Two natural beauties

[Max405]

Either one would do me just fine. But I am with SS on this one, I just prefer the woods on the Gibson.
What a beautiful guitar.
JD

[neatomic]

are the f-holes on the heritage really that much larger than the gibson..or is that some camera angle trickery?

if so i'd think there would be major differences in acoustic tone

my vote would be to combine the best aspects of both guitars into one!

mr. campellone??

hah

cheers

[Hammertone]

are the f-holes on the heritage really that much larger than the gibson..or is that some camera angle trickery?

Why, yes, they are that much larger. The photo is a good representation of the difference between Johnny Smith f-holes and Golden Eagle f-holes. It's just another one of many The Heritage affronts to good visual design. I should know - I own several of their ornately decorated archtops and must constantly avert my gaze while enjoying how great they feel and sound.

The size difference is even more apparent when comparing the f-holes on the Gibson ES-175 and L-4C/CES to those on The Heritage H-575 and Sweet 16. Those Gibsons have perfect-sized f-holes as opposed to the egregiously Brobdingnagian f-holes on the H-575 and Sweet 16.

[cmajor9]

- “Brobdingdanian F-holes” Wouldn’t you like to see that on a guitar spec sheet!

[JazzNote]

Wow, stunning. Is that a single coil pickup on your Gibson? That must sound really nice. What do you have wrapped around the strings between bridge and tailpiece and what is it's benefit?

Yes, it's a single coil P90 type by Pete Biltoft and it does sound very nice. It provides more clarity than the slightly warmer sounding KA12 pole humbucker which is still attached to the original pickguard.

Long ago i noticed that i got irritated by strange sounding overtones produced by the tailpiece when playing acoustically. These unpleasant sounds largely disappear when attaching a piece of velcro over the strings in the area between bridge and tailpiece.

[JazzNote]

are the f-holes on the heritage really that much larger than the gibson..or is that some camera angle trickery?

if so i'd think there would be major differences in acoustic tone

my vote would be to combine the best aspects of both guitars into one!

mr. campellone??

hah

cheers

The two guitars have distinct differences in sound and it's great to have both possibilities at hand. The only downside is that sometimes it gets hard to decide which one to take to the gig. Maybe this problem would be solved when having just one combined "version", but since i love both of them i wouldn't give them up voluntarily ;-).

[QAman]

The two guitars have distinct differences in sound and it's great to have both possibilities at hand. The only downside is that sometimes it gets hard to decide which one to take to the gig. Maybe this problem would be solved when having just one combined "version", but since i love both of them i wouldn't give them up voluntarily ;-).

Thanks for sharing these pics. Both are examples of the higher end offerings from both makers - and each contain desirable attributes. I can see why it's hard to chose at times. They both offer an excellent , but different playing experience that's easy to admire. I am also a proud owner of both Gibson and Hertiage instruments and thoroughly enjoy them both.

Its not about a competition....its about making music and experiencing the great alternatives these builders have provided.

Sent from my SM-P610 using Tapatalk

[DMgolf66]

Headstock is the clincher for me, i will take the gibson.

[zizala]

Love a new word to use....thank you Hammertone!

I just looked it up and its "Brobdingnagian" unless you're Canadian.

And my beloved post-war L-7's have borderline Brobdingnagian f-holes.

[Hammertone]

Love a new word to use....thank you Hammertone!
I just looked it up and its "Brobdingnagian" unless you're Canadian.
And my beloved post-war L-7's have borderline Brobdingnagian f-holes.

Well-played, and correction made - so much for my memory! Or perhaps I was thinking of Jerry Sokoloski, a true "Brobdingnadian."

The Johnny Smith f-holes were a new design for Gibson, and have only ever been used on the JS, Citation, Kalamazoo Award and Legrand models, AFAIK (any others?). I don't see the design of the L-5/L-7 f-holes as overly large by comparison, just less elegant. Your post-war L-7 f-holes should be the same as those on almost all 17" Gibson archtop f-holes from @'38 forward.

The most appropriate comparison is really between the Gibson Kalamazoo Award and the Heritage Golden Eagle. since the Golden Eagle is based not on the L-5 but on the Kalamazoo Award, and copies most of that model's features:
-similar eagle & branch inlay idea on headstock, but a variation on the original style;
-same trc material but ...;
-same scale;
-same neck construction (5-piece maple w/mahogany strips, ebony board, 20 frets);
-same body dimensions (Rim Depth - 3”+/-* | Body Width - 17” | Body Length - 20 1/4”);
-similar tailpiece, but a variation on original style;
-wood pickguard w/floating pickup attached to it (the GE guard shown is a replacement that is better-looking than the original);
-ebony bridge w/inlaid base;
-same JS f-hole design but ... wider, with some wider than others.

Differences:
-cloud inlays and cupid's bow on fretboard instead of K'zoo blocks and end;
-MOP instead of abalone for inlays
-something about the headstock...

*Kalamazoo Award literature says 3 1/8" rims, but for sale ads typically say 3"

[Midnight Blues]

Both are beauties, but if I had my choice, I'd go LeGrand.

[ccroft]

I'd be honoured to play either.

From a purely visual design stand-point the Gibson wins easily for my tastes. As mentioned before: headstock, f holes, woods, but also giant 'H' tailpiece and slightly gaudy headstock inlay. Actually, I'd like the Gibson even more if it didn't have the diamond 'Custom' inlay in the head. The ol' flower pot is sweeter. I also prefer the look of the tulips over imperials.

And to my eyes anyway, Gibson is a better designed logotype than 'The Heritage'. Now that I've typed it, it seems a bit awkward. Is 'The Heritage' even grammatically correct?

It's just personal taste. I also prefer herringbone to hounds-tooth.

[339 in june]

By far The Heritage.
It has the pretiiest headstock in the world, period.
Now if you want to start a discussion on f-holes size, it's up to you, but The Heritage wins again !

[AlsoRan]

Congratulations on owning these two fine instruments.

The inlays got me and made me go with the Gibson. For me, they are very close aeshetically.

[Jabberwocky]

By far The Heritage.
It has the pretiiest headstock in the world, period.
Now if you want to start a discussion on f-holes size, it's up to you, but The Heritage wins again !

Good auld sarcasm...

The Heritage headstock gets you pulled aside in a security scan for possessing a dangerous weapon sharp enough to put one's eyes out. TSA won't let you take it onboard. Your bass player gets nervous, your drummer feels the negative jibes, the sax player worries if you are going to ram it up his ass while he takes a solo. It is just bad juju all round.

Jazz is as much about style as it is about the music. You don't show up at a jazz gig wearing sweats. Do you think The Heritage goes well with your Brioni? The Italians would be offended.

No true Italian would be seen playing The Heritage. Wink, wink, nudge, nudge.

[JazzNote]

No true Italian would be seen playing The Heritage. Wink, wink, nudge, nudge.

Well now, that's offensive sarcasme, is anyone sarcastically indicating that he is no true Italian? Lorenzo Petrocca with Heritage Sweet 16 "nuages" - YouTube

This may become dangerous - Italians are known to be hot tempered and he's been a boxer before becoming a jazz guitar player ;-)

[339 in june]

It's not sarcasm.
I'm really convinced Heritage headstocks are beautiful and the fruit of good engineering (nice, simple and efficient)
And I'm not an Italian.

[2bornot2bop]

So why do you not just refrain from wasting your own energy by posting into such a thread?

I am forgiven for pointing out the obvious.

[ronjazz]

Good auld sarcasm...

The Heritage headstock gets you pulled aside in a security scan for possessing a dangerous weapon sharp enough to put one's eyes out. TSA won't let you take it onboard. Your bass player gets nervous, your drummer feels the negative jibes, the sax player worries if you are going to ram it up his ass while he takes a solo. It is just bad juju all round.

Jazz is as much about style as it is about the music. You don't show up at a jazz gig wearing sweats. Do you think The Heritage goes well with your Brioni? The Italians would be offended.

No true Italian would be seen playing The Heritage. Wink, wink, nudge, nudge.

The great trombonist/arranger Phil Wilson played most gigs in sweats. There is often hardly any less stylish musical performance than a jazz show, especially with Miles gone.

[Epistrophy]

Both! The wooden bridge would be a better fit for LG also. Heritage has more of punch in my opinion, like sort of an L5. Legrand is more sensitive, more like D'Angelico.

[JazzNote]

Both! The wooden bridge would be a better fit for LG also. Heritage has more of punch in my opinion, like sort of an L5. Legrand is more sensitive, more like D'Angelico.

Yes, the GE is more punchy, but i wouldn't really compare it to the sound of a modern L5. If I remember right, when I bought it it was mentioned that it's close to the old L5 sound (probably prewar L5 sound). It has the brighter voice of the two and with the Dommenguet PU it is literally able to naturally cut through "anything". The LeGrand sounds closer to my 2003 L5CES, but with brighter overtones than the L5. The low register is smooth and much more dominant than on the GE.

[Epistrophy]

Yes, the GE is more punchy, but i wouldn't really compare it to the sound of a modern L5. If I remember right, when I bought it it was mentioned that it's close to the old L5 sound (probably prewar L5 sound). It has the brighter voice of the two and with the Dommenguet PU it is literally able to naturally cut through "anything". The LeGrand sounds closer to my 2003 L5CES, but with brighter overtones than the L5. The low register is smooth and much more dominant than on the GE.

That must be true! GE is brighter. I used to tame the sound with JS113 set to make it darker when I still had a GE, it was even for sale here for some time. I still use that string set in my GJS. Somehow I never got used my former GE although I played it a lot. Even my teacher told me I don't know how to play it back in the years. Ended up selling it. GJS does it for me, that's all I need.

[Epistrophy]

What was a huge improvement in Both Johnny Smith and Golden Eagle was to put a tone control under the pickguard, I decided to keep the original black floating pickup in my Golden Eagle. I usually have the tone control wide open to cut it through the mix, no matter the type of guitar I play. With an amp I soften the sound and sometimes I don't use treble at all.

[2bornot2bop]

Those are beautiful Jazz guitar photographs JazzNote! Well done!