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Heritage Owners Club

Is there any significance to the Heritage model numbers?


zookroo1

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Posted

I was just wondering if there is any particular rhyme or reason the Heritage's model numbering system. Does the H150 have anything to do with the number 150 or was it just a number that sounded good? Some cars that have numbers in the name have to do with the engine size, so maybe there was a system like that for Heritage? If there's an answer I know you guys can tell me!

Posted

The "150" means that there are 150 separate pieces that have to be assembled to make it. Likewise, the H157 has 7 more pieces, mainly for additional binding.

 

 

 

 

 

And if you believe that, I've got some cheap swampland for sale!

Posted

I had no ideas that a 575 was so much more complex than a 140. Where did you say that swampland is, I've been looking for a nice piece of property... :thumbsup:

Posted
I had no ideas that a 575 was so much more complex than a 140. Where did you say that swampland is, I've been looking for a nice piece of property... :thumbsup:

Hollows are different. The 575 refers to the 575 grains that must be in every guitar. That is the 555 costs more than the 535. 20 more grains.

Posted
The "150" means that there are 150 separate pieces that have to be assembled to make it. Likewise, the H157 has 7 more pieces, mainly for additional binding.

 

 

 

 

 

And if you believe that, I've got some cheap swampland for sale!

 

 

well lets count....

 

body wood = 4

neck wood = 3

fretboard = 8

frets = 22

binding = 4

strap buttons and screws = 4

toggle/pots/jack/wires/caps = 12

pups/trim/screws = 28

tuners/screws = 24

strings = 6

hardware = 20

nut = 1

truss rod/cover = 4

backplates/screws = 10

label = 1

 

TOTAL = 150

 

 

:thumbsup:

Posted

There was a very informative thread on this topic a LONG time ago.

 

I could not find it because my boss walked in and disrupted my research.

 

 

 

 

So I'll go with TSteel's response.

Posted

zookroo, honestly, I have no idea. Maybe others in the know can enlighten us.

Posted
I could not find it because my boss walked in and disrupted my research.

 

Hahahaha.............

 

I like T's answer too.

Posted

well... no need to ask where they got 535 and 555 from. maybe 150 just seemed like a good number to start with, and then like Gibson you make lower numbers for less blinged out guitars, and higher numbers for more blinged out guitars.

Posted

Just a bit of odd history - the Gib 175 and 335 were named for their retail price. Nothing special in the naming other than the cost.

Posted
Just a bit of odd history - the Gib 175 and 335 were named for their retail price. Nothing special in the naming other than the cost.

Is that really true? Or should I start looking at swampland?

Posted

This is a good question that remains a bit of a mystery. Maybe one of the folks from Heritage will chime in and give us the real deal. Otherwise we'll continue to offer our ususal HOC-approved speculation. :D

 

Speaking of speculation, here's mine...

Heritage was founded by 5 former Gibson employees, right?

 

(See exerpt from the Heritage website):

 

"...3 men, Jim Deurloo, Marvin Lamb, and JP Moats, decided to start a guitar manufacturing business. In 1985 when the company was incorporated, 2 other former Gibson Guitar Corporation employees, Bill Paige and Mike Korpak, joined as owners..."

 

So if there were 5 owners, why not include the number '5' in the model numbers. (i.e. H150, H155, H157, H525, H535, H555, H550, H575, etc.). I don't have a clue where the first guitar, H-140 name/number came from. But this is just fun speculation anyway.

 

The new number sequence also pays subtle homage to the guitar design 'heritage' of the former Gibson models, particularly the ES (Electric Spanish) gits (i.e. ES225, ES335, ES345, ES355, ES165, ES175, etc.). OK, so there were '5's in each of those names also!

 

 

Keep in mind that this is NOT the official answer to the origins of the model numbers, but it seems perfectly logical to this old gitfidder. :D

Posted
Is that really true? Or should I start looking at swampland?

 

Wish I could find the article, but that is the scoop as I remember reading it. Named for the price. Thought it very odd at the time, so it stuck with me. Doesn't mean you can't buy my swamp land, tho'. If you really want it. :D

 

edit: Well, here you go. Directly from Wikipedia (our motto: Change history with the stroke of a key). Gibs ES-175

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