This Heritage H-150 P90 features:
- Nitrocellulose Cherry Burst, 9.8 pounds
- Carved curley maple top
- Mahogany back
- Cream binding
- One piece "Soft C" Mahogany set neck, 1-11/16" nut width, 24.75" scale
- Bound Rosewood fretboard, 22 frets, block inlays
- TonePros locking bridge and stop bar
- Bone nut
- Heritage-spec tuners
- Seymour Duncan Vintage P90 pickups (wound on the original Leesona winder from the Parsons Street factory)
- Separate volume and tone controls (CTS pots and Vishay orange drop .022uf caps)
- 3-way pickup switch
- Hardshell case
Gibson introduced the P90 pickup in 1946, and for the record the original Les Paul first came equipped with P90 pickups (the Seth Lover designed humbucker was still a few years away). Often overshadowed by the "PAF" a vintage-spec P-90 has a magical blend of punch, clarity and sparkle. And the Heritage H-150 P90 makes a great platform for the Seymour Duncan Alnico 5 Vintage P90's.
The Heritage H-150 is an unmistakable design that the folks at Heritage have perfected in terms of construction and performance. And like any full thickness non-contoured single cut that has not been "weight relieved" it's on the heavy side. But the compact body shape carries its weight well, and balances nicely on the shoulder . The long tenon neck, ideal headstock pitch and extra thick curly maple top create a perfect recipe for natural resonance and harmonic content. This is a traditional guitar made with traditional materials, and Heritage has optimized the original formula rather than rewriting it.
We have a soft spot for P90 guitars, and their moderate output and excellent clarity allows them to excel in both neck and bridge positions. Neck tones are clean and punchy with a nice top end sweetness, and a much livelier vibe than your typical humbucker. When driven hard they have a creamy character but still retain good definition. The bridge is voiced with a slightly huskier attitude, but still has a glassy top end and balanced midrange. Give it some overdrive and it will rock with the best of them, but with a looser feel and an almost primal grind. It's excellent for blues, roots, indie and classic rock.
Both pickups together produce some of the sweetest and cleanest tones around, and we always urge players to delve into all the possibilities. Good quality electronics help a lot in this regard, and the CTS pots have a nice taper and usable range. P-90's are often at their best when not wide open, so don't be shy twisting those knobs.
The Soft C mahogany neck is approx. .870" at the first fret tapering gently to approx 1.00" at the 12th. The nicely rounded C profile provides good palm support: It's more generous than a Slim 60's neck, and clearly leans towards a late 50's neck profile. The fret finish is low and smooth and the neck binding is a classy touch.
It's no surprise that the H-150 hits the mark, and is a testament to the enduring legacy of Heritage Guitars. Its inspiration and history is obvious, and we're psyched to see the P-90 back in the catalog. For a taste of how the original Les Paul was intended, the Heritage H-150 P90 is an excellent starting point.
