H525 - All that and more....

[pcovers]

Jazzpunk and Kuz know of which they speak.

 

I am in possession of the infamous 525 that was listed on eBay with a desired destination of Canda but a seller unwilling to ship the the great white north. That part is water under the bridge. What is more important is that I am, serendipitously, now the owner of quite possibly the finest blues/jazz guitar to have ever graced my home (and there have been many nice ones that came and went through my doors). This 525 configurtion is, to quote Mary Poppins, "practically perfect in every way".

 

Pics will follow, but really, Kuz was right on the money. Just do it. Wow. No regrets. I did promise myself last year I could not add any new guitars. So, I had to sell one to take the risk on this one. Turned out to be the absolute best risk I have ever taken on a sight unseen guitar. Those dog ear Lollars compliment the guitar build style so well. The neck is, dare I say, like my minds vision of the perfect jazz tele tone. Not as purely fundamental as a big jazz box, a bit more harmonics. Full, but with an airy thin tone in the best possible way. Bridge pickup is P90 through and through with the growl you expect when you dig in, but then with a much cleaner tone when you back of the pick attack and volume a hair. Both positions execute so well what you want from a neck and a bridge. No gray area between them. Each do their resepctive jobs very well. Very usable tone pots, no on/off stuff here. Quite variable from half way point to full.

 

Lightweight, great fretwork, notes ring bell like all the way up to 18th fret. I really just could not be more happy. I strung it with 10.5-48 and that was perfect for my style.

[Kuz]

And then there was FOUR (Kuz, Jazzpunk, FxDx99, pcovers) that know TONE to the BONE!!!

 

Congrats and I am glad you like her!!! One quick recommendation, go to 11s on that baby!!!

[Guest mgoetting]

Jazzpunk and Kuz know of which they speak.

 

I am in possession of the infamous 525 that was listed on eBay with a desired destination of Canda but a seller unwilling to ship the the great white north. That part is water under the bridge. What is more important is that I am, serendipitously, now the owner of quite possibly the finest blues/jazz guitar to have ever graced my home (and there have been many nice ones that came and went through my doors). This 525 configurtion is, to quote Mary Poppins, "practically perfect in every way".

 

Pics will follow, but really, Kuz was right on the money. Just do it. Wow. No regrets. I did promise myself last year I could not add any new guitars. So, I had to sell one to take the risk on this one. Turned out to be the absolute best risk I have ever taken on a sight unseen guitar. Those dog ear Lollars compliment the guitar build style so well. The neck is, dare I say, like my minds vision of the perfect jazz tele tone. Not as purely fundamental as a big jazz box, a bit more harmonics. Full, but with an airy thin tone in the best possible way. Bridge pickup is P90 through and through with the growl you expect when you dig in, but then with a much cleaner tone when you back of the pick attack and volume a hair. Both positions execute so well what you want from a neck and a bridge. No gray area between them. Each do their resepctive jobs very well. Very usable tone pots, no on/off stuff here. Quite variable from half way point to full.

 

Lightweight, great fretwork, notes ring bell like all the way up to 18th fret. I really just could not be more happy. I strung it with 10.5-48 and that was perfect for my style.

 

 

I'm glad one of us ended up with the guitar. And you saved $100 on it also. Not bad at all.

[BlindDogWillie]

hurry, hurry, you must post pics please .... we need our pics fix quick!

 

salivating already...

[jazzalicious]

Glad for you, but that situation really pissed me off.

Hearing how good it is makes me a bit sour.

So, now I have to scour the earth for a used one.

Can't swing a new one, although I am trying (gotta sell my PRS hollowbody + piezo first).

I have been calling every Heritage dealer looking for one, with no luck.

So, let me know if you find one used.

If not, gotta get the $$$ to get one new from Jay Wolfe.

Jazzalicious

[Guest mgoetting]

Jazzpunk and Kuz know of which they speak.

 

I am in possession of the infamous 525 that was listed on eBay with a desired destination of Canda but a seller unwilling to ship the the great white north. That part is water under the bridge. What is more important is that I am, serendipitously, now the owner of quite possibly the finest blues/jazz guitar to have ever graced my home (and there have been many nice ones that came and went through my doors). This 525 configurtion is, to quote Mary Poppins, "practically perfect in every way".

 

Pics will follow, but really, Kuz was right on the money. Just do it. Wow. No regrets. I did promise myself last year I could not add any new guitars. So, I had to sell one to take the risk on this one. Turned out to be the absolute best risk I have ever taken on a sight unseen guitar. Those dog ear Lollars compliment the guitar build style so well. The neck is, dare I say, like my minds vision of the perfect jazz tele tone. Not as purely fundamental as a big jazz box, a bit more harmonics. Full, but with an airy thin tone in the best possible way. Bridge pickup is P90 through and through with the growl you expect when you dig in, but then with a much cleaner tone when you back of the pick attack and volume a hair. Both positions execute so well what you want from a neck and a bridge. No gray area between them. Each do their resepctive jobs very well. Very usable tone pots, no on/off stuff here. Quite variable from half way point to full.

 

Lightweight, great fretwork, notes ring bell like all the way up to 18th fret. I really just could not be more happy. I strung it with 10.5-48 and that was perfect for my style.

 

 

I'm glad one of us ended up with the guitar. And you saved $100 on it also. Not bad at all.

[fxdx99]

pc - congrats on the new guitar!. Agree fully on the features that 525s provide. A 'secret' if you will of 525s is how well they sound thru 'tweed' amps. They sound good thru lot's of amps of course and I like mine thru a blackface type as well, but tweeds/P90s/hollows just work really well. The P90s are brighter than hums and this translates well in tweed territory where the amps are a bit darker by nature (and hums can be a bit muddy).

 

I've been playing mine thru an old gibsonette and a l'il dawg 5e3 circuit amp and it's just tons-o-fun. As you describe, full range of very useable voicing from both pickups and I particularly like the in between 'honk' that it has.

 

Jazz - best of luck and hope your search ends with you scoring one.

[Jazzpunk]

Congrats pcovers!

[Ray]

Sounds like you have a gem there. Congrats.

[Guest mgoetting]

Glad for you, but that situation really pissed me off.

Hearing how good it is makes me a bit sour.

So, now I have to scour the earth for a used one.

Can't swing a new one, although I am trying (gotta sell my PRS hollowbody + piezo first).

I have been calling every Heritage dealer looking for one, with no luck.

So, let me know if you find one used.

If not, gotta get the $$$ to get one new from Jay Wolfe.

Jazzalicious

 

 

There's one out there with your name on it. Another one will pop up on ebay.

[Guest mgoetting]

Jazzpunk and Kuz know of which they speak.

 

I am in possession of the infamous 525 that was listed on eBay with a desired destination of Canda but a seller unwilling to ship the the great white north. That part is water under the bridge. What is more important is that I am, serendipitously, now the owner of quite possibly the finest blues/jazz guitar to have ever graced my home (and there have been many nice ones that came and went through my doors). This 525 configurtion is, to quote Mary Poppins, "practically perfect in every way".

 

Pics will follow, but really, Kuz was right on the money. Just do it. Wow. No regrets. I did promise myself last year I could not add any new guitars. So, I had to sell one to take the risk on this one. Turned out to be the absolute best risk I have ever taken on a sight unseen guitar. Those dog ear Lollars compliment the guitar build style so well. The neck is, dare I say, like my minds vision of the perfect jazz tele tone. Not as purely fundamental as a big jazz box, a bit more harmonics. Full, but with an airy thin tone in the best possible way. Bridge pickup is P90 through and through with the growl you expect when you dig in, but then with a much cleaner tone when you back of the pick attack and volume a hair. Both positions execute so well what you want from a neck and a bridge. No gray area between them. Each do their resepctive jobs very well. Very usable tone pots, no on/off stuff here. Quite variable from half way point to full.

 

Lightweight, great fretwork, notes ring bell like all the way up to 18th fret. I really just could not be more happy. I strung it with 10.5-48 and that was perfect for my style.

 

What brand of strings? The string sizes sound perfect for a guitar of mine. I'm using 10-46s and need a little bit more gravitas on the bass and a smidgeon more on the unwounds.

[FredZepp]

Congrats , pccovers

 

Pics will be appreciated by all..

 

It sounds like this one is going to be classic Heritage Mojo, crafted in Kalamazoo and finding it's way into admiring hands at the HOC.

[pcovers]

What brand of strings? The string sizes sound perfect for a guitar of mine. I'm using 10-46s and need a little bit more gravitas on the bass and a smidgeon more on the unwounds.

 

Strings are GHS Boomers roundwound:

 

10.5

13.5

17

26

38

48

[Guest mgoetting]

Strings are GHS Boomers roundwound:

 

10.5

13.5

17

26

38

48

 

Thanks. I gotta get me some. I usually like GHS and they're made close to my home.

[pcovers]

Pics:

[Guest mgoetting]

Thanks. I gotta get me some. I usually like GHS and they're made close to my home.

 

 

Have you tried the Gilmour set? It's also by GHS and is slightly heavier. 10.5-50

[FredZepp]

SWEET PICS !!!

 

That is a beauty with a vintage flavor , no doubt...

 

Mmmmm I bet you keep picking it up all night... very inviting guitar.

[fxdx99]

Pics:

 

 

What a Beauty!

[ronalr]

And then there was FOUR (Kuz, Jazzpunk, FxDx99, pcovers) that know TONE to the BONE!!!

 

Congrats and I am glad you like her!!! One quick recommendation, go to 11s on that baby!!!

I agree Kuz...I put 11's on my 575 when I had her set up and it sounds great with those.....and congratulations on a beautiful guitar pcovers....

[fxdx99]

Pics:

 

 

Just noticed I've a different bridge than yours, pc. That is the top of the bridge is similar design, but mine sits on top of a wooden piece that floats on the top (not secured). Other than that they appear pretty much identical. Wonder if one is a special order (I don't know what's 'stock')?

 

[Guest mgoetting]

Just noticed I've a different bridge than yours, pc. That is the top of the bridge is similar design, but mine sits on top of a wooden piece that floats on the top (not secured). Other than that they appear pretty much identical. Wonder if one is a special order (I don't know what's 'stock')?

 

 

 

Roller bridge is stock now.

[FredZepp]

Here's what they show on their website.. but no hardware details given in the description ..

[High Flying Bird]

Very, very nice. It would look good in my house.

[Kuz]

Just noticed I've a different bridge than yours, pc. That is the top of the bridge is similar design, but mine sits on top of a wooden piece that floats on the top (not secured). Other than that they appear pretty much identical. Wonder if one is a special order (I don't know what's 'stock')?

 

 

 

I GOT THE ANSWER. The first 525s (mine included) came with the tune-amatic bridge on top of the wooden base plate (otherwise known as the floating bridge).

 

Well, Jay decided that since a lot of guys are playing blues and making one-stop bends that a bridge into the guitar would be more stable and have less chance of the floating bridge moving.

 

But this bridge into the top does effect the tone a little. Jay said that the bridge into the top 525s are a little brighter and the wooden floating bridge 525s are a little warmer and mellower.

 

I chose the floating bridge 525 because I asked Graham to use a dental mirror and see if there was any difference in bracing between the two types of 525s in case I want to put the bridge into the top like they are making them now. GOOD news, the bracing pattern are exactly the same.

 

Bottom line... Jay liked the tone of the original 525s slightly better, and I am not changing a dang thing on my 525!!

[Thundersteel]

The thumbwheels on the bridge seem awfully high to me...