Originally Posted by
Groyniad
hello everyone - I've been in this non-posting state for ages. I've had this guitar for a year now and I thought I'd stop sulking and tell you all about it. I've been practicing very heavily on it for ages - through lockdown, so all honeymoon issues are way behind me.
(I can't upload any pictures - help?)
I've played many many archtops - mainstream jazz, small usually drummer-less groups.
what archtops have I used?
175 type:
modern 175
re-issue 175 (59 VOS)
re-issue 175 (54 VOS)
es 135 1956 (keeper)
jim hall Sadowsky x 2
es 150 (not a 175 type really but - its laminated)
Ibanez gb10
boutique type:
Andersen - little electric Archie; streamline; model 17
commins classic
campelone - standard 17'' thin line; standard 16''
L5 type:
new L5CES
Apart from the '56 es 135 I have, the brand new Heritage Eagle Classic seems to me to be obviously better than all of these.
'obviously better'?
Sound: lush, fat, thick, round - best high register melody notes (thickest, least abrasive and metallic sounding): it's not just the sound - it's the fact that I can play lush chords from the bottom of the register all the way up without anything booming or feeding-back or being muddy. The balance from low to high - and the absence of boom/mud is phenomenal. much more reluctant to feedback than I'm used to: sounds great at lower volumes - works in small rooms at medium volumes without feedback.
- balance low register to high register (nothing too loud or dominating in either register across the range - and voices balance in chords up and down the neck)
- balance brightness and richness of tone - its silvery and bright enough for clarity and woody and rich enough for smoothness
Feel: best neck ever by a million miles. I'm now converted to the 25.5'' scale length - but the whole neck geometry - the string spacing - the action - the fretwork - the feel of the neck itself, is better than anything I've had before. I suspect the fretwork is maybe the most important thing.
look: best sunburst. fabulous maple on rims - lovely top; average plus back.
pickups - these Seth lover PAFs seem obviously better to me than the gibson pickups on my new L5 CES. (which I no longer have)
small details:
best pick guard I've ever had (better than Andersen's!) - more solid feel - perfect materials.
headstock: easier to play F chords because headstock shoulders are better shape (I'm not having THAT conversation). greater weight of headstock feels better; greater angle feels better too.
3'' rims - seem way better to me than 3 3/8'': easier to sit with for hours; less boomy bass.
sunburst heaven
better ornamentation than L5. what!? - yes - better, because less showy. the wood and the sunburst mean the guitar is more impressive to look at than my gorgeous L5CES - the decoration is more tasteful and the colouring is much better.
the guitar has converted me from gibson to heritage; and from 16'' laminates to 17'' solid guitars. I rejected my L5CES when I got the 59 VOS and then the 54 VOS. There was no competition for my be-bop needs. And then the Heritage blew the 175s right off the bandstand.
It has made me realise that I want a guitar that works! I don't care SO much about the sound - I just want it to stay out of my way so I can (learn to) play. No guitar has stayed out of my way anywhere near as well as this new Eagle Classic. Even though I adore my 50's 135 and can't make sense of selling it - I never play it.
my hunch is that Heritage have decided to standardise a small number of their best selling guitars and make sure that quality control is very high - so as to what? - save the company? I guess so. I would be really amazed if someone could find an L5CES type guitar to give me that could out-perform this one - whatever the price.
so thanks Heritage!
anyone fancy a near mint '54 VOS 175 with two p90s (the best 175 type instrument I've had - excluding the 135)?
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