The first Acoustic Heritage Super Eagle

[setemupjoe]

I started using Pyramid Monel Classics on my Heritage Ghost build D'angelico New Yorker. It gives it a much better acoustic sound without the overpowering jangling of bronze strings. I am not fan of bronze strings at least at the moment. They also go bad much faster. The Monel were so good I moved to using them on my 1949 New Yorker. To me they work really well for rhythm and single line, chord melody without going places other strings will. They are more acoustic sounding than the Thomastik's roundwounds I usually use. Both would be good though for your guitar I would say.

My guess this that big Super Eagle will move some air and really getting some more acoustic strings on it will even keep it moving better. It looks is such great shape it might not have been played a lot. In that case you might find it will wake up more if you play it a lot. That is your assignment, play it a lot. Easy homework from the deacon.

It's a remarkably clean guitar considering its age so I'm assuming it didn't get played much and the sound will open up over the next few months. Also the strings on it now are too light so I can't wait to put something on that will drive the guitar. 14-56 should do it.

[setemupjoe]

Your NGD guitar has the early “bell” shaped truss rod cover. I ordered a Heritage Golden Eagle in the early 1990’s and it came with the newer style truss rod cover instead of the earlier “bell” shape. I seem to remember that they made this change due to some sort of dispute with Gibson, which uses a bell shaped truss rod cover. Maybe one of the Heritage experts will know more about this than I do.
Keith

That makes sense. That is the Gibson truss rod cover shape. It came with two covers, both this shape. The other one has the name of the original owner.

[Gitfiddler]

I just bought this guitar from a shop in Nashville. I already own a blonde 2 pickup Heritage Super Eagle from 2006 and a 2 pickup Gibson Super V from 1980 but was looking for something with a floating pickup.

According to the label inside the guitar this is the first acoustic Super Eagle Heritage made and the label is dated 11/1/1989. That's a little confusing because the serial number dates it to April of 1989. Still, for a guitar of that age it's immaculate. I can't find a scratch on it so I'm guessing it spent many years under someone's bed.

At some point they switched out the pickguard and added a Dearmond Rhythm Chief 1100 which sounds great. The strings on it right now are too light for my taste and I'm researching what I want to put on it. My other guitars have La Bella Jazz Flats 15-56.

Also it has a volume wheel under the pickup but I'm thinking of adding a tone wheel if possible.

Attachment 124880

What an awesome acoustic Super Eagle!! Great score.

Does the label state its finish? It looks a lot like my Old Sun Burst (OSB) '93 Golden Eagle, but could also be Almond Sunburst (ASB).

[setemupjoe]

It says ASB. It’s definitely lighter than my Gibson sunburst. It’s more red at the edges.

[deacon Mark]

Yes Heritage does the sunburst with a bit of red tinnish look. Even the Almond sunburst seems to have a little red. I like it.

[2bornot2bop]

Hooray for big bottoms! Your’s is an extremely fine and rare specimen. Just a few that passed my way.

[pawlowski6132]

That's the million dollar question for me right now. I'm thinking of going nickel because honestly I'll be plugging this in at gigs more than playing it acoustically. This guitar will be perfect for duo gigs I do with various singers.

I get it but I cringe a little bit when I hear that. I feel like the wonderful potential of a solid wood carved archtop gets wasted when people mostly play it with a pickup and nickel strings.

[setemupjoe]

I get it but I cringe a little bit when I hear that. I feel like the wonderful potential of a solid wood carved archtop gets wasted when people mostly play it with a pickup and nickel strings.

I’m putting monel strings on to start with but at some point in the future I’m sure I’ll check out how it sounds with some 80/20 strings as well.