Heritage Eagle ASB (all mahogany)

[gitman]

What type and gauge string are you using and is your amp a ‚Fendery‘ type (tends to sound brighter) or a darker voiced model ? Quite a mix of variables in this game we‘re playing here , even your choice of pick makes an audible difference....
My vote also goes to the Armstrong single coil with the tapped output (one is a bit fuller sounding, the other nice for comping) .

The pickup Joel Paterson is using is a vintage DeArmond Guitar Mic model, a very nice unit and not nearly as expensive as the Rhythm Chief 1100 or 1000 models ....

[frankhond]

What type and gauge string are you using and is your amp a ‚Fendery‘ type (tends to sound brighter) or a darker voiced model ? Quite a mix of variables in this game we‘re playing here , even your choice of pick makes an audible difference....
My vote also goes to the Armstrong single coil with the tapped output (one is a bit fuller sounding, the other nice for comping) .

The pickup Joel Paterson is using is a vintage DeArmond Guitar Mic model, a very nice unit and not nearly as expensive as the Rhythm Chief 1100 or 1000 models ....

Yeah, I currently use 12 gauge thomastik flats, but when they wear out in a century or two I’ll experiment with their bebop set and maybe monels. The amp is a BJF S-66 where the clean channel emulates a super reverb set to 4. It sounds fantastic with my strat and tele. The zoller sounds fine too, most people would probably say I have a good jazz humbucker tone... it’s just that I don’t hear enough of this guitar in the electric tone so to speak. Maybe I’m asking too much... but thanks for naming the DeArmond, maybe I’ll just try ordering one and see what I get.

[Cunamara]

I have to say that I think that demo of the Zoller pickup is one of the worst-sounding things I have ever come across, and completely put me off that pickup when I was searching around. All top end frequencies, no bass, mids or warmth. Might just have been how it was recorded and not representative, but if I was Shadow I certainly wouldn't be using that on my web site as an example of the pickup. It's the complete opposite of how they describe it. Someone else might think it sounds spectacular and who would I be to argue? Just sounds awful to me. The clips of Jim Hall using one in his D'Aquisto electric sounds much, much better though.

I have a Biltoft floating CC on my 17" archtop, neck mounted rather than pickguard mounted. I really like that a lot- while it is big/fat/bright, I can roll the treble down just enough to round off the top end without the bass getting muddy. That is the 5th pickup on that guitar and seems to be the best match. I had a Kent Armstrong PAF-0 which was not complimentary to that instrument; neither was an Allparts mini humbucker (I don't know if it is built like a mini PAF or a GJS). I modified a Classic 57 into a floater but it was just too tall in the available space to work well. I never tried the KA floating single coil mentioned above, but there are some videos of that one out there and it sounds not dissimilar to the Biltoft CC. Both Pete and Kent are excellent guys to deal with and I would buy from either of them without hesitation again.

I also have an Ibanez GB10 (1981) with what looks like a Gibson Johnny Smith but I do not know if the construction is the same; the JS is a slightly peculiar beast as discussed in another thread. The Ibanez is wound much hotter, it seems, than the GJS. I love the sound of that guitar- since it was my first electric guitar, I suppose it is really the yardstick all my other ones are compared to. Generally the volume knob is at about 4-5 since it is a very loud guitar.

[neatomic]

jimmy raney sounding good on his zoller equipped hofner

cheers

[frankhond]

I have to say that I think that demo of the Zoller pickup is one of the worst-sounding things I have ever come across, and completely put me off that pickup when I was searching around. All top end frequencies, no bass, mids or warmth. Might just have been how it was recorded and not representative, but if I was Shadow I certainly wouldn't be using that on my web site as an example of the pickup. It's the complete opposite of how they describe it. Someone else might think it sounds spectacular and who would I be to argue? Just sounds awful to me. The clips of Jim Hall using one in his D'Aquisto electric sounds much, much better though.

I have a Biltoft floating CC on my 17" archtop, neck mounted rather than pickguard mounted. I really like that a lot- while it is big/fat/bright, I can roll the treble down just enough to round off the top end without the bass getting muddy. That is the 5th pickup on that guitar and seems to be the best match. I had a Kent Armstrong PAF-0 which was not complimentary to that instrument; neither was an Allparts mini humbucker (I don't know if it is built like a mini PAF or a GJS). I modified a Classic 57 into a floater but it was just too tall in the available space to work well. I never tried the KA floating single coil mentioned above, but there are some videos of that one out there and it sounds not dissimilar to the Biltoft CC. Both Pete and Kent are excellent guys to deal with and I would buy from either of them without hesitation again.

I also have an Ibanez GB10 (1981) with what looks like a Gibson Johnny Smith but I do not know if the construction is the same; the JS is a slightly peculiar beast as discussed in another thread. The Ibanez is wound much hotter, it seems, than the GJS. I love the sound of that guitar- since it was my first electric guitar, I suppose it is really the yardstick all my other ones are compared to. Generally the volume knob is at about 4-5 since it is a very loud guitar.

Well, I had a GB10 and didn't bond with the sound :-) but it's a very hot pickup custom made for that particular design. I don't think it sounds like a typical Johnny Smith.

The recording you don't like is a blend of Zoller, shure sm58 and transducer. The Zoller is really only there to provide some extra meat. I included it to demonstrate what I hear in front of the amp when I turn down the pickup volume until I hear the acoustic sound. If I turn up the Zoller I get a full humbucker sound.

On youtube I like the Billtoft CC sound that Fred Archtop gets.

[frankhond]

jimmy raney sounding good on his zoller equipped hofner

cheers

He gets a lot of wood in the tone, especially in the bass strings. I don't get that at all unless I turn down the Zoller so I hear some of the acoustic. Either they have a microphone offstage, or something in his guitar gels with the Zoller in a way that mine doesn't.

[Monkknows]

The Tailpiece on my 97 Heritage Eagle ASB cracked while at the repair shop. They offered a 175 style replacement that was chrome and of unknown origin (and quoted 125 for the part and at least 100 for the labor). I figure if I'm gonna be stuck with a tailpiece for a while I might as well get something I like. I reached out to Heritage, thry said they don't have any and the new ones wouldn't fit. Cn anyone recommend a tailpiece or is there another way to fix it that I am not seeing? I don't mind not having the original 'H' tailpiece too much, but I'm not seeing many options at all that aren't very pricey or pretty ugly for the guitar. Thanks for any help!

[Gitfiddler]

If you like the 6 Finger Tailpiece style, they are available from a few online retailers for around $150 and up. Also, Archtop.com offers a few tail pieces that might work on your Eagle. However, their prices are $150, higher than what you were quoted for a comparable ES-175 type.

ac accessories

[Hammertone]

Chinese copies of the old nickel-plated Gibson L-7/ES-175 tailpiece are readily available for under $50 on ebay and reverb.
Chinese copies of the old gold-plated-plated Gibson L-12/ES-350/ES-5 tailpiece are readily available for under $50 on ebay and reverb.
Nicer versions of both are are readily available on ebay and reverb as well.