What's Different About an HRW?

[blueox]

As a less-than-a-week owner of an H-150CMU, I'm curious about what makes these HRW pickups different from the Schallers and Seymour Duncans that are found on other Heritage guitars. Point me to the page here, if this has been covered before. I do know that this guitar is sounding really good as opposed to some solid-bodies that tend to sound harsh to my ears.

[Kuz]

HRW are pickups specifically developed by Ren Wall (Factory Manager and overall chief of production) at Heritage.

 

HRW = Heritage Ren Wall

 

So the pickup was designed for Heritage guitars by Heritage guitar guru Rendal Wall.

 

Great sounding pickup!

[Gitfiddler]

Here is a link from the Heritage site about HRW pickups:

 

HRW Pickups

 

 

There are other posts/threads about their construction and sound, but most of us believe they are modified Schaller p'ups with special winds or magnets. Sufice it to say it is a closely guarded secret at the H factory.

 

Also, they are ONLY available as an upgrade on an newly constructed guitar from Heritage. The only aftermarket availability comes from private sellers.

 

They are one of my all time favorite sounding humbucker pickups. Hope this helps.

[blueox]

Thanks for response, guys. Soon after getting the guitar home, I noticed that the pickups were set too low for me, so I raised them but was puzzled by the two adjustment screws per side. I wonder if this was to avoid the G-brand setup, as they didn't work any better than one screw per side, which I have on other guitars, and seemed overly complicated.

[Thundersteel]

The two-screws-per-side also adjust the front-to-back tilt of the pickup.

[blueox]

I tried to do the tilt, but that didn't seem to work for me, so it seems the two screws per side are more for looks, beyond raising and lowering the pickups.

[Gitfiddler]

I tried to do the tilt, but that didn't seem to work for me, so it seems the two screws per side are more for looks, beyond raising and lowering the pickups.

 

 

Sounds like the mini-springs that adjust the tilt on your HRW's may have been dislodged or something. They should work as TSteel described.

[jaywolfe]

Ah, the mystery of the HRW remains somewhat shrouded in wonder & intrigue. I prolly know less than most everybody but can give you a bit of history of the mystery.

When they 1'st introduced them Heritage wanted $170 each premium for them. This number was so eerily HIGH that it made me curious & I called Ren. went something like this:

JW- how come so high......RW- I make 'em myself & it takes a long time .......JW- but that's almost 3 times the (then) upcharge for Duncans..........RW "yup"..........JW- what can I tell my customers that will entice them to pay that much? What makes them so special?.........RW- can't tell ya...........JW (laughing wildly)- what does that mean? "IF" you want me to sell your pickups you need a web site or brocure that will explain what the miracle is inside these things........RW- they're ONLY available on Heritage Guitars.......JW- so??..........RW (now serious) - I have discovered (invented?) something & incorporated it inside these HRWs. I'll not patent it because this costs too much & it's unenforceable any way. Someday someone will disassemble one & figure it out. They will no doubt copy it. But for now we have an exclusive......JW- OK, gotta go.

So, the mystery rages on. Ren now has Schaller making them for him, as he originally modified their Golden 50 HB to create this wunderkind. We hosted a concert at NAMM one year to introduce the Kenny Burrell endorsement. Players were Jackie King, Mimi Fox, Henry Johnson, Kenny & Jim Fox. Kenny, Henry & Jackie had the (then brand new) HRW's. Mimi & Jim did not. When we sound checked them Mimi & Jim commented that their guitars sounded weak & thin when compared with the HRW loaded archtops. Mimi asked me what she could do, as the diff. was huge. I explained about this new pickup, she borrowed Henry's Golden Eagle for her performance & sent Ren her Sweet 16 afterwards for retrofit.

Henry endorsed bartolini pu's for eons & would play nothing else. Ren begged him to "try" a HRW on a new G. Eagle in finishing. Henry resisted, but Ren was relentless. Result- Henry resigned his Bartolini endorsement & plays HRWs. They are superb for clean Jazz in archtops.

HRW's have fairly high output, so try them a bit further from the strings, and experiment with height- which is so well accomplished with their sturdier Schaller 4 screw adjustment. In the 60's I setup Gib. guitars for Howard Roberts, Barney Kessell (nasty fellow for sure), Joe Pass and others. ALL had match book or pick pieces wedged in between the pickup cover & plastic mount to prevent rattle & rocking to & fro- which is historically common with sgl. screw mounted HB's on older Gibsons. The 4 screw mount was introduced to prevent this historically common problem- easily prevented of course with a better fit as Heritage does with Duncans today & today's sgl mount works fine.

 

Jay Wolfe

[zydecosoultrain]

That is fascinating Jay. Thank you very much. My favorite arrangement for 335 and 175 type guitars has always been to have a Seymour Duncan Jazz in the neck. However the HRW's in my 575, always leave me with the feeling that there are more tonal subtleties waiting to be discovered. If HRW's appeal to Mimi Fox and Henry Johnson's sensibilities then that's quite an endorsement ....

Greg

[Jazzpunk]

Barney Kessell (nasty fellow for sure)

 

I've been on a big Kessel kick lately. Love the work he did on 'The Poll Winners' records! Bummer to hear he was a nasty fella behind the scenes.

[zydecosoultrain]

I've been on a big Kessel kick lately. Love the work he did on 'The Poll Winners' records! Bummer to hear he was a nasty fella behind the scenes.

 

Oh, I read that as a joke, that he was actually a really nice bloke?

[Lefty550]

Ah, the mystery of the HRW remains somewhat shrouded in wonder & intrigue. I prolly know less than most everybody but can give you a bit of history of the mystery.

When they 1'st introduced them Heritage wanted $170 each premium for them. This number was so eerily HIGH that it made me curious & I called Ren. went something like this:

JW- how come so high......RW- I make 'em myself & it takes a long time .......JW- but that's almost 3 times the (then) upcharge for Duncans..........RW "yup"..........JW- what can I tell my customers that will entice them to pay that much? What makes them so special?.........RW- can't tell ya...........JW (laughing wildly)- what does that mean? "IF" you want me to sell your pickups you need a web site or brocure that will explain what the miracle is inside these things........RW- they're ONLY available on Heritage Guitars.......JW- so??..........RW (now serious) - I have discovered (invented?) something & incorporated it inside these HRWs. I'll not patent it because this costs too much & it's unenforceable any way. Someday someone will disassemble one & figure it out. They will no doubt copy it. But for now we have an exclusive......JW- OK, gotta go.

So, the mystery rages on. Ren now has Schaller making them for him, as he originally modified their Golden 50 HB to create this wunderkind. We hosted a concert at NAMM one year to introduce the Kenny Burrell endorsement. Players were Jackie King, Mimi Fox, Henry Johnson, Kenny & Jim Fox. Kenny, Henry & Jackie had the (then brand new) HRW's. Mimi & Jim did not. When we sound checked them Mimi & Jim commented that their guitars sounded weak & thin when compared with the HRW loaded archtops. Mimi asked me what she could do, as the diff. was huge. I explained about this new pickup, she borrowed Henry's Golden Eagle for her performance & sent Ren her Sweet 16 afterwards for retrofit.

Henry endorsed bartolini pu's for eons & would play nothing else. Ren begged him to "try" a HRW on a new G. Eagle in finishing. Henry resisted, but Ren was relentless. Result- Henry resigned his Bartolini endorsement & plays HRWs. They are superb for clean Jazz in archtops.

HRW's have fairly high output, so try them a bit further from the strings, and experiment with height- which is so well accomplished with their sturdier Schaller 4 screw adjustment. In the 60's I setup Gib. guitars for Howard Roberts, Barney Kessell (nasty fellow for sure), Joe Pass and others. ALL had match book or pick pieces wedged in between the pickup cover & plastic mount to prevent rattle & rocking to & fro- which is historically common with sgl. screw mounted HB's on older Gibsons. The 4 screw mount was introduced to prevent this historically common problem- easily prevented of course with a better fit as Heritage does with Duncans today & today's sgl mount works fine.

 

Jay Wolfe

[Lefty550]

Wish I could try one..I got Gibson 57 on mine for the Schaller(neck)...OK.. for now.

[blueox]

I heard that Barney Kessel, as a jazz player, would grouse about playing on what he considered pop albums. Evidentally, he needed and/or wanted the money, so he held his nose and played on a variety of tunes in the studio, such as those by the Righteous Brothers and others. I know a bunch of the Righteous Brothers stuff had some souful guitar leads, so maybe that "bad attitude" made for some deep feeling, bluesy tones.

As for HRW pickups, I can see now about the good of having two screws per side, if only for stability. Also, after two weeks of owning this H-150CM-Ultra, it has made a believer out of me as to the overall array of tonality, and I don't think that it is just "smoke and mirrors", no matter how coy Ren acts when addressing the HRWs.

[tulk1]

.... As for HRW pickups, I can see now about the good of having two screws per side, if only for stability. Also, after two weeks of owning this H-150CM-Ultra, it has made a believer out of me as to the overall array of tonality, and I don't think that it is just "smoke and mirrors", no matter how coy Ren acts when addressing the HRWs.

Yeah, he's def doing something. I know the HRW's in my Millie just seem to be "more". Not sure what of, but definitely more of something. So, welcome to the world of HRW's ... uh, whatever that really means.

[rjsanders]

Yeah, he's def doing something. I know the HRW's in my Millie just seem to be "more". Not sure what of, but definitely more of something. ...

 

same here. one local player dubbed my Millie DC "the Screamer"

 

 

(in the best poss'ble way, 'course)