Halowords Posted February 22, 2008 Posted February 22, 2008 Hey all, Long time Heritage admirer, first time poster. I am interested in getting a Heritage Les Paul and believe the H-150 might be for me. I had a Gibson LP, actually loved it, but sold it foolishly and now a few years later would like a Heritage instead. However, I thought I would ask for opinions to see what the general consensus was before I posted in the For Sale/Wanted To Buy section. As for my history, I currently own a great Hamer Studio. I love it. Great sound, Seymour Duncan Pickups, Wraparound tail piece, nice action, great fret access (the lack of a LP neck heel is really nice). However, I thought I would like it if it was a bit warmer. I then thought that if I just put on some heavier strings, throw in some warmer pickups, and change the electronics, I could make it more to what I like. The problem is that what I am in effect doing is 1) Trying to make it into a Les Paul and 2) Potentially hacking what is already a great guitar as-is. Hence, I think I should just get a Les Paul-style and either enjoy the Hamer for the great guitar it is, or sell it off to somebody else who might be looking for a great lighter weight double cut LP style. Anyway . . . What I am looking for is a full-sized LP-style (hence the 2" thick H-150 over the 1.5" thick H-140) with the deepest, roundest, warmest tone I can get without being muddy and still having some high-end sparkle. I would like a relatively slim/fast neck but one that is thick enough to be totally stable and not rubbery; I could handle a medium sized neck. Not sure if different models of H-150's have different neck profiles. I prefer the Almond Burst or the Burnt Amber, or something along those lines; again, not sure if certain finishes are for certain styles or not. Finally, I do not really need bling on the guitar. I could do without neck binding, but I do not think that is an option. But I do not need fancy-looking hardware (e.g. gold plated or anything like that). I just want the best tone and playability. With that, what model(s) should I be looking at? Any that would or would not match my needs as well as others? -Cheers
SouthpawGuy Posted February 22, 2008 Posted February 22, 2008 Hi and Welcome to the HOC. I don't have a 150 or 157 myself but I'm sure some knowledgeable person will help you out shortly. ( There's lots of them around here ! )
yoslate Posted February 22, 2008 Posted February 22, 2008 Welcome to the HOC Halo! You're about to get all the info and opinion you might care for...most all of it very knowledgeable, thorough, and current. I'd suggest you have fun first, looking around at Jay Wolfe's Gbase inventory link at http://wolfeguitars.com/ It's a great place to begin generating a concept and to view some wonderfully attractive possibilities. Listen carefully to the subsequent postings here--a wealth of good information! Have fun. I was an LP player for decades; I now have a 150 and love it, an excellent instrument!
High Flying Bird Posted February 22, 2008 Posted February 22, 2008 I had an H-150 and it was heavy as all get out. It could sustain all day long. Even when it wasn't hooked up to an amp you could hear it sing long after you picked the note. I have also played a 157 and two different 150s. None of these guitars were near as heavy nor sustained like my old 150. My theory is that 150's, like amps, are better by the pound.
Gitfiddler Posted February 22, 2008 Posted February 22, 2008 Not being a particularly knowledgeable person as regards H150/157 experiences (I just scored my first H-157 this week!), but keenly aware of Heritage's ability to customize any of their basic models; I'd recommend contacting one of the Heritage dealers and present your specifications to them. I've only dealt with Jay Wolfe, so he gets my vote to start a dialogue. You won't be disappointed............until you wait months for the guitar to be built and delivered.
JohnCovach Posted February 22, 2008 Posted February 22, 2008 My advice would be to avoid a custom order. It sounds like a good idea but problems can arise, as a number of HOC members here can attest. A used 150 with Duncans and Gibson-style stop and bridge is one of the best buys on the used market. There are two very nice ones up for sale/trade right now. One of these is over on the For Sale page here and the other is on www.thegearpage.net. Both are quite nice and would be possibilities according to your description. You should expect to pay about $1200 for such a guitar. Sometimes a 157 can be found for slightly less, but not much less (and this is mostly because the 150 has the 59 LP vibe).
brentrocks Posted February 22, 2008 Posted February 22, 2008 My advice would be to avoid a custom order. It sounds like a good idea but problems can arise, as a number of HOC members here can attest. A used 150 with Duncans and Gibson-style stop and bridge is one of the best buys on the used market. There are two very nice ones up for sale/trade right now. One of these is over on the For Sale page here and the other is on www.thegearpage.net. Both are quite nice and would be possibilities according to your description. You should expect to pay about $1200 for such a guitar. Sometimes a 157 can be found for slightly less, but not much less (and this is mostly because the 150 has the 59 LP vibe). A used 150 is a deal, right now, you cant beat w/ a stick!!!! you cant go wrong....much better than a gibby, much better value!!!!
fatherjones.com Posted February 22, 2008 Posted February 22, 2008 Yes, H-150 is the way to go. Buy mine. See H-150 for sale under my name
brentrocks Posted February 22, 2008 Posted February 22, 2008 Yes, H-150 is the way to go. Buy mine. See H-150 for sale under my name yours is nice
Gitfiddler Posted February 22, 2008 Posted February 22, 2008 I don't know if I agree with John's comment about H157's being lesser valued on the used market, but I saw this for sale on The Gear Page forum and immediately thought of an R9!! Amazing!! http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m279/gu...50/IMG_0471.jpg
Kuz Posted February 22, 2008 Posted February 22, 2008 I had an H-150 and it was heavy as all get out. It could sustain all day long. Even when it wasn't hooked up to an amp you could hear it sing long after you picked the note. I have also played a 157 and two different 150s. None of these guitars were near as heavy nor sustained like my old 150. My theory is that 150's, like amps, are better by the pound. I could not agree MORE! Everybody these days want light, light, guitars. If it's a set neck and you want sustain & warmth then gotta go 9.5lbs!
Dick Seacup Posted February 23, 2008 Posted February 23, 2008 Welcome to the Club! A 157 is on my short list, but as of yet I have owned neither so I will refrain from trying to comment.
Halowords Posted February 23, 2008 Author Posted February 23, 2008 Yes, H-150 is the way to go. Buy mine. See H-150 for sale under my name Possibly . . . I PM'd you. -Cheers
Halowords Posted February 23, 2008 Author Posted February 23, 2008 I don't know if I agree with John's comment about H157's being lesser valued on the used market, but I saw this for sale on The Gear Page forum and immediately thought of an R9!! Amazing!! http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m279/gu...50/IMG_0471.jpg So what is the difference between an H-150 and an H-157? Or the different kinds of H-150? Is it just the pickups? And, sorry if I missed this, are the necks all pretty much the same unless you order and specify you want something different? -Cheers
JohnCovach Posted February 23, 2008 Posted February 23, 2008 I don't know if I agree with John's comment about H157's being lesser valued on the used market, but I saw this for sale on The Gear Page forum and immediately thought of an R9!! Amazing!! http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m279/gu...50/IMG_0471.jpg Yep, that's one of the 150's I was talking about. It's up for trade on TGP, right? I would say the only advantage the 150 has over the 157 is that the LP Standard is more popular than the LP Custom. So a 150CM (like the one in that link) will draw more interest than a 157, generally speaking. I have a 157 that I love, BTW--probably more than my two 150's. But people really go for that 59 LP Standard look.
cosmikdebriis Posted February 23, 2008 Posted February 23, 2008 I would have thought the answer was simple... BOTH ;D Or at least, that's what I intend to do (hopefully).
Halowords Posted February 23, 2008 Author Posted February 23, 2008 Thanks for all of the replies so far. Two more questions: 1) When did they start PLEKing all of their guitars, and how can you tell? My understanding is that it was in 2004 and that is any guitar with a serial number starting with a U, V, or W. Is that accurate? 2) Were there any years they used African Mahogany at Heritage instead of Honduran? If so, what years? -Cheers
Thundersteel Posted February 23, 2008 Posted February 23, 2008 Hey Halowords, Welcome to the club! You'll find a wealth of information about these fine, handmade instruments. You'll also be bombarded with lame jokes--but, that's all par for the course (and I don't even play golf!) See what I told you? I am interested in getting a Heritage Les Paul First of all, there is NO such thing as a "Heritage Les Paul." (We are a bit touchy about using the "G" word around here!) However, They DO have the H150 (similar to an LP Standard), and the H157 (similar to the LP Custom). I did have an H157CM until recently (reluctantly had to sell it to finance a bass), and I currently own an H150CM LW (Light Weight--hollowed-out), with a P90-equipped H150CM on the way. If you want tone without all the "flashy" stuff, then the H150 is definately the way to go. You'll be drooling over all the nice pics that Jay has on his site (wolfeguitars.com has an inventory link). There are other good dealers as well, but Jay seems to be very popular, and he has the largest selection to choose from. Used H150s are usually a bargain. We're glad you found us!!
JohnCovach Posted February 23, 2008 Posted February 23, 2008 Just to reinforce this point: did you know that you cannot even post an ad for a Heritage 147, 150, or 157 guitar over on The Les Paul Forum? You can post any other kind of guitar by any maker, but no LP-style guitars other than Gibson are allowed. I guess this keeps out the clutter of lots of ads for LPs that nobody there cares about, but it also sends the message that the only real LP is a Gibson LP. That is literally true, of course, but it's hard not to see the Heritage guitars as extremely close relatives, even if there are differences (mostly for the better!).
chico Posted February 23, 2008 Posted February 23, 2008 Hi and welcome, you are in the right place. I own a H150 CL CM, which is Heritage's version of the '59 LP. It has the Duncan 59s, which are standard for the CL-CM version. Mine weighs in at a hefty 10lbs on my bathroom scale, all Heritages vary in weight. I have a friend with a H150 Ultra (for a AAAAA top, and his is lighter--by about a pound). If you buy the H157, you will get the extras like binding around the headstock, and maybe more significant is the HRW pickups--Heritage's own design (thanks Rendall!). My 150 has a fatter neck than the LP's of the 1960 vintage, which had a thinner cut. I paid 750 for mine used at Daves Guitar in LaCrosse, WI, 4 or 5 years ago. Based on what I see on ebay and what people here post, I'd say I got a good deal. I had my 150 at a jam last night, man that thing was singnin... Pic attached. Mine has the Schaller tailpiece, wish it had the tun o matics, but no prob. BTW, mine is "antique sunburst" in the Heritage color chart. Good luck and good call to get the h150, Chico madison, wi. H150sma.jpg H150sma.jpg_thumb H150smb.jpg H150smb.jpg_thumb
Thundersteel Posted February 23, 2008 Posted February 23, 2008 chico--nice axe! And through a Marshall--even better!
Halowords Posted February 23, 2008 Author Posted February 23, 2008 First of all, there is NO such thing as a "Heritage Les Paul." (We are a bit touchy about using the "G" word around here!) However, They DO have the H150 (similar to an LP Standard), and the H157 (similar to the LP Custom). To an outsider, I still think if the H-15* and H-14* series as Les Pauls. I realize there is a difference in company, and I used "Les Paul" as a blanket term for all Les Paul-styled Heritage guitars in case I were to miss a model number. But I am interested in the H-150 because, honestly, it is like a Les Paul only better. Or rather, more likely to be better that a Gibson. I do not think Heritage owners should be touchy about Gibson. If anything, I would prefer a Heritage because of the hand-made aspect and the doing-things-right reputation they have. Used H150s are usually a bargain. Yeah, I buy used pretty much exclusively. I sold my Les Paul strictly because, after buying it new and keeping it in literally dead mint condition, I was afraid to play it. I have gotten over that, but I still want to eventually find a like-new but gently used guitar so that I can pamper it, but still play it. I baby my guitars, but I still like to play them. We're glad you found us!! You can thank Grayta for that! I post over at the Carvin Museum, and asked about Heritage H-150's and the like over there and he sent a link for you guys. The rest is history (granted, a short and boring history, but one nonetheless). -Cheers
Assumer Posted February 24, 2008 Posted February 24, 2008 Love the thin neck on my 157. Had a 150 years ago and the neck was thicker. Don't know if that is standard but that is how mine were.
Jorgen-Denmark Posted February 24, 2008 Posted February 24, 2008 Welcome to this forum - and as you can read from the replies, you've landed in an excluse club of guitar feinscmeckers, who are looking for the holy grail 8) Everybody here has an opinion which is more the right one's than the right one's ;D Beyond the better playability and richer sound regarding the Heritage, it is for some of us important, that these guitars are made on the right plant nearly by hand of the original makers more important than the mark on the headstock and the insurance of authenticity by making reissue- or signature- models. I just came to remember, that I've been playing great Japanese LP-copies (actually from Norlin), built in the '80 and '90 (Orville by Gibson, I think, it was) who felt and played better than a new, ordinary G**n LP std's standing to show off in my local music store. You can by these babies in Japan/UK (in my part of town, that is ) for around $600-700 - Not that many buys them, because they're not made in US - the same goes for Fender in the same period... To the real matter - I recently bought a H-157 from 2001 and I have to agree, that weight's seemes to make a difference regarding the sound/sustain unplugged as well as plugged in. The main reason, that I went for the H-157, was the flashy bindings (the Custom look) and the ebony fretboard that makes the "Heritage H-157 Black Beauty" all black and beauty. Conclusion it's heavy but it's the best sounding "LP", I've ever heard. Can get it to sound like very old school on my Mesa Boogie - and that's exactly, what I would use it for (Free, Bad Co, Foreigner likewise). So I'm just a happy man these days - hopes this bring you a little closer to what you're looking for.
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