Posted July 31, 2009 Posted July 31, 2009 another thing about the 140 is that they tend to be a little brighter in tone...because of the loss of mass due to the thinner body
Thundersteel Posted July 31, 2009 Posted July 31, 2009 The 140 is thinner and it IS an arched body. The 137's are slab type. Ask me how I know that. Did I tell you about my 140? I stand corrected. Thanx.
pegleg32 Posted July 31, 2009 Posted July 31, 2009 I bought my first Heritage (535) about a month ago, I have never been more pleased with a guitar. I played a Gibson 335 in the late 60's, the Heritage is every bit as good and probably better. Memories often make that old stuff seem better than it really was. Own a Heritage and you will be a believer.
brentrocks Posted July 31, 2009 Posted July 31, 2009 I bought my first Heritage (535) about a month ago, I have never been more pleased with a guitar. I played a Gibson 335 in the late 60's, the Heritage is every bit as good and probably better. Memories often make that old stuff seem better than it really was. Own a Heritage and you will be a believer. Well said!
barrymclark Posted July 31, 2009 Posted July 31, 2009 another thing about the 140 is that they tend to be a little brighter in tone...because of the loss of mass due to the thinner body Yeah. I was surprised by the brightness. Rather like it. It is definitely different. Would like a 150/157 one day for a thicker tone as an option.
barrymclark Posted July 31, 2009 Posted July 31, 2009 I stand corrected. Thanx. No worries! I spend a lot of time looking at the 140. haha. Maybe that is why I suck so bad. I don't play as much as watch it. It just looks so good... I expect greatness to just come out of it all on its own.
mark555 Posted August 5, 2009 Posted August 5, 2009 My H555 with changes, which include seymour 59's, nickel hardware and Gibson style stop piece and bridge. all later additions.
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