Members 02-fatboy Posted February 5, 2010 Members Share Posted February 5, 2010 I am looking to buy a heritage H535 today. I found two guitars both are pristine. 1990 curly maple top and back, or 2008 Flame top and back in cherry sunburst. Both are the same price and in the same condition. My question is which one is of better quality? Are the new Heritage's any better or worse than the older ones? Just want to get some ideas before I make a decision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ESchmidt Posted February 5, 2010 Members Share Posted February 5, 2010 I cant comment on old Heritages, but I did own a 2005 H150cm (les paul) model and it was absolutley amazing. It was much better than most Gibsons Ive played. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 02-fatboy Posted February 5, 2010 Author Members Share Posted February 5, 2010 So at this point its a toss up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Guitar Heel Posted February 5, 2010 Members Share Posted February 5, 2010 I've played a lot of them, and I have owned several in the past (new and old). I prefer the quality of the 80's and early 90's models, but the new ones are great also. You really can't go wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 02-fatboy Posted February 5, 2010 Author Members Share Posted February 5, 2010 Thanks this helps. It sounds like either way I am getting a great guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members crowguitar Posted February 5, 2010 Members Share Posted February 5, 2010 either way they kick ass. 90's models seemed to be slightly better overall, but the quality at Heritage has been consistent all around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 02-fatboy Posted February 5, 2010 Author Members Share Posted February 5, 2010 So I have been hearing. I am going to take the 1990 I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members korky1958 Posted February 5, 2010 Members Share Posted February 5, 2010 Is the hardware the same? I love my H150-CM, but did replace the stock Schaller Pickups, and the Schaller Stop Bridge. The pickups were okay, but I go some Seth Lovers that I really liked. The Stop Piece was not very good though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members metalheadUK Posted February 5, 2010 Members Share Posted February 5, 2010 I've got a 1st year (1988) CM 150 and it's a great guitar..and my actual one was played by Gary Moore, so they must be OK! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 02-fatboy Posted February 5, 2010 Author Members Share Posted February 5, 2010 I am not sure what pickups or hardware it has? I know that it looked different between the pics of the 90 and 08. Either way I own a 1990 now. I can post pics when it comes if you want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brian Krashpad Posted February 5, 2010 Members Share Posted February 5, 2010 Congrats in advance. And yes, pics will be required. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kap'n Posted February 5, 2010 Members Share Posted February 5, 2010 80's and early 90's versions all came with Schaller pickups. You can tell them because the bobbins sort of have a pebbly finish to them. I'm not a big fan of them. More recent instruments have different pickup options. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members metalheadUK Posted February 5, 2010 Members Share Posted February 5, 2010 80's and early 90's versions all came with Schaller pickups. You can tell them because the bobbins sort of have a pebbly finish to them. I'm not a big fan of them. More recent instruments have different pickup options. Mine came with EMGs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bad mutha-humpa Posted February 5, 2010 Members Share Posted February 5, 2010 The pots are garbage ... At least they were as of around 2006. Mine were cheap plastic shafts, spinning free junk that broke easily. I love my 535, and I love heritage, but they cheaped out in that one regard. I read at a heritage-owners forum that by 08 they switched to better quality pots. Either way, it's a great guitar, just might need an upgrade depending on what's in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kap'n Posted February 5, 2010 Members Share Posted February 5, 2010 To each, his own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Metalrulez Posted February 5, 2010 Members Share Posted February 5, 2010 The Heritage is the best kept secret out there. For some reason people totaly overlook this company. Old or new they are great guitars. I wish I had the money to buy one of the new H170's to go with my 86 170CM( some day I will post a pic of my well used and abused axe) . Good luck, if you do buy a Heritage you will buy the guitar that will ruin it for all other makers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 02-fatboy Posted February 5, 2010 Author Members Share Posted February 5, 2010 I actually bought the 1990 H535 I will post pics when the guitar comes unless I can get them to work here first. If anyone is looking for a used Heritage Wades Guitar shop on Oakland in Milwaukee WI has a couple of used ones that are really cool there. One of them looks like a strat with pointy looking headstock not the goofy heritage ones, and I was told its pretty rare for under 1000 bucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members volvo1800 Posted February 5, 2010 Members Share Posted February 5, 2010 I actually bought the 1990 H535 I will post pics when the guitar come unless I can get them to work here first.If anyone is looking for a used Heritage Wades Guitar shop on Oakland in Milwaukee WI has a couple of used ones that are really cool there. One of them looks like a strat with pointy looking headstock not the goofy heritage ones, and I was told its pretty rare for under 1000 bucks. good call the value wont depreciate on that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 02-fatboy Posted February 5, 2010 Author Members Share Posted February 5, 2010 good call the value wont depreciate on that one. Your comment sir brings up a very good question. Are the older ones worth more? Or value wise are they about the same? Of course in todays market you can find some great deals. I wonder if the values of these and other guitars will eventually go up if the economy ever gets better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brewski Posted February 5, 2010 Members Share Posted February 5, 2010 Your comment sir brings up a very good question. Are the older ones worth more? Or value wise are they about the same?Of course in todays market you can find some great deals.I wonder if the values of these and other guitars will eventually go up if the economy ever gets better. check 'em both out and buy the one you like best. However, if you're interested in resale the older one will get to "classic" age faster - obviously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members metallica_00 Posted February 5, 2010 Members Share Posted February 5, 2010 Congrats on the new guitar! I love my 535, they are a great deal both used and new relative to Gibson. Here's an interesting thing - alot of people slam the resale value of Heritages. However, when you think about it, a lot of what pulls up Gibson's resale value is the fact that they're always increasing their new prices! For instance, when I started playing, a LP Standard was around $1900-2000. Now that model costs $2500. So that factor alone makes a used LP Standard worth a lot more than it would be without a price increase. In the same vein, Heritage has raised their prices recently. From what I understand, I paid about as much for my used 2001 H535 last year as it would have cost new in 2001. If deciding between the two (I know you already bought one), things to consider are which pickups are in it, which hardware, which neck (50s or 60s, most are 60s style), and finish. With an older guitar you have to worry about previous fretwear too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 02-fatboy Posted February 5, 2010 Author Members Share Posted February 5, 2010 Thanks and all great points which are well taken. The guitar I got has been babied its whole life I wish I could get the pics to work here. I spoke to the guy and he said he only played it a few times over the last several years. He also explained that its in very good condition for its age due to the fact that it sat in the case for almost 6 years while he was going to a really nasty divorce. Anyways its always way nicer when you can play a guitar but neither one was local, so I went with my gut, and based off of some pics. Either way 1250 for a nice ES seems like a very fair price to me. I guess I really won't know until I play it. All I know is that I bought this to replace my ES 335 Studio which was by far hands down the best ES of any kind that I have ever owned. I guess we will see if this tops it. Based on the reviews and considering that you don't see quite as many used Heritage guitars floating around there, I feel pretty confident I made a great decision. If I like then it really doesn't matter what its worth. Plus all these videos I have been seeing with guys playing Heritage 535's through old vibrolux amps is driving me crazy. The combination of a 535 with an old 60's vibrolux is just unreal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 02-fatboy Posted February 9, 2010 Author Members Share Posted February 9, 2010 What a nightmare. I should have bought the 2008 that I was offered instead I ended up paying for a guitar then at the last minute the seller decided he wanted more money from me for paypal fees. We originally agreed upon a price paypalled and shipped. Now I had to file a dispute with paypal and then I have to wait to get my money back all over a stupid 32 dollars. Don't ever deal with this guy, his name is Brandon and he lives in New Haven CT. Plus after I paid for the guitar he still had it listed up on craigslist 3 days later as if he was still trying to make a sale. He still has it listed. http://newhaven.craigslist.org/msg/1569584095.html What a joke. Guess I will be waiting to get my money back so I can try to buy something else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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