Heritage Eagle replacement pickup ideas?

[LJP]

I

I’m looking for a replacement pickup that will fit the pickguard slot. I’d love a chrome Johnny Smith type pickup but I’m told they’re too small but maybe I don’t care about the look that much. I’d love something that sounds like Mark Whitfield’s albums the Marksman or Patrice.
And I’ll still hold on to this original pickup as it does have a particular charm…

any ideas?

[Freddels]

Just change the pickguard along with the new pickup. Store it with the pickup.

[jumpnblues]

Lollar underwound. Beautiful tone. I also think the Seth Lovers that the Heritage guitars come with are really great sounding pickups for just about any humbucker application.

[Rickco]

You can send pick guard/pickup assembly to Kent A and he will build you anything you want and it will still look the same and takes 5 min to reinstall. He made mine a split single coil and it sounds amazing or his PAF or his JS or his 12 pole or... and generally less than well known floaters that would be comparable and fast turn around.

[jasethebop]

I have a blonde Golden Eagle that has a mid-60's Johnny Smith installed on a blonde Gibson pickguard
It even has a concentric knob on it! (Is that the right word for that? LOL) It's like an old J-Bass,there's a tone control added to the volume knob.
Anyways, the blonde pickguard is a little gaudy and I would like to find a regular L-5C pickguard, but who cares? Because that old Johnny has a sound that is perfect!!
You want "Moonlight In Vermont"? No problem..

Additionally, I had an old Sweet 16 that I did the same thing to. Except this time, (this was 2012 if memory serves)I got lucky and came across a guy on eBay who worked for Gibson back when and knew the boys at Heritage.he had an ad up that said "Custom Gibson Pickguard Assemblies"
.. sure enough. He sent me a brand new Bruce J Bolen assembly. A beautiful new pickguard with a brand new BJB pickup installed. Just like on a Super V or a LeGrand.

I still have the Golden Eagle
I sold that Sweet 16.
I regret it.
That guitar really took to that BJB rig.

Anyways, That elusive Mark Whitfield snap you are looking for can be attained with these methods.

What did Whitfield play on the next record?

I think it was an L-5C with a Johnny Smith pickup installed.

Pretty sure anyways..

[jasethebop]

P. S
I couldn't get the photos to post on my previous comment.. but there is a photo of that Golden Eagle and that Sweet 16 on my profile if you are interested.

Good Luck To You!

[floatingpickup]

I had a Golden Eagle for many years. It was made in 1993, so it had one of the early versions of their floating pickup, which I wasn’t satisfied with. I replaced it with a Kent Armstrong 12 pole floating paf (the version with the tab mount). I epoxied the KA pickup to the underside of Heritage pickguard. It was very slightly smaller than the Heritage pickup, but the difference wasn’t noticeable. That was one of the best sounding pickups I have ever had.
Keith

[jasethebop]

I know this is a thread about the pickups, but it sure is cool to see beautiful blonde Golden Eagles on here.. regardless particular electrical choices!

Your example is as beautiful a Golden Eagle as I have ever seen!

I'll bet the back of your guitar is so flamey it's on fire!

Hope you have a great day

[floatingpickup]

I know this is a thread about the pickups, but it sure is cool to see beautiful blonde Golden Eagles on here.. regardless particular electrical choices!

Your example is as beautiful a Golden Eagle as I have ever seen!

I'll bet the back of your guitar is so flamey it's on fire!

Hope you have a great day

Yes, the back of that guitar was quite impressive. I ordered it with upgraded/premium wood and a few other extras (tap tuned, an added tone control and split blocks instead of cloud inlays). It was a lovely guitar, but I eventually let it go when something else came up that I really wanted.
Keith

[jads57]

Kent Armstrong 12 pole piece floater!

[jumpnblues]

K Armstrong are super pickups. Hard to beat.