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How many Johnny Smith's did heritage make?


ironmike

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I talked to Marv yesterday and asked him how many Johnny Smith models they made.

He didn't really know. 

He called me back today after talking to Bill and he thought it was a little less than 50. 

Not exactly a concrete answer but a good guesstimate, if that's a word.

Marv said they made a little over 100 Golden Eagle's. They where concentrating on that model a lot.

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Makes sense to me. That model has to have a lot of man hours in it and turns into a long build.

Beautiful models!

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I talked to Marv yesterday and asked him how many Johnny Smith models they made.
He didn't really know. 
He called me back today after talking to Bill and he thought it was a little less than 50. 
Not exactly a concrete answer but a good guesstimate, if that's a word.
Marv said they made a little over 100 Golden Eagle's. They where concentrating on that model a lot.


I'm sorry, just to make sure I understand you: only ~50 Johnny Smiths, and only ~100 Golden Eagles, ever made by Heritage, from 1984 to the present day?


Sent from my SM-G920T using Tapatalk

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2 minutes ago, funkapus said:


 

 


I'm sorry, just to make sure I understand you: only ~50 Johnny Smiths, and only ~100 Golden Eagles, ever made by Heritage, from 1984 to the present day?


Sent from my SM-G920T using Tapatalk
 

 

Yes. This is according to Marv Lamb and Bill Paige.

 

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That is an extremely low number of JS and GE model builds. 

The first run of Golden Eagles all had registration numbers in addition to their serial numbers.  My '93 GE registration number is '363'.  I always thought that represented the 363rd GE made.

If only100 were made, then what does the registration number represent? 

Sorry for the slight diversion from the Johnny Smith topic.

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And only 20 Alex Skolnicks, to futher divert from the topic. 

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2 hours ago, Gitfiddler said:

That is an extremely low number of JS and GE model builds. 

The first run of Golden Eagles all had registration numbers in addition to their serial numbers.  My '93 GE registration number is '363'.  I always thought that represented the 363rd GE made.

If only100 were made, then what does the registration number represent? 

Sorry for the slight diversion from the Johnny Smith topic.

 

I thought they made a hundred with the eagle on the back of the headstock alone.  Humans have less than perfect memories. 

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2 hours ago, Spectrum13 said:

I thought they made a hundred with the eagle on the back of the headstock alone.  Humans have less than perfect memories. 

My GE is #826.  I could have sworn they numbered the first 1000 and then they made them without serial #s.

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2 hours ago, Spectrum13 said:

I thought they made a hundred with the eagle on the back of the headstock alone.  Humans have less than perfect memories. 

Especially older humans.  They where both guessing at it.

I can see the around 50 Johnny Smiths. Around 100 Golden Eagles I don't know.

We all know that book keeping wasn't one their best skills. Making Great Guitars was though.

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1 hour ago, Steiner said:

My GE is #826.  I could have sworn they numbered the first 1000 and then they made them without serial #s.

Where is that number located?

I have a 2003 GE with an eagle on the back of the headstock.  Below the eagle, there's a three-line sticker-ish thing that says "Reg. No 869" -- is that what you're referring to?  The label inside the soundbox just has the serial number, no other number.

 

 

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1 hour ago, funkapus said:

Where is that number located?

I have a 2003 GE with an eagle on the back of the headstock.  Below the eagle, there's a three-line sticker-ish thing that says "Reg. No 869" -- is that what you're referring to?  The label inside the soundbox just has the serial number, no other number.

 

 

Yes.  Although mine is built into an inlay.  Just above the # is the eagle in my avatar.

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7 hours ago, Steiner said:

My GE is #826.  I could have sworn they numbered the first 1000 and then they made them without serial #s.

What year is yours?

 

12 hours ago, Gitfiddler said:

My '93 GE registration number is '363'.  I always thought that represented the 363rd GE made.

 

Are you sure it is a 3 and not an 8?  Those stencils sometimes are quite cryptic looking. 

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My Golden Eagle is no.103 with the serial no. E00201 which I calculate is 30th December 1988.

My understanding was that the first 1000 had a reg no. on the back of the headstock and I have seen

photos of ones that havent got a reg no. so presumably were after the first 1000

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13 hours ago, High Flying Bird said:

What year is yours?

It's an "S", so, 2003

3 hours ago, houndhome said:

My Golden Eagle is no.103 with the serial no. E00201 which I calculate is 30th December 1988.

My understanding was that the first 1000 had a reg no. on the back of the headstock and I have seen

photos of ones that havent got a reg no. so presumably were after the first 1000

Agreed!

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Well after hearing all this,  I wondered about the misinformation I may have received. 

I reached out to Ren at the shop and asked him.

He sent me this text.

This sounds more like it:

"Registration stopped at 1000 units. We kept them in production but they where not registered.

Approx., maybe another 500 made with no Registration MOP engraved back plate on back of HD Veneer

were made.

I will also ask JD when he gets back from Hawaii, next week. If I am wrong I will let you know, if more or less.

Good to hear from you. Stay well, and come and visit. It's been awhile and the shop has really changed."

Ren

Hope this helps. 

I will visiting the shop maybe Friday. Report to follow.

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24 minutes ago, Gitfiddler said:

Thanks for checking further, Paul.  The first 1,000 'Registered' GE's sounds more correct.  

The very limited number of those fine Johnny Smith models, however, makes it such a special archtop. 

Thanks Tim. Sometimes when I'm talking to Marv on the phone he gets a little confused I think. Not listening or

he can't hear me. His daughter has told me he doesn't always put that hearing aid in. Hell to get old.

Glad we got it straightened out. I haven't been to the shop in awhile and look forward to visiting. The last time

I was there I didn't recognize anyone there. Ren was out to lunch and I missed him. Great guy and fun to talk to.

He has so many stories from his time with Gibson and Heritage.

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18 minutes ago, skydog52 said:

Thanks Tim. Sometimes when I'm talking to Marv on the phone he gets a little confused I think. Not listening or

he can't hear me. His daughter has told me he doesn't always put that hearing aid in. Hell to get old.

Glad we got it straightened out. I haven't been to the shop in awhile and look forward to visiting. The last time

I was there I didn't recognize anyone there. Ren was out to lunch and I missed him. Great guy and fun to talk to.

He has so many stories from his time with Gibson and Heritage.

:icon_thumright:

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On 4/14/2019 at 2:35 PM, Gitfiddler said:

That is an extremely low number of JS and GE model builds. 

The first run of Golden Eagles all had registration numbers in addition to their serial numbers.  My '93 GE registration number is '363'.  I always thought that represented the 363rd GE made.

If only100 were made, then what does the registration number represent? 

Sorry for the slight diversion from the Johnny Smith topic.

 

FWIW there is a 95 Golden Eagle I've seen that is reg# 463 under the Eagle on the back and appears to be in an inlay.

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1 hour ago, Hfan said:

FWIW there is a 95 Golden Eagle I've seen that is reg# 463 under the Eagle on the back and appears to be in an inlay.

Yes, mine is also a pearl inlay Reg. No. on the reverse of the headstock.  I double-checked it for accuracy, and it is very clearly #363.

If the '95 model you spotted is #463, that averages out to 50 Golden Eagles per year during that time period.

 

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