Heritage H-137 Standard II Collection 3 Tone Sunburst 2026 Electric Guitar w/Hardshell Case

Keeping things simple, classic, and highly effective, the newest addition to Heritage’s Standard II Collection is the H-137. Very much in the mold of the iconic “Junior,” the H-137 features all-mahogany construction, a rosewood fretboard, understated appointments, and Heritage’s own Parsons Street Standard humbucker.

With just one pickup, reduced magnetic pull on the strings, and a simple bridge, these single-cut slab guitars deliver terrific resonance and sustain. Nothing rings quite like them, which helps explain why they have been favored by guitar heroes as diverse as Leslie West and Keith Urban. While we have nothing against a wrap bridge, we were initially a little concerned about the non-compensated wraparound tailpiece on the H-137. But this guitar plays wonderfully in tune and checked out spot-on with our Peterson bench meter. Heritage clearly knows what they are doing.

A humbucker in a Junior-style guitar? While we are diehard P-90 fans, a humbucker is the go-to bridge pickup for many players. The in-house Parsons Street Standard humbucker is a moderate-output Alnico 5 pickup measuring about 10K DC resistance, with clean highs, a clear midrange, and plenty of sparkle without sounding sharp or brittle. Given the vast array of gain options available from modern amps and pedals, a pickup with good note articulation and a balanced midrange is often the ticket to great clean and dirty tones—unless, of course, you are chasing ultra-tight metal sounds. The Parsons Street humbucker checks those boxes nicely.

Another neat feature of the H-137 is the push-pull tone control, which offers series operation for the normal humbucker sound and a parallel-coil option. Compared with the more common coil-split approach, the parallel mode is clever and far more useful. Rather than the thin, anemic sound that can come from splitting a humbucker, the parallel setting delivers a sweet, jangly rhythm tone with very little output drop. It is a legitimate second sound that gives the H-137 two distinct voices: rhythm and lead.

Like all Heritage guitars, the H-137 is extremely well crafted and delivers the kind of workmanship and feel that many higher-priced guitars struggle to match. It is also deceptively versatile, and the humbucker’s dual-mode wiring opens the guitar up to a wide range of musical styles. Far more than the sum of its parts, the Heritage H-137 is a top-shelf rendition of a classic, enduring design.

All guitars receive a free pro setup and inspection checklist from UpFront Guitars

The Heritage H-137 features: 

• Mahognany body 8.2 pounds
• 3 tone nitrocellulose lacquer finish
• Mahogany neck
• Approx .810" at the first fret, .890" at the 12th
• 12" radius Rosewood fretboard
• 1-11/16" nut width
• Parsons Street Alnico 5 humbucker, 9.9K DC resistance
• Hand wired CTS Volume and Tone controls
• Heritage hardshell case
• Made in Kalamazoo Michigan

In the words of Heritage:

Stripped back, resonant, and full of attitude, the Heritage Standard II Collection H-137 brings a single-pickup solid body to the Standard II lineup. Crafted at 225 Parsons Street in Kalamazoo, Michigan, it carries Heritage's American-made tradition into a leaner, more direct format built around the wood and a single, expressive voice.

The H-137 features a genuine mahogany body and neck paired with a rosewood fingerboard. With no second pickup routing to interrupt the wood, the solid body resonates more fully, lending a richer tonal character to every note. A new headstock veneer bearing the 'Heritage' logo elevates the aesthetic, while the '60s C neck profile delivers a slim, comfortable shape, inspired by the feel of vintage instruments.

At the bridge sits the Heritage Custom Shop 225 Standard Humbucker, designed and wound entirely in-house at 225 Parsons Street. Built around a 2.5-inch roughcast Alnico 5 magnet and left uncovered, it stays articulate under clean settings and opens up with punch and dynamic range under gain. Series/parallel switching via a push/pull tone pot widens the tonal vocabulary, pulling bright, single-coil-like clarity from a single pickup without the typical volume loss of coil-splitting.