[jacksonplayer]

I've been pretty busy acquiring guitars over the last few weeks. Why? Well, I've rediscovered my love for six-stringers with the 24.75" scale. First, I got an ESP MV-USA, which is a Maverick that was made (or just assembled?) in the USA sometime in the mid '90s.

I grooved on that so much that I figured it was time to get a Les Paul again for the first time in about ten years. Since I wanted a first-rate LP Custom but didn't want to pay the extortionate prices that both new and used Gibsons go for, I grabbed a Heritage H-157, which is the Les Paul Custom that Gibson should be making but isn't--unless you're willing to pay $5,000+ for a Historic. For those who don't know, Heritage was started in the '80s by a group of senior Gibson craftsmen who decided to stay behind and start their own company when Gibson closed its Kalamazoo, Mich. factory and transferred all of its operations to Nashville. They make small batches of Gibson-based designs the old-fashioned way, and this LP Custom I got is a beast and a total tone monster. No silly weight relief holes or crappy quality control going on here.

Anyway, enough chatter. Here is a pic of the two guitars, with my KXK looking on approvingly.




Sorry for the lack of picstories, but I've been busy. Both of these new guitars are going to be featured prominently on my upcoming "Master of Puppets" cover version. Be afraid.

[God Hand Apostle]

Heritage over Gibson any day for me. Heritage is a great investment right now too. I wanted a Sweet 16 archtop recently, and started doing research. There is a rumor going around the Jazz guitar forums that all the old luthiers are at the end, and don't want to train new ones and that Heritage is about done. "Now is the time to get a Heritage if you are going to get one" was what I was told.

Surprised you didnt get a Jackson Fusion tho...you are becoming quite the non-jacksonplayer. dun dun duuuuun!

[Apophis]

Nice guitars

[7 Strings of Hate]

now that you got the heratige, you can just throw the esp in the trash

[D-EJ915]

I can attest to mavericks are freaking sweet.

Originally Posted by 7 Strings of Hate

now that you got the heratige, you can just throw the esp in the trash

quite the opposite

[jacksonplayer]

Originally Posted by God Hand Apostle

Heritage over Gibson any day for me. Heritage is a great investment right now too. I wanted a Sweet 16 archtop recently, and started doing research. There is a rumor going around the Jazz guitar forums that all the old luthiers are at the end, and don't want to train new ones and that Heritage is about done. "Now is the time to get a Heritage if you are going to get one" was what I was told.

Surprised you didnt get a Jackson Fusion tho...you are becoming quite the non-jacksonplayer. dun dun duuuuun!

I've had a Fusion before, but they mostly have basswood bodies. I wouldn't mind getting another one sometime if I can find a USA Fusion with an alder body or such. My Soloist Pro ain't going anywhere...

I did some research on Heritage before I pulled the trigger on this one, and it appears that the company is doing well now but almost closed its doors last fall. What happened is that the founders weren't paying quite enough attention to the business side of things and were running into supply issues. Late last year, though, they took on a younger guy as a partner (with a cash infusion, I assume), and he's focused on getting their business issues in order. At least from what I've read, the founders are interested in having the company continue after they retire--and they are all past retirement age, actually. They do have younger people working for them, and I suspect those are the folks that will take over the guitar-building duties. At least I hope so. It would be sad to see a company like this go under. The three founders have been building guitars since the 1950s, and it would be nice to see them pass on their expertise.

Originally Posted by 7 Strings of Hate

now that you got the heratige, you can just throw the esp in the trash

Uhh, no.

I didn't say much before about the ESP, but it's a helluva good player and has a wonderful, open sound. I may end up swapping out the EMGs for a passive setup, however.

[noodles]

Heritages are awesome guitars. They are traditional Les Pauls the way they should be, and is on my "acquire someday when I have the cash lying around for it" list.

[7 Strings of Hate]

Originally Posted by noodles

Heritages are awesome guitars. They are traditional Les Pauls the way they should be, and is on my "acquire someday when I have the cash lying around for it" list.

well, quite frankly, theres nothing wrong with a real gibby LP other than the price.

i just noticed the kxk neck and the heritage neck look the same width

[noodles]

Originally Posted by 7 Strings of Hate

well, quite frankly, theres nothing wrong with a real gibby LP other than the price.

I call bullshit. A standard Heritage will blow a way a standard Les Paul. I've played plenty of both, and you really have to hunt to find an LP that is worth the price, while damn near every Heritage is awesome.

i just noticed the kxk neck and the heritage neck look the same width

Binding throws off your perception.

[jacksonplayer]

Originally Posted by 7 Strings of Hate

well, quite frankly, theres nothing wrong with a real gibby LP other than the price.

i just noticed the kxk neck and the heritage neck look the same width

Noodles already said it, but any new Gibson I've played other than one of the ungodly expensive Historics has been underwhelming, even sloppy. And even the used Gibson LPs from the '70s and '80s have been getting stupidly expensive for what they are. I was quite interested in a '77 LP Custom that was on eBay recently--it was a 3-pickup guitar in natural finish that was almost exactly like my old '76 LP. This one on eBay was beat to hell and still sold for over $2,600. Gibson was pumping those things off the assembly line like Chevrolets, ferchrissake--they're hardly rare or exotic. I want a guitar to play, not to put in the closet as an "investment."

In that pic, the Heritage is closer to the camera than the KXK. The Heritage has a '60s neck profile and is considerably narrower than the KXK's neck, but also much thicker. It's a bit surreal putting one down and playing the other. The Heritage is like the musical equivalent of a WWII Tiger tank--brute force and deep tone. The KXK has a lightweight, futuristic look and feel to it.