Heritage H-140

My Heritage H-140 is a '85 model..Kind of lucked into it, was taking another guitar in for repair, and saw it on the wall..The next day after some wheeling and dealing, she was mine..It is all stock as far as I can tell..Schaller Pickups, Tailpiece, and Roller Bridge. The sunburst is a very pretty flame..The pickups sound very nice through my old tube amp.I am going to have to replace the tuners though..After 20+ years of use, they are starting to slip a bit, but that is a $40 fix from Stew-Mac..

This guitar sounds beautiful..That rich, creamy, Duane Allman tone..The only type of music that is problematic for it woould be country, but with the right amp, I might even be able to make that work..I have a very stripped down rig..Basically the 140, a Tube Screamer, and a '59 Gibsonette, with a Blues Junior as a backup.

The action was perfect when I got it..Hard to believe it is 24 years old..As mentioned earlier, the tuners need replaced, but that's a minor deal.

I think this guitar will hold up very well..I worry about someone stealing it, because it is a "B" Series, but I will have to use it playing out for now because it's the only electric I have..I would use it without a backup..

Haven't had any dealings with Heritage as of yet, but their reputation is excellent.

I've been playig over 35 years, and I also own a '02 Taylor 314-ce, a Fender American P-bass, and a 67 Fender Bassman head, with a 2x12 cabinet..I love this guitar because it reminds me of when Gibson Guitars were tops..The best in the world..Now they are questionable at best, and way over priced..I picked up this H-140 for $1100..and it kicks ass..If it were stolen, First I would cry like a baby, then try like crazy to find another.

1988 The Heritage H-140 les paul type solid thin body electric guitar.
Mahogany with carved maple cap. Single plastic cream binding around top. Some figure. Medium dark faded lacquer amber sunburst.

22 low profile medium/jumbo frets on unbound rosewood fretboard. 24&3/4" Gibson type scale length on solid one-piece mahogany neck with Heritage narrow snakehead headstock with chrome USA pat pending Grover tuning machines.

Two chrome cover Schaller humbuckers with chrome mounting rings.

Chrome Schaller roller bridge. Chrome Schaller heavy tailpiece on stud mounts.

Upper bout pickup selector toggle switch. Two vol pots; two tone pots. Typical les paul setup with thin body and sharp cutaway.

Huge Les Paul sound.
Better sounding than my '02 Gibson Les Paul Studio with 490/498 pickups.
Rounder. Fuller. Better resonant bass plus less nerve-wracking midrange on the Heritage. The Gibson is grittier and resonates in a higher frequency range.

I use it for all styles from straight ahead jazz at resturants to Rock pretensions with a Tech 21 TM 60 amp. I also have a Fender Cyber Deluxe but it stays home mostly. Sounds good with tweed amps too, like Victoria 20112 (tweed Deluxe 5E3 circuit). I've also played it through a Crate BV 120 too, which is a Marshall stack type rig.

This Heritage gets the same massive punch and wallop as any Les Paul I've heard.

People dis these older Schaller pickups and the bridge and tailpiece but the combination on this thinner body just works and works well.

Great grind, and stinging singing leads with no detractions too.

Well made.
20 years old now and has lacquer checking and patina.

The pots all still work fine and the tuning macines and stock hardware and pickups are still functioning well.

There is evidence of a simple fractured headstock repair in the past. The trussrod adjustment still functions.

The frets are holding up fine despite thumbwear on the back of the neck in the first position. Just marks really. Not even divots yet.

The frets are low profile but quite Gibsony feeling. No buzzes or fretting out, and bend quite easily (the frets are still meaty, but don't stick up like railroad ties).

Well used (and evidence of a hard life present) when I bought it.

I'd say it has stood the test of time. It's beat but still functioning and the stock equipment and basic structure is as capable of professional use as the day it left the factory.

I've owned several Heritage archtops over the years and it's rock solid stuff. Built by the Gibson guys who stayed behind.
Same bunch who were building the legendary Gibsons under Ted McCarty's watch in the 50's and 60's (well maybe later than that, but still...).

I spoke with somebody on the phone years ago right at the Parsons Street Kalamazoo Gibson factory (where Heritage now is) about some question I can't even remember now. Probably about a spare pickguard for an Eagle I had or something. They were friendly and informed.

Because of the headstock repair I was able to score this used veteran '88 H-140 for $499, and am quite happy to have it as my main guitar now.
It sounds better than my Gibson Les Paul Studio (which my son mostly uses now). More like a vintage Les Paul Standard.

I like the feel of the neck and fretwork better on the Heritage too. It's just like an old Les Paul (go figure).

If it said Gibson on the headstock people would try to buy it from me for $2,000. It has all the nice (though understated) figured maple features and the lacquer sunburst finish is showing that much sought after vintage checking and aged beauty.

If it had cream surrounds and zebra coils and the "right" shaped cutaway it could be in The Beauty of the Burst book. But it's a Heritage, so gets none of the respect it deserves for being just as good as any Les Paul. Market stuff is too weird. It's just not fair to lump these guitars in with import Les Paul knockoffs. People who know a good guitar when they play it get the deals I guess. You take a bath on resale though. Somebody else already took the bath on this one (maybe several previous owners, except it's still bone stock, which is VERY rare with these).

I've played guitar since 1960 and have always been a Gibson guy at heart, though I've owned other brands too. This guitar appeals to me and seems to me to be the best all around electric guitar I've ever owned for sound and playability. I wish I could say I bought it new, as it's a shame what this guitar looks like its been through. Yet it still works and looks pretty good too, despite its impact craters, nicks, and scars.