Shop for the Heritage Standard H-150 Electric Guitar in Ebony. Solid one-piece genuine mahogany back, and a genuine mahogany neck.
I've got some cork sniffer questions about the Heritage H-150. I'm NOT assuming that these features affect tone.Does the H-150 have a long tenon?Am I correct that it has no weight relief (holes, chambers or other)?Do all H-150s have 1-piece bodies and 1-piece necks (save the headstock 'ears')?Heritage finsihes are NC lacquer, correct?Any comments on the bridge and tailpiece? I know that they can be ordered with TM/Gibson-like tail, but I kinda like the looks of the Heritage hardware.Thanks in advance. Mine is really light and is somewhere between 8-8.5 lbs. Although most are one piece backs, mine is a 2 piece, however I don't really think this matters. It sounds and plays better than any other guitar I've played. I'm sure you could request one with a one piece back if its important to you though.
You could even have Heritage just build you one to your specs if you want. I'd contact Jay Wolfe at He's the biggest Heritage dealer and is great to deal with. Seems to have the best prices and selection too. I also think he tends to get the lightest ones. I've heard that he uses South American mahogany on all his. Is this true? Click to expand.Yea, I don't have it bad right now that's for sure.
I'm just bumming that the OD-100 is on the fritz right now. I must resort to playing through the Bogner Ecstasy 101b.sigh.To be honest, the Heritage is my #2. My #1 is my totally custom built J.Nunis who's design was inspired by the Heritage. It has a one piece limba neck and one piece limba body (in fact, those two pieces came from the same board).
The top is just ripping with flame and it has a string though the body design instead of the stop tail.Well whatta ya know?!?! I have a picture of the two of them together!These two guitars are neck and neck. Pretty interchangeable tone wise.
Both have Duncans. Both will go from kiss-you-gently-on-the-lips to RIPYOUR.INGHEADOFF on a dime.
One of the main things the Nunis has over the Heritage is the ability to go single coil. But then the Heritage get that Santana neck sound that I can't get as well with the Nunis. My Heritage 150CM, was purchased from Wolfe over three years ago. Mine has the following features:1 piece Honduras mahogany neck1 piece Honduras mahogany bodyBrazilian rosewood fingerboard2 piece flame maple topShort tenonDuncan AntiquitiesGibson style stop tail and bridgeTobacco sunburst finishWeighs in at just under 8.5 lbs (no weight relief holes)Ordered through Jay Wolfe for $1250Its the best Les Paul type guitar I've ever played or heard (in person) in my entire life, of coure I'm also a little partial. I call her 'Old Faithful', and I wouldn't sell that guitar for any amount of money, its coming to the grave with me.Heritage can do long neck tenons, I believe the upcharge was like $150 when I ordered mine. I don't regret not having it, its no big deal to me, this guitar has plenty of tone for me.
Click to expand.Yea, my H150 doesn't sound exactly like any of my Les Pauls. It kicks all of their asses.hard.
And that's saying something because I feel I have some exceptional sounding Gibsons. They are all in the same sonic ballpark though. You wouldn't listen to the Heritage and say it sounds like a Strat or a Tele or a Gretch. You would think it sounded Les Paulish.And I don't feel it's fair to compare my Gibsons to my Heritage because the my Heritage has a limba neck and back as apposed to mahogany. I believe (for my tastes anyway) that limba is sonicly superior to mahogany.
So to my ear the Heritage has an unfair advantage in a head to head comparison. But I love each of my Gibsons for what they are, not disliking them for what they aren't.I checked my tenon on the H150 Class of '59 last night.
![Heritage h150 review Heritage h150 review](/uploads/1/2/4/4/124422188/180479059.jpg)
I find that interesting because weren't the Class of '59 models supposed to be Heritage's answer to the Gibson '59 reissues? And didn't Gibson use a long tenon in '59? You'da thunk Heritage would have used that construction method for that run.I've heard from a number of builders that the tenon length between a short length Gibson tenon and what is considered a long Gibson tenon doesn't really make any difference. The important thing is that the fit of the tenon in the mortise is super tight from side to side. I don't think I personally believe that thought because I have pretty consistently preferred long tenon single cutaway guitars to the short ones. I still like a well made Gibson Les Paul no matter the tenon length.
I just find that for the most part, long tenons sound a little better.For example, the J.Nunis that I have that is also a limba neck and back with an eastern flamed maple top sounds slightly better than my H150 and sustains forever. The Nunis has the long tenon. It also has a string through body design which (in my opinion) give it another sonic advantage.I will agree with you GFM that if you want a Gibson Les Paul, buy a Gibson Les Paul.
And on the used market is the way to go. And you are right, bang for the buck would have to go to the Heritage.
![Heritage H150 One Piece Back Heritage H150 One Piece Back](http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y126/rockabilly69/Heritage%20H150%20Wineburst/Barnabus-1.jpg)
Especially on the used market as well.