Heritage Golden Eagle - Collapsed Top

[Max405]

Oh my god MG that's beautiful.

[BigMikeinNJ]

That is the one thing about this place, the depth of experience is huge. The OP's bridge saddle is very thin, whooh, very thin. The bridge saddle on that L-5 is also super thin. So you could opt for a thicker bridge saddle AND a 2nd set of adjust wheels like Marty Grass suggested for further stability. But the OP did return the guitar and it would likely be wise to keep looking. The market is very flat and there are great deals for those with the money... Find a guitar that you don't have that issue with. If you have dealers with inventory you like DRIVE there if reasonable and check it out in person.

This was a very educational thread.

[ESCC]

The soundboard may have a dip in the center and still be normal. It's not rare. No two boards are the same since they are hand carved.

I have a Gibson and a couple of Heritages that look similar. The bracing on all of them is fine and they have been stable.

Here are some comments from the Heritage Owners Club. The guys who have the most experience with archtops in this thread are reassuring.

Golden Eagle sagging top question - Heritage Guitars - Heritage Owners Club

I'm not trying to minimize the situation. As I said, I'd carefully check the bracing. If all is well, I'd relax.

Here's my high rise bridge on my L-5C. I've checked the bracing- no problem. I then strung it up with LaBella FW 15s. I've not had to make any bridge adjustments over time.

I recently put a second thumb wheel on both posts to better stabilize it. And I'll eventually switch to a taller ebony saddle when I get around to it. But that's the way the guitar came, probably from the factory.

Marty,

Love the red, but, a little advice, your guitars might have fewer problems if you stored them in the house, out of the elements. Even if you have them on a stand, they shouldn't be kept outside.

[BigMikeinNJ]

Marty took those outside shots to really highlight the flame the guitar has, no other reason. Red and wine red don't photograph that easy. That was some lovely timber they used.

[HeyNow]

Someone might picture that the brace sagged but maintained contact with the top. That's unlikely because the glue is aggressive and hard. It would crack before it slips and allows the brace to slide under the top.

Possibly. Or a gap might form between the brace and the top. A mirror won't necessarily show you that.

Guitar Braces | How To Locate & Glue Loose Bracing Inside Acoustic Guitars

The soundboard may have a dip in the center and still be normal. It's not rare. No two boards are the same since they are hand carved.

"normal" and "not rare" aren't the same thing to me.

I have a Gibson and a couple of Heritages that look similar.

I don't see a sink before bridge and bulge after bridge in your pics?

Here are some comments from the Heritage Owners Club. The guys who have the most experience with archtops in this thread are reassuring.

Golden Eagle sagging top question - Heritage Guitars - Heritage Owners Club

There is doubt by some and they're going off one picture. I had the guitar delivered for 10 minutes - not sure how that's buyer's remorse. I don't even know what that is. I'm the one that put the PSA that there is a guitar of very good value out there. This is not my first archtop, not even this month not even my first ASB Golden Eagle from the early 90s. If you do a Google Images search for 'heritage golden eagle' - the second image is my guitar. Hosted on my site (empty - just random gear).

I'm not trying to minimize the situation. As I said, I'd carefully check the bracing. If all is well, I'd relax.

That's not the only thing that confirms a guitar is playable. Again, I'm not the only who one who had it in-hand and commented.

And, once again, I really will have to refrain as it's not my guitar. It could be totally fine with a little TLC and these last posts arguing could send the wrong message to any interested parties.

I do think it's funny that some people here offered to buy it at a discount!! Vultures you are.

Also - if it's not an issue - then he should have no problem selling it. I just would recommend not putting 'no sinking' in the ad.

[HeyNow]

FRETS.COM Field Trip

"It's difficult to show the sinking top in a photo."

[Marty Grass]

Marty,

Love the red, but, a little advice, your guitars might have fewer problems if you stored them in the house, out of the elements. Even if you have them on a stand, they shouldn't be kept outside.

As soon as it's housebroken, my friend!

[wengr]

Marty,

Love the red, but, a little advice, your guitars might have fewer problems if you stored them in the house, out of the elements. Even if you have them on a stand, they shouldn't be kept outside.

Oh yeah, what about us guys who sold the house to finance guitars?

[oldane]

Oh yeah, what about us guys who sold the house to finance guitars?

At least take them inside the tent.

[Jabberwocky]

At least take them inside the tent.

Or live on a boat, as some folks do. I know someone who lives on a boat and has an archtop named Shark!

[travisty]

Yeah but the shark is pretty tame, so he stays inside most of the time.

[Max405]

Travisty,
I showed my wife your Shark on the houseboat picture. She was jealous. She said, why cant we do that? I said, because we have the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of New Jersey. The water is a much different color (greyish-brown).. And it sometimes covers up large buildings when we have Nor-Easters..

[travisty]

Joe, the secret is to not be tied to New Jersey.
But the color of the water is really a matter of the way the sun hits it and the depth. Marinas aren't that deep.

If I could get my wife to do something like that, I would have no problem living on a more movable boat when work life slows down... Summer in NJ then take it down the coast to North Carolina or Florida for the winter. I'm thinking a Trumpy (search Boats for sale - new & used boat and yacht sales - YachtWorld UK - note that "low price" means there's work to be done). Trumpy was a builder in Annapolis (Mathis was too IIRC). I think I'd go for the 1939. Sleeps 6 in comfort, another 3 in a pinch. All the expensive work has been done for you (which is key). If one really wanted to do it up a bit more, one would put solar cells on the roof (mount a frame saw an inch above the roof) and run it to a battery bank. That would power you quite a long time and make you somewhat self-sustaining (rather than needing to run a generator for power while not tied to shore power (and smaller amps don't actually take a lot of juice)).

[ksdaddy]

I just wanted to follow up and let everyone know that the Music Go Round Store in Wilkes-Barre, PA and I did come to an arrangement that we could both live with. Once the store knew I was unhappy with the original sale they were very proactive in making sure I was a happy customer. This is only the 2nd guitar I've purchased from them so I can't openly endorse or recommend them but I certainly have no bad feelings and wouldn't hesitate to deal with them again.

My $0.02, and worth exactly that.

[HeyNow]

I just wanted to follow up and let everyone know that the Music Go Round Store in Wilkes-Barre, PA and I did come to an arrangement that we could both live with. Once the store knew I was unhappy with the original sale they were very proactive in making sure I was a happy customer. This is only the 2nd guitar I've purchased from them so I can't openly endorse or recommend them but I certainly have no bad feelings and wouldn't hesitate to deal with them again.

My $0.02, and worth exactly that.

That sounds good. How's the hydration going? Has a luthier taken a look?

[ksdaddy]

The hydration hasn't changed the arch but it did help the rippling, which is considerably less.

[Beanctr]

I think I would have to go with the "guitar is fine" view. A few years ago I had an L-5 that looked like that. I sent it to Gibson under warranty. They called me and said they inspected the guitar and it was fine, and also an excellent example.

So who knows? Maybe with a higher wooden bridge base it wouldn't look unusual at all. Rick

[skykomishone]

Vultures? What. Guitar Vultures. That's a good one!