The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
Reply to Thread Bookmark Thread
Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Posts 26 to 45 of 45
  1. #26

    User Info Menu

    Look on reverb--there is a heritage eagle classic--single bound body--a few differences. About $3200. Upgraded block inlays. Set neck humbucker.. I won't pretend to be an expert about anything, however, I can assure you one thing after more than 20 years of visiting and buying directly from the boys in kazoo--the only consistency about the old heritage company was inconsistency. It was not uncommon to ask Jim, Marv, Ren...you name to the employee, a question and you were almost certain to get different answers to the same question on the same day. Compound this with various custom shop options, customer requests, and let the fun begin. The core of this thread is the buyer is getting a eagle level instrument. Spruce top, mohagany elsewhere at a fair price. It may or may not have a label tagged eagle or eagle classic on the sticker. Regardless, it is the exact same guitar at heart--same jigs, same machines, different levels of bling. Two options for you--go visit kazoo and heritage. Talk to the old boys. Or, call Jay or Graham. Be it a blessing or curse you can order a heritage any way you like and have the accompanying sticker. One thing I have learned is to take internet experts at face value. I can recall a great debate a few years ago about heritage guitars and tap tuning. A few experts swore heritage never labeled their guitars tap tuned. Well, I have three with those labels. They also swore Aaron did the tuning. In the early days he did. Pete farmer took that over years ago. The reason I know is that I did face to face deals with those people and worked with them directly. In the end, it really doesn't matter though, right? It just adds to the fun.

  2.  

    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #27

    User Info Menu

    If you're getting that second Eagle (the brown one) from GC Towson Md location, I spent some time with it a couple of weeks ago. It sounded wonderful, to me but I seem to remember the neck looking kind of funny (dip) when I sighted down it on the treble side. I think this is the same guitar in the photo shown here, but I could be wrong. There is something about the spruce top/ mahogany body and neck combination that sounds wonderful to my ear. I have the 575 mahog/spruce 4pt HRW. I like that guitar more than the Gibson Johnny Smith I owned for 25yrs.

  4. #28

    User Info Menu

    Yes, look on Reverb -

    Heritage Eagle 2002 Amber Burst | Gear Depot | Reverb

    Note the true Heritage Eagle Classic with white binding, bound pickguard, etc. Note that the Classic's overall finish, outside of multiple binding on the headstock, fretboard, body, and pickguard, very closely resemble a Heritage Golden Eagle. Note how the OP's photos don't resemble a "Classic." Notice the difference in the presentation of the guitar. Heritage "Classics" I've seen over the years never feature the lesser beige binding. However, the lesser stripped down Eagle generally always possess this beige binding, and an unbound pickguard as featured in this thread.

    All Heritage fans know that Heritage made guitars to a customers liking. But that does not mean a stripped down Eagle qualifies as a Classic. It's likely the dealer selling this archtop came up with the idea to call the guitar in question a "Classic." If I sold that guitar I'd call it a Heritage Eagle.

    We simply disagree as to what constitutes a Heritage Eagle Classic. And that is okay

  5. #29

    User Info Menu

    Sounds like a truss rod adjustment might be in order. Only tighten a 1/4 turn at a time and wait at least overnight before making more changes. I wait a couple days myself.

  6. #30

    User Info Menu

    Could be a truss rod, hard to say without seeing it up close. If it is, I tend to use a quarter turn only if the neck really needs a lot of adjustment. Otherwise I only turn maybe 10 degrees or so at a time, often less. It takes awhile sometimes, but I feel it's worth it. If the truss rod is old, it's perhaps rusty, and can snap unexpectedly, or maybe just crush the wood or pop some glue. It might just be me, but I'm pretty cautious with adjustments. I speak from experience when I say replacing a truss rod is a real pain in the posterior, as well as the pocketbook.

  7. #31

    User Info Menu

    You're right, we should say if you don't know what you're doing take it to your tech. I am my own tech so I get those jobs anyway.Not hard on the pocket book but sometimes a pain in the potentiometer. Going slow is excellent advice.

  8. #32

    User Info Menu

    Curious how this played out for the OP - did the guitar arrive and are you bonding?

  9. #33
    I have been meaning to write this long winded post for about a week now, but am just now finding the time. First, a group shot - Eastman AR371CE with a Gibson 57 Classic installed, Heritage Eagle, and Loar LH-700
    (Spoiler alert: the Eastman has the best fretwork, and is the easiest to play out of the 3)
    Good Price for a Used Heritage Eagle Classic?-img_5981-jpg

    The Loar arrived first - The uncomfortable (to me) strong V-shape neck was not as pronounced on this one, the case was high quality, the finish was good - except for the always unfinished spot under the cantilever of the fingerboard. The woods are apparently AAA quality, and although the top was very plain, there was some mild flame on the back and the neck. It was strung up with some (assuming) .012 80/20s. The sound was deep, and very round and fat, and had a satisfying bark when strummed hard, the natural reverb inside the body was amazing, a very lively guitar, that was mellow enough to be used for chord melody and fireside strumming. Judging by the serial number, I believe it was produced in November of 2006
    Good Price for a Used Heritage Eagle Classic?-img_5970-jpgGood Price for a Used Heritage Eagle Classic?-img_5968-jpgGood Price for a Used Heritage Eagle Classic?-img_5969-jpg

    The next morning the Heritage arrived - I should preface this by saying that I have always wanted a big cutaway acoustic archtop after seeing the covers of old Johnny Smith albums. After digging the guitar case out of ~25lbs of packing peanuts, I opened the case and decided to plug in. I had GC install .013 chromes on the guitar prior to shipment, and as an electric guitar -it was fantastic! It completely changed my opinion on floating pickups, and was easily the fattest sound I have ever gotten out of my old Polytone. It made my Eastman sound like a toy - But...I was looking for a purely acoustic guitar, so I put on a set of 80/20s so that I could adequately compare it to the LH-700. The top is spruce, back sides, and neck appear to be mahogany - I believe that it was built in 1994, the label inside lists the model as Eagle ASB. As a purely acoustic guitar, the Heritage had a very quiet, almost nasal voice. Louder than my Eastman, but nowhere close to the body of the Loar, and not loud enough to be used as an acoustic living room guitar. I also found the 3" depth uncomfortable - I would have preferred the 3 3/8" that Gibson uses (good information to have for the future though)
    Good Price for a Used Heritage Eagle Classic?-img_5972-jpgGood Price for a Used Heritage Eagle Classic?-img_5985-jpgGood Price for a Used Heritage Eagle Classic?-img_5986-jpg

    I thought that the choice was pretty clear, I wanted to love the Heritage, but wished it was deeper, and maybe bigger (Super Eagle?) and had a better acoustic voice, the Loar had finish issues which bothered me, and a plastic strap pin, which I found a bit cheesy on a $1500 guitar, but the real downfall was the neck angle - This Loar didn't really have one, the bridge was screwed down all the way, and the action was still on the high side. I only paid $1079, but I was fundamentally against paying for a neck reset on a brand new (restock) guitar, so at the end of the week, the Loar shipped back to Musiciansfriend , and the Heritage back to GuitarCenter.
    Good Price for a Used Heritage Eagle Classic?-img_5984-jpgGood Price for a Used Heritage Eagle Classic?-img_5983-jpgGood Price for a Used Heritage Eagle Classic?-img_6013-jpg

    I really loved the voice of the LH-700, and am hoping that they have improved their neck angle consistency a bit since this one was made (2006 I believe). I am debating trying another one in the future, as it seemed like a good fit. Sorry for the novel and the crappy iPhone pictures - I'm off to continue the hunt for my next archtop!
    Last edited by tfling; 11-11-2016 at 12:04 AM.

  10. #34
    When I shopped for/bought these before, I could easily find many examples (even at Guitarcenter used) for ~$1400-1800

    now I can’t seem to find any of the plain Eagle, or Eagle Classics

    I’m thinking about selling a ‘55 ES-125 and a ‘49 Epiphone Zenith to fund one

    has there been more demand for these lower models recently, or possibly just pandemic related not as many people selling?

  11. #35

    User Info Menu

    I found my Super Eagle about a year ago and at the time there were about 5 or 6 for sale on Reverb and by a few dealers - by fall 2019 all were gone and only a couple of very high-priced specimen remain, to this day. Not too many of these guitars are built to begin with and for my part I don't plan a re-sale any time soon. The pandemic has nothing to do with it - yet - but I suspect come the fall and winter 2020/2021 we'll see a lot more good guitars on the market, when musicians need to generate some $$/€€ to compensate for the loss in income ....

    About 2 months ago there was an all-mahogany Eagle on ebay for about € 1500.00 , an absolute steal .... be patient and keep a steady lookout, something will pop up.

  12. #36

    User Info Menu

    These Heritage guitars have all increased in value. That Eagle you observed at $1800 is now over $3000. People are sitting on them because Heritage is no longer producing them. Make sense?

  13. #37

    User Info Menu

    Exactly the same metric is happening with Gibson archtops.

    Absence makes the heart grow fond.

  14. #38

    User Info Menu

    It seems like the prices are going up even for the models that are still being made. I noticed used H-535 prices are up. Thinking I might sell mine under the circumstances.

  15. #39

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by 2bornot2bop
    These Heritage guitars have all increased in value. That Eagle you observed at $1800 is now over $3000. People are sitting on them because Heritage is no longer producing them. Make sense?
    For 'only' $4,299 and up, Heritage will gladly make you a brand new Eagle Classic. MUCH more if you want any added bling. :-)

    Eagle Classic - Hollow Body Guitar | Heritage Guitars

  16. #40

    User Info Menu

    There's "1" Eagle at guitar center. Looks like a Mahogany model with dual hum buckers, and a rosewood fretboard. You could bring it in to your guitar center and it won't cost you anything to give it a try. I'm thinking $1700 would buy it. That's it.

  17. #41

    User Info Menu

    Damn glad I bought my Heritage back in 2012.

  18. #42

    User Info Menu

    All archtop prices are skyrocketing. Very hard to find anything decent now under $5K. Even a good used 175 is mid 3's.

  19. #43

    User Info Menu

    Here in Italy on the largest local musical instruments marketplace just one for sale for 3.600€:

    HERITAGE EAGLE CLASSIC - #6571759 - su Mercatino Musicale in Chitarre Semiacustiche

    As a side note, a good number of sellers are adding a note of the kind "selling for necessity"... Sad times.

  20. #44

    User Info Menu

    Or possibly people realize what great guitars they are and thus are holding on to them.

  21. #45

    User Info Menu

    Where are all the used Heritage Eagles? Scooped up by discerning archtop lovers, of course!