The best “Les Paul” I ever owned was my vintage Tokai LS 120 I traded on my 2003 Gibson Custom Shop R9, which I still have. Also have an R8. And a PRS SC58. And I still want my Tokai back. Only they have gotten ridiculously expensive themselves. Moral of story? Don’t “upgrade” a guitar you love.
Can’t go wrong with any. I have a 2020 Gibson CS 60th anniversary LP and a Heritage H-150. Both are great! I’m glad you guys are giving love to Heritage. They are a small shop of 30 or less employees crafting great guitars!
I specked out my H150 at Jay Wolfe and it's a fantastic guitar. I also have a late 60's LPC an early 70's LPC and a 2004 LPS. Like you I use the Heritage as it sounds great AND stays in tune for the whole night.
Congrats! I played one yesterday and the sound was magical. I hate when people say “Is it really $5k better than Epiphone?!”… it damn well is if you want that magic.
Taking a moment to appreciate how far Lee’s lead and overall playing has come. I watched an old Anderton’s video and it’s night and day. Some tasty tones in that intro
I remember in the early 90s being hyped for PRS because the marketing was hitting all the magazines making them seem like the ultimate guitar ever. I have never found one I liked. Always meh to me. Good guitars quality wise, but blinged out looks and an indistinctive vanilla sound is the way I think of them. I can usually hear a record and know if it is a Strat, Tele, or Les Paul being played. I could not tell a PRS if I heard one on a record. I also remember PRS giving this Lee bloke a really flash guitar trying to get him to use them in videos i guess. Lee went straight back to the Les Paul. I was not so impressed with the brand new Gibson I got last week though. A '61 SG Standard with stop bar. Frets are dead level -- good. Finish is perfect as far as I can tell -- good. Electrics all work -- good. But it plays and sounds like crap, plus the action was set about 4mm above the frets. I do not like the tiny little frets either. I like the neck pickup, but the bridge one has less output than the neck and is kind of dark. Frets were tarnished and dull too. Guitar did not resonate and sustain nice. I think the guitar will come right once I finish messing with the setup etc. If it does I will eventually get bigger frets on it and maybe do something about that bridge pup, otherwise it is not a keeper. That will teach me for believing videos instead of buying in person.
I haven't play any of those and they all sound and look epic but I think props has to go to Heritage for simply keeping the dream alive when the factory left town that gets the style points for me
Personally, I would get the PRS and lower the pickups a smidge. Interesting that they just play full out on volume and tone too. I would like to hear the PRS with volume and tone backed off a bit. I probably will never spend this much money on a guitar but I would lean toward PRS because I think with pickup height adjustment, and tweaking of the knobs; you could get the sounds you want while getting the best built guitar.
I have those exact same LT pickups on my PRS McCarty Hollowbody II and they are surprisingly hot for a low wind - but I lowered them down as far as they go and they sound perfect to my ears.
All three are great guitars, and I would feel fortunate to own any of them. Each has subtle differences in tone, and I’m guessing feel and playability based on your comments. That being said, I agree with Lee that the Gibson sounded the best overall.
I would assume the Gibson has Burstbuckers and the Heritage has Seymour Duncan 59's. The snarl from the Gibson is what people want and expect from a Les Paul BUT as the volume level increases, that snarl at medium volume can become a little trill and that is exactly where the Duncan 59's start to bloom through a big amp.
Definitely! If I was after a Les Paul, I wouldn't save two grand and get a fake, I'd get a stunning Gibson standard and save three grand over the Gibson featured here. And I'm fortunate to be able to say that's what I have. Had a PRS, it was nice but just not a Gibson. If you want the real deal it has to be Gibson surely?
@@ces7515 I have a couple of Gibsons, but I would never buy a guitar just based on the brand or name. Never understood players buying guitars based on resale values or as an investment. That said the 2019 /2020 models have been exceptional in terms of improvements to the quality control and playability ( I have a LPJR and SG vbrola). From what I can see, Heritage have some nice standard models which got me wondering about how they’d compare to the new LP standards. Not sure what a comparative PRS would be in that range.
@@frankmchale2877 You're right, a brand name won't make it sound better, but I was given my standard as a present and all I know it sounds better than my old prs se245 tortoise shell and my Jackson dk2. The Gibson doesn't sound 4 times better which would be the price ratio but better nonetheless and I've just always wanted one! 🎸👍
@@ces7515 There is nothing fake about an original Heritage guitar as they were built in the old Gibson factory by the old Gibson staff on the old Gibson machinery and built just like the classic 50's and 60's guitars. By contrast the new (mid 80's opened) Gibson Nashville plant is modern day mechanized and was initially set up by the owner of what became Heritage Guitars on a short term contract. My understanding is that Gibson Nashville did not retain any of the original Gibson Kalamazoo staff and hired an entire new (low cost) workforce. Gibson Nashville make great guitars (I have two) and Gibson Kalamazoo made great guitars (I have two) but my Heritage H150 is IMHO identical in recipe (if that makes sense) to my Kalamazoo made Gibson's. So my question is which is really the fake the Kalamazoo built Heritage with the factory, staff and machinery which built all those classic originals by hand, or the new computerized Nashville built Gibson's with logs going into a machine one end and complete guitars coming out the other? One has the name but in essence is only a new guitar company with a purchased old "name" on the peg head, while the other has the history and everything apart from that purchased name.
@@chrislaw2957 You seem mistaken on how Gibsons are made - a log doesn't go in one end and a guitar emerge from the other. There are very interesting factory tours on YT that are worth a watch. Also, there's more to the finished product than the machinery and staff. What Heritage wouldn't have, at least initially, are Gibson's contacts and buying power (which influences what woods they can get, for example). Also, just because someone worked on the floor at a given machine doesn't mean they're informed on decisions higher up the chain, including but not limited to things like wood quality and even factory humidity levels. None of this is to say that Heritage makes a bad or even inferior product, but your logic is faulty.
I’ve watched this video dozens of times, not because I’m trying to decide which one I like - I know my favourite. I continue to watch and listen for pure enjoyment of such beautiful electric guitar tones. 3 beautiful instruments.
I've got a PRS McCarty 594 double cut and a vintage Les Paul Custom. There's some overlap but I have absolutely no qualms about owning and using both. I love them. Can't go wrong with either.
As a PRS fanboy I have to say that I thought the Gibson was my favorite sounding - maybe not by a lot, but it was the best. Unfortunately I've never played a Gibson that I bonded with. Between the weight/balance, neck shape, 12" radius, etc., they've never felt comfortable to me. The 594 (doublecut) is the most comfortable guitar I've ever played and sounds close enough that - for me, personally - the sound alone of the Gibson isn't THAT much better to justify choosing it over the PRS.
It had better! With Paul having given Pete one of his personal guitars... I think Paul would jump out of a tree and take him out, Sally Bugs style. 🤣🤣🤣
A Heritage is the closest thing you can truly buy if you want a genuine vintage Gibson. It’s made in the same factory that the golden era Gibsons were made in, on the same machines (not CNC like large brands) by people who actually built them back in the day. They do almost everything in-house, and yet they still manage to charge less than major mass produced brands. I hope more players give them a chance, because their ethos honestly falls in line with what most people claim to want when buying something they’ll cherish for life.
Are they using retro files and sandpaper in Kalamazoo? I'm sorry but they might be in the same building and who knows, maybe they haven't replaced any saws and such. But they are NOT using the same wood and that's the point.
@@nickbarnes8279 So you think the reason a '59 Les Paul sells for around 50k these days is purely nostalgia and not because it's made with American mahogany?
I really love you guys together, this is without a doubt the best personality combination you guys have ever done. You both seem to have so much fun and you both have so much input without stepping on each others toes, it's really fantastic content!
I went to Andertons recently to buy a Les Paul as I sold my Standard years ago and missed it. When I tried the Slash I found the neck huge and the body just got in the way. I ended up with a PRS Core 594 in Tri Burst with the option being the very PRS in this video but wanted some flame. Really chuffed with mine but each to their own! I really noticed the different in the quality of the finishing.
Gibson=profit, its all they really care about these days. PRS= pride, craftsmanship, quality control is leaps and bounds better, top notch tone, tuning stability, top quality tops, perfect fret work, better dried woods , the relentless pursuit of perfection.
I love both PRS and Gibson Les Paul's, neither sounds like the other, but they are both keepers for me. I do think PRS gets you better quality for the money, you have to spend more with Gibson to match PRS quality.
As someone who’s owned all of them over the last 30 years my biggest regret was letting my H150 Grey Tiger stripped go… stupidity.!!!! Shame Hamer don’t exist anymore, because they’re equally as good to PRS and Heritage. Gibson, well, I couldn’t give a*shit anymore… owned 4, save your money and buy an old Samick/Epiphone Korean made, unless you’ve got $1k then find an Edwards, Tokai, Burny, Greco
As an older player, for me there is just something about a Gibson that just makes me gravitate to it even though I currently do not own one. Also Lee ,wow I know everyone is posting this lately but your playing really does sound great . It is obvious that you really have been hitting it hard! Back to topic ,the Gibson does sound best to me but it is a custom shop and not a standard. The PRS looks very close to the S2 McCarty I sold a few months back. I just wasn't able to bond with a PRS even though I have never played a Custom 24 . Never even seen a heritage but know of them. The headstock to me is even uglier than an Epiphone. Good vid though .
you are paying more on the history of the Gibson guitar. Way back so many artists recorded tracks with this guitar but when quality is concerned I would go with the other 2
What surprised me is how the Gibson and the Heritage sounded so different considering they were based on the same basic design. To me the Gibson sounded better, but £2000 better? The PRS of course was more its own thing but I would not be that surprised to see a Pro player having one of each of these guitars for different situation because they all have their own character. Of course the rest of us mere mortals will only ever get to pick one if we can ever really afford that!
In my humble opinion, if you want Gibson Les Paul, there is no point spending money on anything else. If you want great single cut, then brands like Heritage, Eastman etc came into place. Luckily for mortals Epiphones came damn close to OG Les Pauls and came for great money. Heritage is no pocket money brand.
@@stanislavmigra D'Angelico Deluxe Atlantic is also a really nice single cut guitar. Anderton's have some in stock so it would have been great to see one in this comparison.
When I ordered my Heritage H150 from Jay Wolfe you could spec the woods, the neck size and the pickups as well as the binding, finish, bridge etc. I have a late 60's black beauty & an early 70's LP custom and my Heritage sounds just like a late 50's LP. Why? The guys at Heritage were the original guys who built the late 1950's Gibson's. So same guys, same woods, same lacquer, same machinery same factory same production methods etc etc etc. The 1959 shown was built in Nashville on modern machinery by guys who weren't born when the originals were made, so I would ask what is the guitar nearer to the original?
In the beginning Heritage guitars were under a court order to have 13 points of difference from Gibson. The main thing Gibson wanted was to force heritage into using 350k volume pots which loaded down the pickups causing them to sound weak. I put a 1megaohm volume pots in mine and the guitar just screamed. Excellent guitars
@Mark Seymour Well… there is that theory, but I have found that a bright sounding guitar (one that’s too bright for me) can be sweetened by dropping from a 0.022u capacitor to a 0.047u capacitor, while keeping the volume POT wide open. I think guitars need to be judged on their own merit though. Subtle differences and they can all react differently with what you do to them. Fortunately swapping CAP’s to experiment usually costs a few dollars a time and takes seconds to do.
how could Gibson dictate what pots, or any electronics were going to be used in Heritage guitars. i understand the headstock change. that's under Patent, or TM or whatever. but are 250k pots patented by Gibson? are not those same capacity of pots used dozens of other brands too? litigation has been bananas for decades now. Even thought I'm super in love with the Gibson SG Faded i'm not sure if i'll ever get another 'modern' Gibson. i was thinking instead of a birthyear Gibson or Fender I'd see if there is some good 1993 Heritages out there.
Wow i never heard about this process on PRS guitars that helped reduce fade on the guitar color. Its nice that they addressed this issue head-on. This is just another reason why to buy a PRS
That G Chord on the Heritage was straight out of Stone In Love, great sound. The OG always gives that familiar sound, in the same way that a Fender Tele always sounds like the definitive Tele, but the Heritage sounded really musical.
38:31 - Lee is in full sales BS mode. Faults like dye bleed and finish flaws have nothing to do with 'processes', it's down to poor workmanship & QC. I've never seen dye bleed or finish flaws in a Collings, a PRS or a Heritage, but I've rejected so many Gibson CS guitars due to poor workmanship & so many dealers have 'B stock' models that are reduced for factory faults, not shop floor damage. If Gibson could sort their act out, people would buy their CS guitars because of the quality, not in spite of it. I'd love a CS '58 Les Paul but not when I can buy a perfect Collings guitar for less money.
Have played all 3, all nice guitars. My buddy had 2 heritage's and the LP still had something in the upper mids the others don't. PRS PU's tend to be a tad hotter giving a slight lower mid boost
How can PRS “Low Turn” pickups be hotter than Gibson???? I own the 594, I assure you the Low Turn pickups are less output than Gibson!!!! Offering better control with cleans & pedals!! Clearer as well!!! Gave up on Gibson Custom in favor of PRS 594 years ago! Gibson simply does not STAY IN TUNE!!! Gibson LP CUSTOM is heavy 11 lbs, 594 is 8 pounds!
@@jamesnelson1443 Just meant in general over the history of PRS pickups they've been hotter, except maybe the original 57/08's like in my sunburst 22. Yes the newer low turn's are lower output. But magnet also affects output level. The BB's in my R8 measure under 8k on both neck n bridge with a2's so they are pretty low. I got lucky, my LP is only 8.6 lb's and stay's in tune ok but not near like my PRS's. I play the LP rarely, most allway's a PRS. I kinda have an issue when you get a guitar like the R8 and are told " oh just use some lube on the nut " HUH? No lube needed on my PRS. And no matter what tuners u put on the Gibson, the problem is the string angle thru the nut. One thing, I've played many different LP type guitars, even a Heritage and the real LP just has something in the midrange tone none of the others gets.
lol! This is one the best reviews you have done . You’re right, you were speaking like excited ladies that couldn’t stop talking! Great review, because your styles are different it really showed the differences The Heritage has a beautiful fullness in sound. Certainly warrants a second look:)
Gibson, Heritage, PRS. I don't know if it is Paul Reed Smith's pursuit of perfection, but all his guitars have a very flat EQ and even distortion that sounds very vanilla to me. The Gibson has a brightness as well as balls, and the imperfections make it perfect, instead of perfection making it generic.
Paul is a perfect example of a narcissist. Remember when he said that he is the FIRST person to make the perfect single coil pickup for the silversky and NO one can make a single coil as good as him ( Imagine copying a guitar from another company and then shitting on them in your interviews ) . He then goes on about how we took out the ice-pickyness and made the pickups sound balanced which basically translates to " I took the signature bell/chime tone out of a strat pickup and made it into a dull sounding whatever the fuck with scooped mids.
@@bazitube390 you're reaching out your bum to make up stuff that he never said and Paul never berates others he in fact is not a narcissist too he owns many guitars from other brands He is a perfectionist who has a creative vision FOR HIS OWN BRAND and what he strives for it to be and succeed If you cant tell pauls enthusiasm for making perfection from simple blah blah gibson corporation just making another guitar inspired by old When prs makes something of their own it's not trying to be someone else too it's being a prs and by Paul's creative vision of making guitars he thought could be the best for certain people whod love his stuff, he wasn't trying to make the only best guitars in the world be was visoning what doing better could be You say he was being narcissistic saying he made the only best single coil in the world? Bs paul is a great guy and a nice one too and just loves the idea of just making good stuff better and for working musicians who dont want something that can fail, something that can always work in a studio for many purposes it's not just a funk guitar he said, it can do a wife range of genres And paul excessively talks about he proud he is to keep doing new things and innovating in his company and that's called a successful proud company that's called just fun, he wants to make things work and he always is giddy about things being exceptional, rather seeing gibson always be like we are kings we are gibson we bringing rock back! And whoever in a story sees themselves as the hero saving something is a red flag too, they're just Corp crap But Paul you see him as the face of the brand, an incredibly intelligent passionate person about what he does, he's not trashing other brands EITHER! he's not a narcissist 🙄 he's openly passionate and maybe sure may come off that way too you but you're wrong, he's incredibly kind funny smart and loves what he does and isn't trying to copy someone else
@@CocoKoi321 He's also a rude bugger that thinks he's a cut above everyone else.... always steers the conversation to how good and amazing he is.... It gets a bit tiresome in my opinion. I agree with your comments about Gibson - sadly. They need to get some good people back in there. Love my 1970 SG though :)
The nut affects only the open strings - so maybe one of the guitars "liking" an A-chord, the other a G-chord, makes some sense, as 3 different strings are involved in each case.
Would love to have seen this shoot out with them using a “basic” Gibson and not a custom shop I believe there would have been a difference. That being said I think the Gibson sounded the best and my number one is a single cut 594!
Yeah I enjoyed this video but have to say it's a curious choice, because those aren't the guitars that the average person wanting a Les Paul sound will buy. They'll buy a Gibson Standard and for PRS either SE or S2. Those are comparisons I'd love to see
@@fighterx4133 No but I think much of it is just repeated hyperbole. I have 58 guitars of various brands and none stay in tune any better than the next. And that includes all my Floyd Rose guitars. Either way, pretty sure I stated "I've never..." Not, "you've never".
@@joelkratzer4065 on features, yes. IMHO the PRS core plays and definitely sounds better. I repair guitars and my customers rarely ask for PRS cores to be modded, but I've done hundreds of Gibson, S2 and a few Heritage.
@@andrewsrea I’m a tech at a PRS dealer too. You are right. Core > S2 in every way. But they aren’t all that far off is all I’m saying. The LT pups are amazing for sure.
I own a 59 Les Paul, PRS Tremonti...both have their own distinct tone and place in music. But that heritage to me sounded pretty good. I might have to give the heritage a look.
I could watch you and listen to both of you all day. Y’all are my go to for reviews and what’s new. Captain and Tennille. White Chocolate and Danish Cream. My Puff Pastry.
I need Pete to go guitar shopping with me. He seems to always pick the best of the best. His Murphy is the best guitar in this video by far. And obviously the purple Tele is special. Somehow I think even his Silver Sky that he didn't pick out sounds better than others...could just be that he's an amazing player and makes everything sound good
One super specific thing I've noticed is that nothing sounds like the Les Paul on the neck pickup between the ninth and fifteenth frets with the amp mid dialed back a bit. The sweetest and most singing sound on a guitar I've ever heard.
Those Heritage Custom Cores are pretty well priced. My best friend bought a Dirty Lemon Burst one and it is a wonderful guitar. If they make Custom Core 535s with the in-house pickups I might get one of those :)
I have a '55 LP special, '79 LP Custom and an IRW neck PRS Single cut along with 2 Heritage. All delicious, The LP's are chunkier in body and tone, The Heritage are every bit as good, the people up until 2017 were Gibson's Master Luthiers. PRS are exquistely built and play like a dream. Of these 3 the H-150 is the sweetest.
I really love what Heritage have done with this new line. I do wish they went for some un-potted pickups to make even more "vintage". In terms of a '59 "clone", the Maybach Lester with the Amber Spirit of '59 pickups does a brilliant job of getting that "woody" vintage tone (similar to Pete's Custom Shop does). Check out the Doug & Pat show doing a pickup shootout of the Ambers vs their real '58. Class video guys, cheers!
+1 on the Doug and Pat Show. What sets their videos apart for me is their humour, and that they have an actual '58 ("Oscar") and an actual '60 ("Jayne") as benchmarks for comparison. It's worth remembering that the idea behind their videos was to see if it was possible to approach the sound of a vintage Les Paul by upgrading the pickups on an affordable single cut. What did they use as the test bed guitar? A 1994 Heritage H150... They had a specific idea of the sound they were chasing - Billy Gibbons' "Pearly Gates" on the first ZZ Top album. Also important was using a vintage Vox AC10 (most of the time) with no effects - the guitars were plugged straight in. They did several pickup shootouts with boutique pickups from a wide variety winders, including in the second show some Bare Knuckle Stormy Mondays (which came out very well). Full disclosure - my main guitar is a 1998 H150 with BK Stormy Mondays... Here's a link to their first show. Enjoy! ua-cam.com/video/Tl6mw6OSifc/v-deo.html
I recently bought a '21 1950s Les Paul Standard, a PRS DGT 'hog standard and a PRS McCarty... the Gibson was promptly returned bc it didn't hold a candle to the others
So what you are saying is that the original four owners at Heritage, who before 1985 were Gibson senior shop floor management, who built the original 50's & 60's bursts, aren't as good as the post 85 staff at the new Nashville site? That must make the original bursts worthless?
@@benallmark9671 If you check out Matt Schofield in the clip below that guitar is a Tokai. ua-cam.com/video/Yfi9fKpm3yU/v-deo.html IMHO there is no reason why an Epi (properly set up) wouldn't sound or feel as good as the real deal 59 reissue with maybe just a pickup change and strings for personal preference. Guitars are just a paintbrush and it is the player who makes all the difference NOT the guitar, so someone like Bonamassa could play a show with a well set up Epiphone and sound spot on. BUT (and it's the big but) there is also the aesthetics of a show where you expect your hero to play "the real thing" and your hero knows that and obliges. Then there's your aspiration that you will become a better player with "the real thing" and we all know that won't happen. Lets take two original Gibson players. Santana & Tom Johnston who now both play PRS. Do they sound that different to their 70's recordings using old Gibson's, no of course they don't. A guitar is just a paintbrush and it doesn't matter if you have the most expensive paintbrush in the world you will never become Leonardo da Vinci with it.
I have both a 50s standard and an H150 Custom Core, and while the 50s Standard is an excellent instrument (don’t shit on Gibson unless you’ve gotten to this tier of their builds), the custom core H150 is just a different instrument and I love it more than my gibson. The nut is cut perfectly and it stays in tune really well.
I wonder if the blind fold test was done straight away if the results would be different? Pete would have remembered what the necks felt like. Awesome playing by both as always! Love the videos.
Excellent comment. If you really think about a new Omega Seamaster, the workmanship, look and styling is amazing just like the PRS. I agree with your comments.
That was interesting! I think I learned 2 things. Pete is a really great player, commentary, not so much. As for the 6 guitars they played (Lee's R8, 594 and Pete's Murphy LP included), it's what your left hand feels and what comes out of the wire that is most important. Or, how it plays and sounds, to the player! It's a tool to get the sound in your head. It's a plus that it looks nice. But I'm spending my $$ for tone first and playability. Your going to spend a lot of time with it and you have to love both! Sorry for the long comment 8( It's a high $$ purchase. 8) JMHO --gary
Having all three, I know what sounds best in my hands...the Heritage. But I think the Gibson sounded best in Lee's and the Heritage in Pete's. Just goes to show you, one must play the guitar to really figure out what fits them best.
I really want a blindfold test with DP's Murphy LP and 4 others M2M replicas - see if he can find his guitar! He has to keep whatever he ends up choosing! :O
@@bherward: if you've owned or played both frequently, the difference is easy to tell just in smell and difference in the feel of the neck glosses. That's why these are so easily 'sniffed out' by Chappers in past videos all these years.
I bought a Gibson 2019 Les Paul HP because of Andertons reviews, loved it so much, I bought a second! I recently purchased a PRS 594 Wood Library and it's perfect in looks! I still like the feel and sound of both Gibson's over the pricier PRS, and I'd buy another Gibson! I had no knowledge of Heritage before, and it seems like a good brand, but for the Heritage price, I think I'd prefer a Gibson Standard!
I have never played a custom shop LP or a Heritage. I fell in love with a McCarty 594 and had to have it. I always wanted a 59 reissue Gibson but the PRS took away any want for the Gibson.
@@ryanstark2350 I also own several Heritage guitars. $1200 will buy you a killer used H535 or H150. Pure quality and sound. PRS is nice but I think they are trendy and cost a lot.
I sold my CS '59 /'58, and converted my early Heritage H150 to Gibson Headstock/ hardware/ Knobs after a/b demos over time .I even installed Seymour Duncan's Bonnamossa '59's and it's top notch ,I've less than 2 grand invested in it .
I own both. Neck profile is thinner on the Eastman. Flame top is better on my Heritage H-150. They both play great. No complaints on the build quality of either guitar. I owned my Eastman first. No way I would sell either of them. Maybe I will own a Les Paul some day. Prices have gone nuts though.
Years ago I had a Gibson Les Paul "Special" (equipped with mini humbucker pickups). It was a great guitar and the pickups had a focused sound - I subsequently traded it for another guitar. Recently I purchased a Heritage H150 - it is a fantastic guitar and plays and sounds great!
The main difference between the Gibby and the Heritage in the sound is probably due to the Heritage pups being wax potted and the Gibson not. I've had a Custom Core for a couple of months now I was between that and an R9 and the Heritage won, and I got to keep an extra $2000 in my pocket. That'll cover a nylon nut and some Throbaks or Wizz pups, if you want. Bucket list guitar for me. Edwin Wilson who used to head the Gibson Historic dept before Henry forced him out is now head of R&D at Heritage.
I also bought a custom core, I might just for giggles buy another one and put in some Throbaks for monty's just to compare but these guitars are the real deal.
I'm sure the heritage is made better than the gibson and the prs is a damn good guitar but people still want the name and it will always hold its value
Give a modern Custom Shop Gibson a try is all I’d say. Then tell me that there’s anything wrong with the way it’s made 🤷🏼♂️ Don’t just believe the hype about Gibson QC issues… to whatever extent it was actually true (in my view and experience it was quite seriously overstated) it wasn’t true of the Custom Shop Historics/Reissues and certainly isn’t true today.
@@Philtration yeah, they have, but there’s quite a substantial jump from a Gibson USA guitar to a Custom Shop one never mind from an Epiphone. I know it’s not convenient but more expensive guitars do tend to be better overall… it’s the same with almost everything in life I’m afraid. Doesn’t mean there’s anything “wrong” with an Epiphone and we each have to make our choices as to what represents the best value for us personally.
@@pads-zr9ln naturally. The Strat (and indeed the Tele) are inherently simpler and easier to build guitars made with traditionally cheaper woods - it was one of the core considerations of Leo’s original design.
They all sounded quite different to my ear clean. The LP sounds like a LP should, what is expected. The other two sound great, but don't have the same LP tone we all expect. The Heritage to my ear sounded great, maybe a more versatile guitar, the PRS sounded like a PRS, which is more different than the other two. I have owned a couple of LPs, and several PRS guitars. Build quality I would put PRS 1st, Heritage 2nd, Gibson 3rd. But if you want that classic LP sound, buy the LP.
Even though they’re all great guitars I’d have to choose Prs. I think the overall quality and stability would be better. The amount of research and effort the very passionate Paul has put into it says a lot.
Yeah... there's that for sure... the tuning issues, etc with an LP... but ultimately it comes down to "tone" for most players... and though I don't have an LP... if money was no object... it would be a Gibson LP all day long... it's just such a subjective thing! 😎✌️
@@MusicTherapyLaz Heritage's don't have the same tuning issues as Gibson, because of the head stock. Its the superior Les Paul it just doesn't have the name all the fan boys clamor for.
@@MusicTherapyLaz Ive been playing Gibsons for 30 years and I always have a laugh when I read this. I can literally play 3 sets with my Les Paul, checking tuning between every song and it doesn't deviate at all. If you're having tuning issues, it's the operator, not the guitar.
@@BlackCatBonz I never understood people with Les Pauls and tuning issues. I’ve got 4 Les Pauls and they hold tune almost as well as my double locked Floyd Rose equipped ESP guitars. They rarely go out of tune. Even under heavy playing. I’m with you. User malfunction.
The best “Les Paul” I ever owned was my vintage Tokai LS 120 I traded on my 2003 Gibson Custom Shop R9, which I still have. Also have an R8. And a PRS SC58. And I still want my Tokai back. Only they have gotten ridiculously expensive themselves. Moral of story? Don’t “upgrade” a guitar you love.
Can’t go wrong with any. I have a 2020 Gibson CS 60th anniversary LP and a Heritage H-150. Both are great! I’m glad you guys are giving love to Heritage. They are a small shop of 30 or less employees crafting great guitars!
I have a Heritage and a 58 Gibson custom shop. When I play live 9 times out of 10 I use the heritage. I enjoyed this video 👍
I specked out my H150 at Jay Wolfe and it's a fantastic guitar. I also have a late 60's LPC an early 70's LPC and a 2004 LPS. Like you I use the Heritage as it sounds great AND stays in tune for the whole night.
Bought the 59 on sunday.... just makes me smile every time I pick it up or look at it.
The literal one from the video or the same model?
@@bennunes967 That guitar... yes.. I can tell by the small dark mark on the body.
@@bennunes967 I meant 58... !!!
@@danbrown4772wow! that's so awesome. You're a lucky guy! It sounds fantastic.
Congrats! I played one yesterday and the sound was magical. I hate when people say “Is it really $5k better than Epiphone?!”… it damn well is if you want that magic.
Taking a moment to appreciate how far Lee’s lead and overall playing has come.
I watched an old Anderton’s video and it’s night and day.
Some tasty tones in that intro
Check out the Sire guitars demo. Lee makes that Sire strat sing
Yea he has really gotten good on guitar the past several years. But look at the teachers he’s had, top notch instruction.
Lee’s playing is getting ridiculous... he seems like a totally different guitarist now!
I just watched another Andertons video and thought the exact thing, Lee is getting his chops right nicely
You can really hear his progress over time, very inspiring.
I was just about to say the same thing. Persistence pays off.
I’m only on the intro jam, the Gibson just has “the thing”
💯 🙌
Yeah, it's called 'tone', I don't rate the heritage or prs tbh
Totally agree! The new ‘59 reissues are incredible.
I remember in the early 90s being hyped for PRS because the marketing was hitting all the magazines making them seem like the ultimate guitar ever. I have never found one I liked. Always meh to me. Good guitars quality wise, but blinged out looks and an indistinctive vanilla sound is the way I think of them. I can usually hear a record and know if it is a Strat, Tele, or Les Paul being played. I could not tell a PRS if I heard one on a record.
I also remember PRS giving this Lee bloke a really flash guitar trying to get him to use them in videos i guess. Lee went straight back to the Les Paul.
I was not so impressed with the brand new Gibson I got last week though. A '61 SG Standard with stop bar. Frets are dead level -- good. Finish is perfect as far as I can tell -- good. Electrics all work -- good. But it plays and sounds like crap, plus the action was set about 4mm above the frets. I do not like the tiny little frets either. I like the neck pickup, but the bridge one has less output than the neck and is kind of dark. Frets were tarnished and dull too. Guitar did not resonate and sustain nice.
I think the guitar will come right once I finish messing with the setup etc. If it does I will eventually get bigger frets on it and maybe do something about that bridge pup, otherwise it is not a keeper.
That will teach me for believing videos instead of buying in person.
It’s the Gibson pickups that have that SIGNATURE Gibson sound.
I haven't play any of those and they all sound and look epic but I think props has to go to Heritage for simply keeping the dream alive when the factory left town that gets the style points for me
Personally, I would get the PRS and lower the pickups a smidge. Interesting that they just play full out on volume and tone too. I would like to hear the PRS with volume and tone backed off a bit. I probably will never spend this much money on a guitar but I would lean toward PRS because I think with pickup height adjustment, and tweaking of the knobs; you could get the sounds you want while getting the best built guitar.
Agreed. Every PRS (including mine) sounds a little harsh to me until the tone is rolled off just a touch.
No! I think raise the pickups and lower the volume right down to 3 or 4. Agreed that the PRS is too HUGE when on high volume. Worked on my PRS.
I have those exact same LT pickups on my PRS McCarty Hollowbody II and they are surprisingly hot for a low wind - but I lowered them down as far as they go and they sound perfect to my ears.
@@OccamsEraserhead I have the 594 with lt's and the 58/15tm and love them both.
True
Best smelling guitar goes to the Gibson
yeah it's all part of Gibson's new "aroma" range
ever opended a crisp Heritage case tho???
Tonesmells.
i want a beard butter that smells like my lp
Yum. Vanilla. Yep.
All three are great guitars, and I would feel fortunate to own any of them. Each has subtle differences in tone, and I’m guessing feel and playability based on your comments. That being said, I agree with Lee that the Gibson sounded the best overall.
I agree with you 💯 %
And it has to... it's the most expensive one... 😅
I would assume the Gibson has Burstbuckers and the Heritage has Seymour Duncan 59's. The snarl from the Gibson is what people want and expect from a Les Paul BUT as the volume level increases, that snarl at medium volume can become a little trill and that is exactly where the Duncan 59's start to bloom through a big amp.
Pete has the Midas touch. Every guitar he picks up, the tone turns to gold.
Would like to see this done again but with the standard models.
Definitely! If I was after a Les Paul, I wouldn't save two grand and get a fake, I'd get a stunning Gibson standard and save three grand over the Gibson featured here. And I'm fortunate to be able to say that's what I have. Had a PRS, it was nice but just not a Gibson. If you want the real deal it has to be Gibson surely?
@@ces7515 I have a couple of Gibsons, but I would never buy a guitar just based on the brand or name. Never understood players buying guitars based on resale values or as an investment. That said the 2019 /2020 models have been exceptional in terms of improvements to the quality control and playability ( I have a LPJR and SG vbrola). From what I can see, Heritage have some nice standard models which got me wondering about how they’d compare to the new LP standards. Not sure what a comparative PRS would be in that range.
@@frankmchale2877 You're right, a brand name won't make it sound better, but I was given my standard as a present and all I know it sounds better than my old prs se245 tortoise shell and my Jackson dk2. The Gibson doesn't sound 4 times better which would be the price ratio but better nonetheless and I've just always wanted one! 🎸👍
@@ces7515 There is nothing fake about an original Heritage guitar as they were built in the old Gibson factory by the old Gibson staff on the old Gibson machinery and built just like the classic 50's and 60's guitars. By contrast the new (mid 80's opened) Gibson Nashville plant is modern day mechanized and was initially set up by the owner of what became Heritage Guitars on a short term contract. My understanding is that Gibson Nashville did not retain any of the original Gibson Kalamazoo staff and hired an entire new (low cost) workforce. Gibson Nashville make great guitars (I have two) and Gibson Kalamazoo made great guitars (I have two) but my Heritage H150 is IMHO identical in recipe (if that makes sense) to my Kalamazoo made Gibson's. So my question is which is really the fake the Kalamazoo built Heritage with the factory, staff and machinery which built all those classic originals by hand, or the new computerized Nashville built Gibson's with logs going into a machine one end and complete guitars coming out the other? One has the name but in essence is only a new guitar company with a purchased old "name" on the peg head, while the other has the history and everything apart from that purchased name.
@@chrislaw2957 You seem mistaken on how Gibsons are made - a log doesn't go in one end and a guitar emerge from the other. There are very interesting factory tours on YT that are worth a watch. Also, there's more to the finished product than the machinery and staff. What Heritage wouldn't have, at least initially, are Gibson's contacts and buying power (which influences what woods they can get, for example). Also, just because someone worked on the floor at a given machine doesn't mean they're informed on decisions higher up the chain, including but not limited to things like wood quality and even factory humidity levels.
None of this is to say that Heritage makes a bad or even inferior product, but your logic is faulty.
I’ve watched this video dozens of times, not because I’m trying to decide which one I like - I know my favourite. I continue to watch and listen for pure enjoyment of such beautiful electric guitar tones. 3 beautiful instruments.
The “you said maybe” joke while Captain was ‘playing an open G chord was sublime, Pete! 💯
During the jam at the end the PRS really cut through for leads better than the other guitars... Interesting.
I've got a PRS McCarty 594 double cut and a vintage Les Paul Custom. There's some overlap but I have absolutely no qualms about owning and using both. I love them. Can't go wrong with either.
👍 Why choose one when you can have both?
As a PRS fanboy I have to say that I thought the Gibson was my favorite sounding - maybe not by a lot, but it was the best. Unfortunately I've never played a Gibson that I bonded with. Between the weight/balance, neck shape, 12" radius, etc., they've never felt comfortable to me. The 594 (doublecut) is the most comfortable guitar I've ever played and sounds close enough that - for me, personally - the sound alone of the Gibson isn't THAT much better to justify choosing it over the PRS.
I'm a PRS fanboy. But Gibson LP has the ultimate LP tone.
Went the comments hoping people felt like me ....Gibson's tone has the edge here imo
I really like how you guys hyped this episode a bit before releasing it. It gave me something to look forward to! Sending love from Australia.
My favourite single cuts are a Nik Huber, 59 Orca, a Macon (Patrick James Eggle) and Smitty Guitars, Classic 59.
Is Eggle still making guitars?
@@ImpostorModanica. Yes! and they get ever better and more refined. World guitars UK and Peach guitars get a selection but they sell so quickly.
The Heritage sounded best with Capt. Lee playing it and The PRS sounded best with DP playing.
It had better! With Paul having given Pete one of his personal guitars... I think Paul would jump out of a tree and take him out, Sally Bugs style. 🤣🤣🤣
A Heritage is the closest thing you can truly buy if you want a genuine vintage Gibson.
It’s made in the same factory that the golden era Gibsons were made in, on the same machines (not CNC like large brands) by people who actually built them back in the day. They do almost everything in-house, and yet they still manage to charge less than major mass produced brands.
I hope more players give them a chance, because their ethos honestly falls in line with what most people claim to want when buying something they’ll cherish for life.
Are they using retro files and sandpaper in Kalamazoo? I'm sorry but they might be in the same building and who knows, maybe they haven't replaced any saws and such. But they are NOT using the same wood and that's the point.
They are incredible
@@kevinbillingsley8256wood has been shown repeatedly to mean fuck all on electric guitars in terms of tone lol
@@nickbarnes8279 So you think the reason a '59 Les Paul sells for around 50k these days is purely nostalgia and not because it's made with American mahogany?
@kevinbillingsley8256 mahogany doesn’t grow in America…
@21:40 the H150 is my personal favorite. that thing sounds amazing
The PRS that was given to the captain, is my favorite. That flame top is one of the sickest book matches I’ve seen. SO jealous.
Cool!! I don't think theres another video i have been waiting for as much as this one😳
These guys do great content time after time. Great video 👍
I really love you guys together, this is without a doubt the best personality combination you guys have ever done. You both seem to have so much fun and you both have so much input without stepping on each others toes, it's really fantastic content!
I went to Andertons recently to buy a Les Paul as I sold my Standard years ago and missed it. When I tried the Slash I found the neck huge and the body just got in the way. I ended up with a PRS Core 594 in Tri Burst with the option being the very PRS in this video but wanted some flame. Really chuffed with mine but each to their own! I really noticed the different in the quality of the finishing.
PRS is Top Shelf!
Gibson=profit, its all they really care about these days.
PRS= pride, craftsmanship, quality control is leaps and bounds better, top notch tone, tuning stability, top quality tops, perfect fret work, better dried woods , the relentless pursuit of perfection.
I love both PRS and Gibson Les Paul's, neither sounds like the other, but they are both keepers for me. I do think PRS gets you better quality for the money, you have to spend more with Gibson to match PRS quality.
As someone who’s owned all of them over the last 30 years my biggest regret was letting my H150 Grey Tiger stripped go… stupidity.!!!! Shame Hamer don’t exist anymore, because they’re equally as good to PRS and Heritage.
Gibson, well, I couldn’t give a*shit anymore… owned 4, save your money and buy an old Samick/Epiphone Korean made, unless you’ve got $1k then find an Edwards, Tokai, Burny, Greco
Really impressed by the Captain's playing lately. The lessons are paying off! Oh, the Les Paul is the winner in this challenge.
Great job as always, I always enjoy the Gibson and Gibson like vids!
Could you do the same with the Studio vs SE vs etc. level too?
PRS 594 all day.. I have both the sc 10 top Mccarty sunburst and artist dc yellow tiger, and have since sold all my gibsons.
PRS easy pick & you have the best color, imo. I do too.
As an older player, for me there is just something about a Gibson that just makes me gravitate to it even though I currently do not own one. Also Lee ,wow I know everyone is posting this lately but your playing really does sound great . It is obvious that you really have been hitting it hard! Back to topic ,the Gibson does sound best to me but it is a custom shop and not a standard. The PRS looks very close to the S2 McCarty I sold a few months back. I just wasn't able to bond with a PRS even though I have never played a Custom 24 . Never even seen a heritage but know of them. The headstock to me is even uglier than an Epiphone. Good vid though .
you are paying more on the history of the Gibson guitar. Way back so many artists recorded tracks with this guitar but when quality is concerned I would go with the other 2
Personally I would take the PRS 594, but in double cut form. Just saying. The better upper fret access is worth any trade off in my opinion.
What surprised me is how the Gibson and the Heritage sounded so different considering they were based on the same basic design. To me the Gibson sounded better, but £2000 better? The PRS of course was more its own thing but I would not be that surprised to see a Pro player having one of each of these guitars for different situation because they all have their own character. Of course the rest of us mere mortals will only ever get to pick one if we can ever really afford that!
In my humble opinion, if you want Gibson Les Paul, there is no point spending money on anything else. If you want great single cut, then brands like Heritage, Eastman etc came into place.
Luckily for mortals Epiphones came damn close to OG Les Pauls and came for great money. Heritage is no pocket money brand.
@@stanislavmigra D'Angelico Deluxe Atlantic is also a really nice single cut guitar. Anderton's have some in stock so it would have been great to see one in this comparison.
Swap the pickups between them and they will sound exactly like each other.
@@mdeerocks6792 nope
When I ordered my Heritage H150 from Jay Wolfe you could spec the woods, the neck size and the pickups as well as the binding, finish, bridge etc. I have a late 60's black beauty & an early 70's LP custom and my Heritage sounds just like a late 50's LP. Why? The guys at Heritage were the original guys who built the late 1950's Gibson's. So same guys, same woods, same lacquer, same machinery same factory same production methods etc etc etc. The 1959 shown was built in Nashville on modern machinery by guys who weren't born when the originals were made, so I would ask what is the guitar nearer to the original?
We love to hear you two talking between playing. This video is awesome, I think I want a heritage NOW...
In the beginning Heritage guitars were under a court order to have 13 points of difference from Gibson. The main thing Gibson wanted was to force heritage into using 350k volume pots which loaded down the pickups causing them to sound weak. I put a 1megaohm volume pots in mine and the guitar just screamed. Excellent guitars
That's good to know. 👍
@Mark Seymour Well… there is that theory, but I have found that a bright sounding guitar (one that’s too bright for me) can be sweetened by dropping from a 0.022u capacitor to a 0.047u capacitor, while keeping the volume POT wide open. I think guitars need to be judged on their own merit though. Subtle differences and they can all react differently with what you do to them. Fortunately swapping CAP’s to experiment usually costs a few dollars a time and takes seconds to do.
Leon, I’m building a kit les Paul and want to upgrade the switch and pots. Pots are 500k now. Recommendations?
how could Gibson dictate what pots, or any electronics were going to be used in Heritage guitars. i understand the headstock change. that's under Patent, or TM or whatever. but are 250k pots patented by Gibson? are not those same capacity of pots used dozens of other brands too? litigation has been bananas for decades now. Even thought I'm super in love with the Gibson SG Faded i'm not sure if i'll ever get another 'modern' Gibson. i was thinking instead of a birthyear Gibson or Fender I'd see if there is some good 1993 Heritages out there.
Wow i never heard about this process on PRS guitars that helped reduce fade on the guitar color. Its nice that they addressed this issue head-on. This is just another reason why to buy a PRS
Its amazing how different hands can produce different sounds with same guitar
That G Chord on the Heritage was straight out of Stone In Love, great sound. The OG always gives that familiar sound, in the same way that a Fender Tele always sounds like the definitive Tele, but the Heritage sounded really musical.
Been waiting for this one!
38:31 - Lee is in full sales BS mode. Faults like dye bleed and finish flaws have nothing to do with 'processes', it's down to poor workmanship & QC. I've never seen dye bleed or finish flaws in a Collings, a PRS or a Heritage, but I've rejected so many Gibson CS guitars due to poor workmanship & so many dealers have 'B stock' models that are reduced for factory faults, not shop floor damage. If Gibson could sort their act out, people would buy their CS guitars because of the quality, not in spite of it. I'd love a CS '58 Les Paul but not when I can buy a perfect Collings guitar for less money.
Have played all 3, all nice guitars. My buddy had 2 heritage's and the LP still had something in the upper mids the others don't. PRS PU's tend to be a tad hotter giving a slight lower mid boost
How can PRS “Low Turn” pickups be hotter than Gibson????
I own the 594, I assure you the Low Turn pickups are less output than Gibson!!!! Offering better control with cleans & pedals!! Clearer as well!!!
Gave up on Gibson Custom in favor of PRS 594 years ago! Gibson simply does not STAY IN TUNE!!! Gibson LP CUSTOM is heavy 11 lbs, 594 is 8 pounds!
@@jamesnelson1443 Just meant in general over the history of PRS pickups they've been hotter, except maybe the original 57/08's like in my sunburst 22. Yes the newer low turn's are lower output. But magnet also affects output level. The BB's in my R8 measure under 8k on both neck n bridge with a2's so they are pretty low. I got lucky, my LP is only 8.6 lb's and stay's in tune ok but not near like my PRS's. I play the LP rarely, most allway's a PRS. I kinda have an issue when you get a guitar like the R8 and are told " oh just use some lube on the nut " HUH? No lube needed on my PRS. And no matter what tuners u put on the Gibson, the problem is the string angle thru the nut. One thing, I've played many different LP type guitars, even a Heritage and the real LP just has something in the midrange tone none of the others gets.
lol! This is one the best reviews you have done . You’re right, you were speaking like excited ladies that couldn’t stop talking!
Great review, because your styles are different it really showed the differences
The Heritage has a beautiful fullness in sound.
Certainly warrants a second look:)
Gibson, Heritage, PRS. I don't know if it is Paul Reed Smith's pursuit of perfection, but all his guitars have a very flat EQ and even distortion that sounds very vanilla to me. The Gibson has a brightness as well as balls, and the imperfections make it perfect, instead of perfection making it generic.
Paul is a perfect example of a narcissist. Remember when he said that he is the FIRST person to make the perfect single coil pickup for the silversky and NO one can make a single coil as good as him ( Imagine copying a guitar from another company and then shitting on them in your interviews ) . He then goes on about how we took out the ice-pickyness and made the pickups sound balanced which basically translates to " I took the signature bell/chime tone out of a strat pickup and made it into a dull sounding whatever the fuck with scooped mids.
@@bazitube390 you're reaching out your bum to make up stuff that he never said and Paul never berates others he in fact is not a narcissist too he owns many guitars from other brands
He is a perfectionist who has a creative vision FOR HIS OWN BRAND and what he strives for it to be and succeed
If you cant tell pauls enthusiasm for making perfection from simple blah blah gibson corporation just making another guitar inspired by old
When prs makes something of their own it's not trying to be someone else too it's being a prs and by Paul's creative vision of making guitars he thought could be the best for certain people whod love his stuff, he wasn't trying to make the only best guitars in the world be was visoning what doing better could be
You say he was being narcissistic saying he made the only best single coil in the world? Bs paul is a great guy and a nice one too and just loves the idea of just making good stuff better and for working musicians who dont want something that can fail, something that can always work in a studio for many purposes it's not just a funk guitar he said, it can do a wife range of genres
And paul excessively talks about he proud he is to keep doing new things and innovating in his company and that's called a successful proud company that's called just fun, he wants to make things work and he always is giddy about things being exceptional, rather seeing gibson always be like we are kings we are gibson we bringing rock back! And whoever in a story sees themselves as the hero saving something is a red flag too, they're just Corp crap
But Paul you see him as the face of the brand, an incredibly intelligent passionate person about what he does, he's not trashing other brands EITHER! he's not a narcissist 🙄 he's openly passionate and maybe sure may come off that way too you but you're wrong, he's incredibly kind funny smart and loves what he does and isn't trying to copy someone else
@Vic Right on the point !
@@CocoKoi321 He's also a rude bugger that thinks he's a cut above everyone else.... always steers the conversation to how good and amazing he is.... It gets a bit tiresome in my opinion. I agree with your comments about Gibson - sadly. They need to get some good people back in there. Love my 1970 SG though :)
@@GreatbarrierislandtourismCoNz Sounds like someone's got a personal vendetta more than things based on facts.
As much as I love the "crunch", I just love the mix of the two pickups together so much more
Gibson gets the prize. And that's something I really didn't expect or want to conclude....
I've always loved hearing you guys blab on, keep it up
The nut affects only the open strings - so maybe one of the guitars "liking" an A-chord, the other a G-chord, makes some sense, as 3 different strings are involved in each case.
Glad somebody else finally mentioned that the nut only affects OPEN strings, Thank You!
Would love to have seen this shoot out with them using a “basic” Gibson and not a custom shop I believe there would have been a difference. That being said I think the Gibson sounded the best and my number one is a single cut 594!
Yeah I enjoyed this video but have to say it's a curious choice, because those aren't the guitars that the average person wanting a Les Paul sound will buy. They'll buy a Gibson Standard and for PRS either SE or S2. Those are comparisons I'd love to see
@@RichardWhite86 yeah, I would love a PRS S2 vs LP Standard/Classic/Traditional
Hate saying this, but gibson took the prize clearly, sounds HUGE
Yup. And Gibson would have been last pick. Who knew!
They sound amazing when they stay in tune
@@fighterx4133 Yeah I've never had a tuning issue with any Gibson. All guitars need a proper set up.
@@wiseguy9202 so you can speak for all gibson owners then huh? It's a design flaw in break angle and not coming with locking tuners.
@@fighterx4133 No but I think much of it is just repeated hyperbole. I have 58 guitars of various brands and none stay in tune any better than the next. And that includes all my Floyd Rose guitars.
Either way, pretty sure I stated "I've never..." Not, "you've never".
I think 21:03 pretty much sums it up. Just my opinion of course (Well and the Captain's)
It would be interesting to see a shoot-out with each of the same company's 'standard' model.
I can’t imagine PRS being beat then. The S2 and core are just so similar.
@@joelkratzer4065 on features, yes. IMHO the PRS core plays and definitely sounds better. I repair guitars and my customers rarely ask for PRS cores to be modded, but I've done hundreds of Gibson, S2 and a few Heritage.
@@andrewsrea I’m a tech at a PRS dealer too. You are right. Core > S2 in every way. But they aren’t all that far off is all I’m saying. The LT pups are amazing for sure.
@@joelkratzer4065 agree. I have built my own design pups for 20 years and have them in19 of my guitars. My 1992 CE24 and 2003 McCarty are best stock.
I own a 59 Les Paul, PRS Tremonti...both have their own distinct tone and place in music. But that heritage to me sounded pretty good. I might have to give the heritage a look.
The Les Paul still remains the king of tone!
Nah, the PRS was the best sounding one.
Agree. It smoked the other two. But the Heritage was nice.
I could watch you and listen to both of you all day. Y’all are my go to for reviews and what’s new. Captain and Tennille. White Chocolate and Danish Cream. My Puff Pastry.
Wow Lee's soloing is on fire! Love his phrasing!
That a killer intro jam. All of the guitars sound terrific. I am not sure you could go wrong with any.
Gibson, Heritage then PRS for me
Just love these challenges! I couldn't tell them apart, but UA-cam does not allow us to smell the nitro nor feel the lacquer. Top job chaps!
I need Pete to go guitar shopping with me. He seems to always pick the best of the best. His Murphy is the best guitar in this video by far. And obviously the purple Tele is special. Somehow I think even his Silver Sky that he didn't pick out sounds better than others...could just be that he's an amazing player and makes everything sound good
One super specific thing I've noticed is that nothing sounds like the Les Paul on the neck pickup between the ninth and fifteenth frets with the amp mid dialed back a bit. The sweetest and most singing sound on a guitar I've ever heard.
heritage best one for me
I have Hamer Monaco Elite USA, and i very satisfied. Amazing instrument!
Those Heritage Custom Cores are pretty well priced. My best friend bought a Dirty Lemon Burst one and it is a wonderful guitar. If they make Custom Core 535s with the in-house pickups I might get one of those :)
Contact them, the custom shop will do what you want if you are willing to pay.
I have a '55 LP special, '79 LP Custom and an IRW neck PRS Single cut along with 2 Heritage.
All delicious, The LP's are chunkier in body and tone, The Heritage are every bit as good, the people up until 2017 were Gibson's Master Luthiers. PRS are exquistely built and play like a dream. Of these 3 the H-150 is the sweetest.
I really love what Heritage have done with this new line. I do wish they went for some un-potted pickups to make even more "vintage". In terms of a '59 "clone", the Maybach Lester with the Amber Spirit of '59 pickups does a brilliant job of getting that "woody" vintage tone (similar to Pete's Custom Shop does). Check out the Doug & Pat show doing a pickup shootout of the Ambers vs their real '58. Class video guys, cheers!
+1 on the Doug and Pat Show. What sets their videos apart for me is their humour, and that they have an actual '58 ("Oscar") and an actual '60 ("Jayne") as benchmarks for comparison. It's worth remembering that the idea behind their videos was to see if it was possible to approach the sound of a vintage Les Paul by upgrading the pickups on an affordable single cut. What did they use as the test bed guitar? A 1994 Heritage H150...
They had a specific idea of the sound they were chasing - Billy Gibbons' "Pearly Gates" on the first ZZ Top album. Also important was using a vintage Vox AC10 (most of the time) with no effects - the guitars were plugged straight in. They did several pickup shootouts with boutique pickups from a wide variety winders, including in the second show some Bare Knuckle Stormy Mondays (which came out very well). Full disclosure - my main guitar is a 1998 H150 with BK Stormy Mondays... Here's a link to their first show. Enjoy! ua-cam.com/video/Tl6mw6OSifc/v-deo.html
great review guys, keep em coming!
That Lightspeed tone is really something else.
I recently bought a '21 1950s Les Paul Standard, a PRS DGT 'hog standard and a PRS McCarty... the Gibson was promptly returned bc it didn't hold a candle to the others
THE GIBSON SOUNDS BEST TO ME.....
Looks the best too. I can never get behind the PRS single cut shape.
I mean let's be real the Gibson killed the others. It wasn't what you'd call close.
Based only on pickups.
So what you are saying is that the original four owners at Heritage, who before 1985 were Gibson senior shop floor management, who built the original 50's & 60's bursts, aren't as good as the post 85 staff at the new Nashville site? That must make the original bursts worthless?
Wonder where a decent Epi would fall with these. Where do you guys think ?
@@benallmark9671 If you check out Matt Schofield in the clip below that guitar is a Tokai.
ua-cam.com/video/Yfi9fKpm3yU/v-deo.html
IMHO there is no reason why an Epi (properly set up) wouldn't sound or feel as good as the real deal 59 reissue with maybe just a pickup change and strings for personal preference.
Guitars are just a paintbrush and it is the player who makes all the difference NOT the guitar, so someone like Bonamassa could play a show with a well set up Epiphone and sound spot on.
BUT (and it's the big but) there is also the aesthetics of a show where you expect your hero to play "the real thing" and your hero knows that and obliges. Then there's your aspiration that you will become a better player with "the real thing" and we all know that won't happen.
Lets take two original Gibson players. Santana & Tom Johnston who now both play PRS. Do they sound that different to their 70's recordings using old Gibson's, no of course they don't.
A guitar is just a paintbrush and it doesn't matter if you have the most expensive paintbrush in the world you will never become Leonardo da Vinci with it.
@@chrislaw2957All great points and I agree.
Just for grins I would love to see Lee throw in a Variax on a 59 LP setting to screw with Pete.
I have both a 50s standard and an H150 Custom Core, and while the 50s Standard is an excellent instrument (don’t shit on Gibson unless you’ve gotten to this tier of their builds), the custom core H150 is just a different instrument and I love it more than my gibson. The nut is cut perfectly and it stays in tune really well.
Haven't watched an Anderton's video in a bit.
Capt'n...you went to the crossroads and made a little deal didn't you?
I wonder if the blind fold test was done straight away if the results would be different? Pete would have remembered what the necks felt like. Awesome playing by both as always! Love the videos.
Heritage - Vintage Rolex
Gibson - Modern Rolex
PRS - Omega
Excellent comment. If you really think about a new Omega Seamaster, the workmanship, look and styling is amazing just like the PRS. I agree with your comments.
I appreciate the watch analogy for all us watch nerds!
Get the Heritage and but a couple ThroBak PAF’s and a nylon nut on it and you’re still way ahead.
That was interesting! I think I learned 2 things. Pete is a really great player, commentary, not so much. As for the 6 guitars they played (Lee's R8, 594 and Pete's Murphy LP included), it's what your left hand feels and what comes out of the wire that is most important. Or, how it plays and sounds, to the player! It's a tool to get the sound in your head. It's a plus that it looks nice. But I'm spending my $$ for tone first and playability. Your going to spend a lot of time with it and you have to love both! Sorry for the long comment 8( It's a high $$ purchase. 8) JMHO --gary
Having all three, I know what sounds best in my hands...the Heritage. But I think the Gibson sounded best in Lee's and the Heritage in Pete's. Just goes to show you, one must play the guitar to really figure out what fits them best.
I really want a blindfold test with DP's Murphy LP and 4 others M2M replicas - see if he can find his guitar! He has to keep whatever he ends up choosing! :O
Funny you should mention that as we have that video planned soon ;)
@@andertons Great minds! Good luck, Pete!
@@andertons I wanna see the Epiphone '59 thrown in to see who can tell the difference blindfolded
@@bherward: if you've owned or played both frequently, the difference is easy to tell just in smell and difference in the feel of the neck glosses. That's why these are so easily 'sniffed out' by Chappers in past videos all these years.
I bought a Gibson 2019 Les Paul HP because of Andertons reviews, loved it so much, I bought a second! I recently purchased a PRS 594 Wood Library and it's perfect in looks! I still like the feel and sound of both Gibson's over the pricier PRS, and I'd buy another Gibson! I had no knowledge of Heritage before, and it seems like a good brand, but for the Heritage price, I think I'd prefer a Gibson Standard!
Damn, your personal burst PRS is brilliant!!
I have never played a custom shop LP or a Heritage. I fell in love with a McCarty 594 and had to have it. I always wanted a 59 reissue Gibson but the PRS took away any want for the Gibson.
I personally liked the Heritage, would like to see how the Eastman 59 compares to it.
I have a Heritage and a Les Paul Traditional. The Heritage is way better.
@@ryanstark2350 I also own several Heritage guitars. $1200 will buy you a killer used H535 or H150. Pure quality and sound. PRS is nice but I think they are trendy and cost a lot.
I sold my CS '59 /'58, and converted my early Heritage H150 to Gibson Headstock/ hardware/ Knobs after a/b demos over time .I even installed Seymour Duncan's Bonnamossa '59's and it's top notch ,I've less than 2 grand invested in it .
I own both. Neck profile is thinner on the Eastman. Flame top is better on my Heritage H-150. They both play great. No complaints on the build quality of either guitar. I owned my Eastman first. No way I would sell either of them. Maybe I will own a Les Paul some day. Prices have gone nuts though.
Years ago I had a Gibson Les Paul "Special" (equipped with mini humbucker pickups). It was a great guitar and the pickups had a focused sound - I subsequently traded it for another guitar. Recently I purchased a Heritage H150 - it is a fantastic guitar and plays and sounds great!
Now you just have to learn to play your H150 the way this guy played his H150
ua-cam.com/video/h9ryuZSS9Ds/v-deo.html
The main difference between the Gibby and the Heritage in the sound is probably due to the Heritage pups being wax potted and the Gibson not.
I've had a Custom Core for a couple of months now I was between that and an R9 and the Heritage won, and I got to keep an extra $2000 in my pocket. That'll cover a nylon nut and some Throbaks or Wizz pups, if you want. Bucket list guitar for me.
Edwin Wilson who used to head the Gibson Historic dept before Henry forced him out is now head of R&D at Heritage.
I also bought a custom core, I might just for giggles buy another one and put in some Throbaks for monty's just to compare but these guitars are the real deal.
I really like the PRS Mcarty 594. It has something above tonally.
The pickups on the Gibson were louder on the decibel meter
Oh Dope, at 20:20, The Captain all GAIN ROCKIN, YES!!!
I'm sure the heritage is made better than the gibson and the prs is a damn good guitar but people still want the name and it will always hold its value
Give a modern Custom Shop Gibson a try is all I’d say. Then tell me that there’s anything wrong with the way it’s made 🤷🏼♂️ Don’t just believe the hype about Gibson QC issues… to whatever extent it was actually true (in my view and experience it was quite seriously overstated) it wasn’t true of the Custom Shop Historics/Reissues and certainly isn’t true today.
@@davidburke2132 And that is what people have been telling Gibson guys about Epiphone for a quite some time.
@@Philtration yeah, they have, but there’s quite a substantial jump from a Gibson USA guitar to a Custom Shop one never mind from an Epiphone. I know it’s not convenient but more expensive guitars do tend to be better overall… it’s the same with almost everything in life I’m afraid. Doesn’t mean there’s anything “wrong” with an Epiphone and we each have to make our choices as to what represents the best value for us personally.
@@davidburke2132 my budget for a higher end guitar is about £1500 which would get you a very nice strat but only a lower end gibson.
@@pads-zr9ln naturally. The Strat (and indeed the Tele) are inherently simpler and easier to build guitars made with traditionally cheaper woods - it was one of the core considerations of Leo’s original design.
They all sounded quite different to my ear clean. The LP sounds like a LP should, what is expected. The other two sound great, but don't have the same LP tone we all expect. The Heritage to my ear sounded great, maybe a more versatile guitar, the PRS sounded like a PRS, which is more different than the other two. I have owned a couple of LPs, and several PRS guitars. Build quality I would put PRS 1st, Heritage 2nd, Gibson 3rd. But if you want that classic LP sound, buy the LP.
Even though they’re all great guitars I’d have to choose Prs. I think the overall quality and stability would be better. The amount of research and effort the very passionate Paul has put into it says a lot.
Yeah... there's that for sure... the tuning issues, etc with an LP... but ultimately it comes down to "tone" for most players... and though I don't have an LP... if money was no object... it would be a Gibson LP all day long... it's just such a subjective thing! 😎✌️
@@MusicTherapyLaz Heritage's don't have the same tuning issues as Gibson, because of the head stock. Its the superior Les Paul it just doesn't have the name all the fan boys clamor for.
@@disco4535 Gibson tuning issues are easily fixed with nut sauce and a well cut nut. That hated 17degree angle adds to Gibsons sound
@@MusicTherapyLaz Ive been playing Gibsons for 30 years and I always have a laugh when I read this. I can literally play 3 sets with my Les Paul, checking tuning between every song and it doesn't deviate at all. If you're having tuning issues, it's the operator, not the guitar.
@@BlackCatBonz I never understood people with Les Pauls and tuning issues. I’ve got 4 Les Pauls and they hold tune almost as well as my double locked Floyd Rose equipped ESP guitars. They rarely go out of tune. Even under heavy playing. I’m with you. User malfunction.
The Gibson when Lee demo’d it at about 20:20 with a couple of pedals just sounded huge!
I’d like to see Hagstrom Swede and Super Swede vs these.
Been looking forward to this!
andertons, could you do some videos on bugera amps?
Lined up and ready to go... Stay tuned!
Hehehe knee slapper
PRS does it for me only for the headstock....had a Gibson had to sell it cuz of tuning stability