Heritages with great sounds

[Marty Grass]

The first of two guitars I'll mention I've had for almost two years. It is a limited edition of H-157, redo of the Les Paul Custom 1954.

It's a beautiful guitar hanging on the wall. Beyond that, the Seymour Duncan Staple pickup really is amazing.

I put GHS Brite Flats 11s on it last night. These strings have a relatively heavy low E. I'm very happy with this, and I'm not a LP sort of guy. I never bonded with that shape despite being around lots of them for many years.

The pickup has more warmth (mids) than a P-90. The magnet heights are fully adjustable, not just screws near the magnets like a P=90. They are really worth a try.

The second Heritage is a H-555 I got from a friend. This is a beauty, too. It's from 2005. The finish was done by the famous Floyd Cramer from the later 50s through 80s at Gibson. For those unfamiliar, the model is basically a ES-355 with a slightly thinner body and different cosmetics. This one came with the HRW pickups, which to me are PAF sounding with some chiminess added, but not Gretschy. It also has a three piece maple neck, which I prefer actually.

I never cared that much for the pickups, and I tried to make peace with them over the years many times. Recently I've noted how great they can be dialed in on archtops. I've heard both Henry Johnson and Kenny Burrell use these pickups in concert, so I knew it's very possible to get a great sound.

I put a set of Labella flatwound 11s on it. It sounds fab

So the point is, keep trying new things. You can never accurately predict what will work until you give it a shot.

[Marty Grass]

This isn't the one with the staple pickups. But it's fun to look at. I'll find the staple pics soon.

[Marty Grass]

Staple H-157

[mr. beaumont]

That staple 157 is gawww-juss.

[neatomic]

Staple H-157

beauty...yeah the seymour neck staple is spot on...he's genius!...with p90 bridge

that's the jim hall (style) guitar




cheers

[Woody Sound]

Does the staple guitar (awesome) have the super-low frets like a 54 LP?

[Marty Grass]

No. It's not a fretless wonder. I don't know what the fretwire is, but it's not thin and not low.

I hadn't thought of the low frets of the early LP Customs in a long time. I'm not a big fan.

Does the staple guitar (awesome) have the super-low frets like a 54 LP?

[Kunji]

How about the H535, any experience with those? There are two used ones available near where I am, one is 1990 and the other 2007.

[ESCC]

I've been playing a 535 since '93, it's a keeper.
I have replaced the roller bridge with a Nashville, improved intonation.

[mr. beaumont]

That's a lovely bit of shading on that 535.

I've said it before, I'll say it again...those old school Heritage cats knew how to spray a damn burst.


Kunji, Heritage, like any factory, probably made some duds here and there, but overall it seems folks LOVE their Heritages. I know I'll NEVER part with my 575, especially since the reorganization...

[Marty Grass]

The 535 is a great workhorse. The thinner body makes it a little lighter. The rim jack is safer than placing it on the top IMO.

There is an advantage to the Schaller bridge in that you can adjust the string spread. If that doesn't matter to you, I'd swap it out for something lighter that has a little better sustain.

[ESCC]

The Schaller roller bridge on my 535 did not follow the curve of the neck, replacing it improved the intonation.

[Papawooly]

Great Post!
I was cleaning out a file cabinet last weekend and found this from 2015...
A postcard (must have went to dealers) celebrating the release of a special
30th Anniversary H-555
Who has one of these?
Somehow my Thoughts turn to New Jersey? ...

anyway.. here is the card, I got it from Kent at C.B.Perkins (San Jose)

[rhoadsscholar]

beautiful guitars Mark. I like the sunburst/shading on that 555. Nice score(s).

[neatomic]

[QUOTE=ESCC;915268]I've been playing a 535 since '93, it's a keeper.
I have replaced the roller bridge with a Nashville, improved intonation.
QUOTE]

there's never a need for a roller bridge on a non bigsby/trem guitar...& even with trems, the rollers seldom really roll under string tension anyway..or not for long..and they wind up to be tone suckers

a well cut/ well lubed slot is still best

cheers

[Marty Grass]

I agree that the rollers don't really roll. There is too much downward pressure. They do allow the string to glide though.

The TOM on Gibson semi-hollows rock (literally) with a Bigsby. No gliding needed or wanted!

[Greentone]

The trick is not to end up with stored energy behind the bridge (or ahead of it) when you are using the bar. Else, tuning problems will emerge. The roller bridge is one solution. Gretsch's old-fashioned, chrome bar bridge was another. (It actually rocked, too.)

Generally, the Bigsby is used as a subtle vibrato device. Not much chance of big energy storage issues the way it would be if, say, big whammy dives were the norm--the way they are with other vibrato devices...e.g., Fender units, Floyd Rose units, etc.

I like the way that Merle Travis used the Bigsby.

[whiskey02]

I find "whammy bars" in general are more likely to be abused rather than used. Johhny A seems to know what he's doing with a Bigsby.

[neatomic]

cheers

[Greentone]

Johnny A on Lineman is great.

[lawson-stone]

I find "whammy bars" in general are more likely to be abused rather than used. Johhny A seems to know what he's doing with a Bigsby.

Wow that's pretty much the poster-boy for "How to Play a Popular Tune as an Instrumental." Just beautiful.

[whiskey02]

Okay, here's a little more.