Patrick Posted May 8, 2010 Author Posted May 8, 2010 This H535 arrived yesterday. It was waiting for me when I got in from a business trip. WOW!! What a nice guitar!! The color is just a shade darker that it showed in the pics from ebay. The seller described its condition as a 9 out of 10. It's more like a 9.9 out of 10 . . . just short of dead mint!! It has tons of "vibe". The neck shape and contour if perfect . . . to my preference. I do have 3 concerns . . . 2 minor and 1 I'm not sure if I should be worried about or not. The first is that I don't like to Schaller bridge. The second is an anomaly . . the tailpiece is chrome, as it should be. However, the slotted tailpiece studs are gold. What's up with that??? Looks goofy!!! I saw it in the ebay pics . . but I thought that the studs were picking up color from the shaded top. Third, and of most concern; the neck had more of a relief in it than I like. When I went to adjust the truss rod . . . it was very tight . . . difficuly to tighten up. It loosened up OK with no noticible resistance. However, it felt like if I tightened it another 1/4 turn it would snap. I did get most of the relief out of the neck and it plays real well now. However, I went from .010 round wounds to .011 flat wounds . . . and I may want to go to .012s. So I know that the neck is going to move again. I'm not sure I want to risk tightening it further. Frets are fine. Looks like they were recently crowned. Still alot of fret wire left. What do you guys think??
Spectrum13 Posted May 8, 2010 Posted May 8, 2010 This H535 arrived yesterday. It was waiting for me when I got in from a business trip. WOW!! What a nice guitar!! The color is just a shade darker that it showed in the pics from ebay. The seller described its condition as a 9 out of 10. It's more like a 9.9 out of 10 . . . just short of dead mint!! It has tons of "vibe". The neck shape and contour if perfect . . . to my preference. I do have 3 concerns . . . 2 minor and 1 I'm not sure if I should be worried about or not. The first is that I don't like to Schaller bridge. The second is an anomaly . . the tailpiece is chrome, as it should be. However, the slotted tailpiece studs are gold. What's up with that??? Looks goofy!!! I saw it in the ebay pics . . but I thought that the studs were picking up color from the shaded top. Third, and of most concern; the neck had more of a relief in it than I like. When I went to adjust the truss rod . . . it was very tight . . . difficuly to tighten up. It loosened up OK with no noticible resistance. However, it felt like if I tightened it another 1/4 turn it would snap. I did get most of the relief out of the neck and it plays real well now. However, I went from .010 round wounds to .011 flat wounds . . . and I may want to go to .012s. So I know that the neck is going to move again. I'm not sure I want to risk tightening it further. Frets are fine. Looks like they were recently crowned. Still alot of fret wire left. What do you guys think?? Easy enough to change the bridge, tailpiece and studs but if you feel it needs 12s, yea, I would be concerned too. How did you get most of the relief out when you went to 11s? Assume you lubed the screws on the truss rod threads, what does the wood behind the bolt look like and can you add a second washer behind the acorn nut?
Patrick Posted May 8, 2010 Author Posted May 8, 2010 Easy enough to change the bridge, tailpiece and studs but if you feel it needs 12s, yea, I would be concerned too. How did you get most of the relief out when you went to 11s?Assume you lubed the screws on the truss rod threads, what does the wood behind the bolt look like and can you add a second washer behind the acorn nut? Definitely lubed it even though it didn't seem to need to be lubed. The wood behind the nut look OK. Didn't need to be carved out at all. The wrench fit over the nut OK. I didn't try the second washer behind the acorn nut. I never knew that was an option. I got most of the relief out when I went to the 11s by continuing to "crank" it . . even though I had my heart in my mouth.
brentrocks Posted May 8, 2010 Posted May 8, 2010 I got most of the relief out when I went to the 11s by continuing to "crank" it . . even though I had my heart in my mouth. i had to take almost 1 full turn off the truss rod on that Hamer Firbird...had too much back-bow.....that was a scarry feeling!!!
FredZepp Posted May 8, 2010 Posted May 8, 2010 Definitely lubed it even though it didn't seem to need to be lubed. The wood behind the nut look OK. Didn't need to be carved out at all. The wrench fit over the nut OK. I didn't try the second washer behind the acorn nut. I never knew that was an option. I got most of the relief out when I went to the 11s by continuing to "crank" it . . even though I had my heart in my mouth. I've had some difficult truss rods before, but they started to work out over a short period of time. The washer is an idea, but hopefully it starts to work out with a little bit of work. As you know, the key is move slowly , no rush... but then again I've never had one that didn't co-operate after a short period of time. Good Luck ... Keep us in the loop... interesting stuff to hear about.
Patrick Posted May 9, 2010 Author Posted May 9, 2010 Got the bugs worked out. I guess the truss rod was just a little "stubborn". I cranked it until it got to where I wanted it to be. No problems. I'm real impressed with the Shaller HBs. They scream when I want them to . . . . . and whenb I go for the more mellow jazzy tone . . . . it's there. I can't put this axe down!!!!
FredZepp Posted May 9, 2010 Posted May 9, 2010 That is good to hear..!!! There seem to be more followers of the Schaller pickup in these semi-hollow guitars, and a lot of players really like'em. To have this kind of axe made in Kalamazoo ... well , it just makes sense that it would be the best... always has been.
Spectrum13 Posted May 9, 2010 Posted May 9, 2010 Great that it all worked out for you Patrick. Heritage semis are real hard to put down, difficult to get anything else done once you start. What are you plugged into and have you decided on new hardware?
Patrick Posted May 9, 2010 Author Posted May 9, 2010 Great that it all worked out for you Patrick. Heritage semis are real hard to put down, difficult to get anything else done once you start. What are you plugged into and have you decided on new hardware? I'm usually plugged into a 1970 Fender Pro (no master volume) that has had a black face upgrade done by Andy Fuchs in Clifton NJ. Unfortunately, I don't play that often, and when I do it's for such a short period I usually just play dry/unplugged. I become more of a collector (accumulator) these days than I am a player. Haven't gigged in 20 years. Guitars have become more of "art" to me than they are instruments or tools. But, I've started to change that. Been studying jazz again lately. Got a great bebop orientated teacher. As for the hardware . . . I've got to get those gold studs out of there and I don't like the bridge. I'll probably go Tone Pros all the way with their traditional vintage ES 335 set up.
H Posted May 9, 2010 Posted May 9, 2010 I'll probably go Tone Pros all the way with their traditional vintage ES 335 set up. I've just done the same thing and can recommend it from the aesthetic aspect alone. Tonally speaking it's hard to say that there's much improvement - perhaps a little more sustain. I've posted pics in my gallery if you want a clue of how yours may look. It's an easy swap out and I posted the relevant TonePros part numbers in a recent post. Good luck
Patrick Posted May 9, 2010 Author Posted May 9, 2010 I've just done the same thing and can recommend it from the aesthetic aspect alone. Tonally speaking it's hard to say that there's much improvement - perhaps a little more sustain. I've posted pics in my gallery if you want a clue of how yours may look. It's an easy swap out and I posted the relevant TonePros part numbers in a recent post. Good luck Thanks H ... I'm gonna take a peak at your gallery
Patrick Posted May 9, 2010 Author Posted May 9, 2010 I've just done the same thing and can recommend it from the aesthetic aspect alone. Tonally speaking it's hard to say that there's much improvement - perhaps a little more sustain. I've posted pics in my gallery if you want a clue of how yours may look. It's an easy swap out and I posted the relevant TonePros part numbers in a recent post. Good luck I Just got back from your gallery. The 535 looks great with the Tone Pros parts. Could you resend those part numbers? I can't find them in any past postings. Thanks
FredZepp Posted May 9, 2010 Posted May 9, 2010 I Just got back from your gallery. The 535 looks great with the Tone Pros parts. Could you resend those part numbers? I can't find them in any past postings. Thanks Here it is... After a small chat with Heritage and a long chat with TonePros and Marquis Distribution I have my answer - for an H-535 at least: the TonePros part number for a locking, pre-grooved bridge/locking tailpiece, in nickel finish with matching posts/studs for direct retrofit is LPNM04 (ungrooved is LPNS02). If you like chrome parts, change the 'N' in the part number for a 'C'. I've got mine in the post already http://www.heritageownersclub.com/forums/i...?showtopic=4038
Patrick Posted May 9, 2010 Author Posted May 9, 2010 Here it is... http://www.heritageownersclub.com/forums/i...?showtopic=4038 YOU DA MAN!!!!
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