Heritage H525 vs H575

**RonD** · 03-19-2014, 10:17 PM

Hi guys and gals,

I know that there's more than a few Heritage aficionados here.
I'm hoping to get some insight on the differences between these two models.
The pickups are obvious. P-90 vs HB.
Anything else?
Body shape, materials, sound, overall construction?

Oh, PATRICK!!!

Cheers, Ron

**Jim Soloway** · 03-19-2014, 11:28 PM

The 525 is laminate top and back the 575 is solid top and back. The 525 is thinner. The 525 has a bound neck the 575 has an unbound neck.

**Patrick2** · 03-19-2014, 11:34 PM

Originally Posted by RonD

Hi guys and gals,

I know that there's more than a few Heritage aficionados here.
I'm hoping to get some insight on the differences between these two models.
The pickups are obvious. P-90 vs HB.
Anything else?
Body shape, materials, sound, overall construction?

Oh, PATRICK!!!

Cheers, Ron

Hi Ron . . the 525 is a laminate top and back vs a sold top and back on the 575.
the 525 is 2-1/4" deep vs 2-3/4" deep on the 575
the neck joins the body at the 15th fret on the 525 vs the 14th fret on the 575
retail price is the same for both at $3,580 + 200 for the case

Everything else is the same . . except the pups, as you mentioned.

OPPS!! Edit . . the neck is bound on the 525 as standard . . it's an up charge on the 575.
the bridge base is floating on the 575 and on the 525 it's a Nashville ABR1 type studded into a floating block under the top

**RonD** · 03-19-2014, 11:36 PM

Thanks Jim.

So, the 525 is more in the ES-175 sound category?
Thinner body, I like. I'm a little guy!

Acoustic sound is not a concern for me. I play plugged in 100% of the time.

I'm asking because I came across a used lefty 525 that looks very interesting.

Cheers. Ron

**RonD** · 03-19-2014, 11:39 PM

Patrick.
Thanks for replying.
I saw a used 525 lefty online for what seems to be a good price.
It certainly is a looker.

Cheers, Ron

**Jim Soloway** · 03-19-2014, 11:46 PM

Ron, I guess the only other thing I'd add is just how much I'm enjoying the guitar they built for me. I've had it for about a month now and it's gotten about 98% of my playing time. I'm definitely a satisfied customer.

**Patrick2** · 03-19-2014, 11:49 PM

Originally Posted by RonD

Patrick.
Thanks for replying.
I saw a used 525 lefty online for what seems to be a good price.
It certainly is a looker.

Cheers, Ron

The 525 is a great little guitar. Very versatile . . check out how beautiful this one is. It belongs to Gitfiddler from HOC

**RonD** · 03-20-2014, 12:00 AM

Thanks Jim and Patrick.

It's so rare to find used lefties, so this sorta caught my eye.

**Klatu** · 03-21-2014, 11:28 AM

Another thing I might add about the 525 vs 575 is that the 525 appears to be far more rare. I haven't seen more than a handful for sale over the years, whereas 575s come up for sale quite often.

**NSJ** · 03-22-2014, 02:57 AM

I thought the 525s were Heritage's answer to the Gibson's old ES-225s? The one's where the one pup model was not really near the neck but towards the middle between the neck and the bridge?

Which sadly became associated with a musical artist who when he "Drinks alone, prefers to be by myself"?

**Gitfiddler** · 04-01-2014, 05:33 PM

Originally Posted by Patrick2

The 525 is a great little guitar. Very versatile . . check out how beautiful this one is. It belongs to Gitfiddler from HOC

Hello Everybody!

I'm the notorious 'Gitfiddler' from the HOC Patrick was eluding to.

And that's my baby pictured above. I custom ordered that with a fat neck, binding, pearl inlayed 'The Heritage', pickguard, Choice woods, and mini block inlays. Yep, I went a bit crazy on this one. But like your first child, you tend to spoil it. I've been spoiled by this 525 Custom.

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming!

**AlohaJoe** · 04-01-2014, 05:42 PM

Originally Posted by ingeneri

... my 525 gets a lot closer than my 575 did. Both had floating wooden bridges and Lollar P90s.

Was the floating bridge on your 525 in the picture a custom order?

**Patrick2** · 04-01-2014, 08:25 PM

Originally Posted by Gitfiddler

Hello Everybody!

I'm the notorious 'Gitfiddler' from the HOC Patrick was eluding to.

And that's my baby pictured above. I custom ordered that with a fat neck, binding, pearl inlayed 'The Heritage', pickguard, Choice woods, and mini block inlays. Yep, I went a bit crazy on this one. But like your first child, you tend to spoil it. I've been spoiled by this 525 Custom.

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming!

Hi Gitfiddler. Nice to see you here again. You really nailed it with the specs . . and Heritage really nailed it with execution. Beautiful guitar!

**RonD** · 04-01-2014, 10:58 PM

Gitfiddler, that's gorgeous!
Now, if I could get the finish of Gitfiddler's, with the floating bridge of ingeneri's... a neck profile like my Eastman, (1 3/4" nut, shallow back), humbuckers...
Asking too much?

**Flyin' Brian** · 04-01-2014, 11:21 PM

Originally Posted by NSJ

I thought the 525s were Heritage's answer to the Gibson's old ES-225s? The one's where the one pup model was not really near the neck but towards the middle between the neck and the bridge?

Which sadly became associated with a musical artist who when he "Drinks alone, prefers to be by myself"?

Sadly?

**Jim Soloway** · 04-02-2014, 12:21 AM

Originally Posted by RonD

Gitfiddler, that's gorgeous!
Now, if I could get the finish of Gitfiddler's, with the floating bridge of ingeneri's... a neck profile like my Eastman, (1 3/4" nut, shallow back), humbuckers...
Asking too much?

I think that's probably all doable. It's certainly all a lot easier than putting a 25.5" scale length on a 575.

**JMoto** · 04-27-2017, 02:40 PM

So then a 525 will sound more like a 175 than a 575 will? Is that the consensus?
Maybe just thinner like a 137?

**mad dog** · 04-27-2017, 07:31 PM

I have one of each, an H525 and an H575 custom.

Of the two, the 525 does come closer to ES-175 by virtue of the laminate top. But neither one really comes across to me as ES-175 like. The 575 has a different voice, due to the solid maple top. The 525 is somewhat like the older, P-90 equipped ES-175, but lighter, not as deep, and with a fixed bridge.

I suspect the H575 is more like the L4CES, due to the solid top, but haven't spent enough time with an L4CES to know if that's on target. The H525 is not quite like anything else. Mine is one of the best guitars I've played. The Lollar P-90s are perfect, and the sound is completely balanced. (That shallower body helps with the neck P-90.)

Which is my favorite changes day to day. Most days, it's the 525.
MD

**Robertkoa** · 11-10-2017, 05:09 PM

Seems like a 525 with two Humbuckers with coil cut switches might be extremely Versatile.

It has a very deep sound for a thin body and Humbuckers would add even more Bottom end...

I noticed a lot of Sustain on Demos of 525 's from that little Block under the Bridge ?

It's much deeper sounding on Demos than 335s ...

I was wondering if the 30% off price on Heritage Site is off the price quoted here - probably not.