Is Heritage going out of business?

[jturbo77]

Well hell, this is not the type of thread I like to see when I'm expecting a delivery any day now. Ah well. I am a patient guy.

[lowendpurveyor]

Oops I think I opened a can of worms here...it was just an innocent question. I agree, not sure if this is a sustainable business model in these times. At least there are a few of us lucky enough to have them.

[pegleg32]

All I can say is they better stay in business till I can get the cash together to order my gold top w/90s!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Halowords]

Has anybody talked to them recently and gotten any actual confirmation?

 

I ask in part because I called them up and inquired about spec'ing out a Prospect, and they said run it past the dealer. For what it's worth, they didn't indicate they were not taking any new orders. Also, my dealer is apparently working on getting them to approve & quote said guitar w/ said specs.

 

Which really means nothing. Sorry. However . . . It does sorta indicate they are (or were as of last week) still planning on taking new orders and from all indications my dealer doesn't know about them pulling the plug (which you'd think he would if he was in communication about possibly getting a new build approved). I'm kinda hoping that means they're just taking a break, or just busy or something. I'll defer to you guys who know them, have talked to them, or noticed a pattern where this happens every year. Meanwhile, I plan to stay optimistic and hope for their continued and prosperous existence.

[High Flying Bird]

Oops I think I opened a can of worms here...

 

It's his fault! Grab him.............

 

Why is it every time the owners decide to be laid back so many people get nervous. It is none of our business how they run their shop as long as they keep their commitments with the customer. When I placed my custom order I knew, from my 3 1/2 year association with this forum, that it might be a long time coming. It wasn't but it could have been and I was OK with that.

 

Heritage Guitar has all the business they want. They don't need an armchair genius to help them out. They do what they do just fine. "This sucks, that sucks," but their guitars are some of the best you can find. Isn't that good enough?

 

Mark Goetting, you should be ashamed of yourself. We have a lot of new members here and you have totally misrepresented the situation to them. You might be a kinda' long time member of this forum and a citizen of Kalamazoo but your post sometimes lend one to think you have just recently heard of Heritage Guitars... and live on another planet. Come on man, you can at least be in town next PSP can't you?

[H]

Break out the beans and weenies!

[Kuz]

I wish all these members bashing Heritage's business model and seem so compassionate for the employees would go put their money where their mouth is and buy a custom Heritage (or at least a new one). That is how to support Heritage, keep the lights on, and help the employees increase there hours.

 

But many choose to buy used instead, then flip it for a quick buck and move on. If you can't afford a new guitar now, fine I understand that in these difficult times. But if you have never bought a new guitar from Heritage and insist on bashing Heritage's lack of compassion for it's employee is just ridiculous.

 

I own 8 Heritages and only one I bought used because it was a one off Blur/quilt.

 

If you want to support Heritage, buy a new guitar from them.

[JeffB]

Great thread.

Some guy from Australia(Patricks phrase) notices that theres not many Heritage guitars on his local guitar store wall and asks if Heritage guitars are going out of business!!!!! How do you even begin to make an assumption like that. Theres not many Burns or G&L either.

Next people are criticizing the way Heritage do business and staff management. What the.....

There is a reason why there are stuff all Heritage guitars on any guitar store wall in Australia and it has nothing to do with Heritages Guitars business model. How any one can make the leaps that are being made in this thread is just plain crazy.

Sorry for the nature of this post. But come on......

[JeffB]

Oh yeah...while Im ranting an alienating myself further. Kuz is spot on.

[Guest mgoetting]

Mark Goetting, you should be ashamed of yourself. We have a lot of new members here and you have totally misrepresented the situation to them. You might be a kinda' long time member of this forum and a citizen of Kalamazoo but your post sometimes lend one to think you have just recently heard of Heritage Guitars... and live on another planet. Come on man, you can at least be in town next PSP can't you?

 

I plan on being at the PSP. I wouldn't want to miss it. Last year I was out of town.

 

I admit I don't know their business model and don't want to know it. I don't know if they shut down to fish, hunt, retool, or go on strategic retreats, or if they shut down at all.

 

As far as another planet, maybe Kalamazoo is. New to Heritage? The first time I walked through the building was 1970.

 

My observation is that when the topics of business practices, marketing, and headstock design come up, it is difficult to express views without some personal attacks. Disagreement over woods, tones and finishes are okay.

[jmc7581]

Aw, some of us are just high-strung, hand-wringing, hanky-twisting types. Me, anyway. We love Heritage, and we show it by fretting. (Get it? Fretting? Man, am I funny or what ...) We jump when the phone rings. Is the little darlin' really okay, eating enough? 'Cause it does look a little thin ... and why can't it dress warmer? The ones we love hate it when we do this, but we don't mean no harm.

[barrymclark]

Oops I think I opened a can of worms here...it was just an innocent question.

No worries. Every new poster does this. Once you make a thread about headstocks, your initiation will be complete.

[kbp810]

Once you make a thread about headstocks, your initiation will be complete.

[koula901]

There's a man who knows his luthiers!

 

HA!

[lowendpurveyor]

Great thread.

Some guy from Australia(Patricks phrase) notices that theres not many Heritage guitars on his local guitar store wall and asks if Heritage guitars are going out of business!!!!! How do you even begin to make an assumption like that. Theres not many Burns or G&L either.

Next people are criticizing the way Heritage do business and staff management. What the.....

There is a reason why there are stuff all Heritage guitars on any guitar store wall in Australia and it has nothing to do with Heritages Guitars business model. How any one can make the leaps that are being made in this thread is just plain crazy.

Sorry for the nature of this post. But come on......

 

Seems I am getting a bit of a heated welcome to the the forum.

 

Now Patrick is making an assumption on my assumption! That was not why I started this thread. It had nothing to do with there not being many Heritage guitars in the store, in fact the opposite was true! It was simply based on the following.

 

First of all, let me say I bought 2 new Heritage guitars last week (I have put my money where my mouth is) and am very happy with them. The reason why I raised this topic was, because they had a heap of Heritage guitars discounted. Often this is the case, either when they are introducing a brand and want to get market share or are getting rid of excess stock that they couldn't move. I just got the vibe from the dealer that he thought Heritage were going to go out of business. I simply wanted to make a decision regarding how that would affect my decision to purchase. I wanted to know whether support would be available and what would be the effect of buying guitars from a manufacturer that was going out of business (would that make them more desirable in the future or less).

 

Simple as that. It was just a question and not an implication or assumption.

[Kuz]

OK, Bottom line.

 

I called Heritage this morning at 7:10 AM and spoke with an owner.

 

Marv is taking vacation deer hunting.

 

I said is there any truth to a shut down or going out of business.

 

Answer was "Absolutely No".

 

I have said my piece on this topic. Support Heritage and buy a new guitar.

[JeffB]

Seems I am getting a bit of a heated welcome to the the forum.

 

Now Patrick is making an assumption on my assumption! That was not why I started this thread. It had nothing to do with there not being many Heritage guitars in the store, in fact the opposite was true! It was simply based on the following.

 

First of all, let me say I bought 2 new Heritage guitars last week (I have put my money where my mouth is) and am very happy with them. The reason why I raised this topic was, because they had a heap of Heritage guitars discounted. Often this is the case, either when they are introducing a brand and want to get market share or are getting rid of excess stock that they couldn't move. I just got the vibe from the dealer that he thought Heritage were going to go out of business. I simply wanted to make a decision regarding how that would affect my decision to purchase. I wanted to know whether support would be available and what would be the effect of buying guitars from a manufacturer that was going out of business (would that make them more desirable in the future or less).

 

Simple as that. It was just a question and not an implication or assumption.

Nah Patrick calls me some guy from Australia when I jump into a political thread

Is your local store Jacksons Rare Guitars? He is gutting them. He is/was also the Australian importer/distributor.(Boutique Music Wholesale Pty Ltd)

 

Where in Australia are you living?

[JeffB]

OK, Bottom line.

 

I called Heritage this morning at 7:10 AM and spoke with an owner.

 

Marv is taking vacation deer hunting.

 

I said is there any truth to a shut down or going out of business.

 

Answer was "Absolutely No".

 

I have said my piece on this topic. Support Heritage and buy a new guitar.

Please, no facts. The internet runs on speculation.

[Guest mgoetting]

There's a man who knows his luthiers!

 

Deer hunting helps Michiganders. I have mixed feelings on this.

 

In the news today is a report that many thousands of accidents occur with deer on Michigan roads every year. The population density is very high in the lower peninsula. Farmers are losing crops.

 

The State encourages deer hunting within a quota to deal with this. Hunting controls the deer numbers, generates revenue to the State for licenses, and brings out-of-staters in to Michigan to help with the local economies.

 

The bad news is that you get a certain number of dumbasses drunk with their buddies shooting high powered rifles at cows, squirrels, trains, airplanes, and sounds in the bushes. They often don't have the skill, discipline or moral fiber to turn down a bad shot.

 

Most hunters, especially bow hunters, are honorable folks who learned hunting over their formative years. They hone their skills and know their weapons like we know our guitars.

 

Anyway, I thought I would shift the topic slightly to something we can all agree on- killing deer!

 

Next, let's discuss raising retirement to age 69, as the deficit control squad in Washington put forth yesterday. Interestingly, steel workers and coal miners may be exempt because of the physicality of their work. How about waitresses though?

[Guest mgoetting]

OK, Bottom line.

 

I called Heritage this morning at 7:10 AM and spoke with an owner.

 

Marv is taking vacation deer hunting.

 

I said is there any truth to a shut down or going out of business.

 

Answer was "Absolutely No".

 

I have said my piece on this topic. Support Heritage and buy a new guitar.

 

Thanks.

[Halowords]

OK, Bottom line.s there any truth to a shut down or going out of business.

 

Answer was "Absolutely No".

 

Killjoy.

 

Support Heritage and buy a new guitar.

 

One thing I will say about that . . . Obviously you're right. The best way to support Heritage the company is to buy a new guitar from the factory. However, in this market that is just not likely on a real wide-spread basis. I'd love to buy nothing but new guitars custom made and factory direct. I'd be living inside the box the guitar(s) came in pretty quick though. My preference is honestly to buy gently used. I'm not in it to make a quick buck on a turnaround, just financially conscious, married to a bean counter, and aware of the economic times.

 

As I've recently stated, I am actually getting a quote for a new instrument (any day now), but I do struggle a bit with the notion of paying that money considering the layoffs and unemployment around me. And this is with a steady, full-time job. I feel good about the idea of supporting a small business and making some very small contribution to the economy, but I am also very cognizant of how unstable the economy is for a large, large sector of the U.S. populace

 

In principle, I agree with you. Just sort of presenting the counter-argument.

[chico]

For those new to the HOC, a "heritage is going out of business" thread pops up every few months. I get a chuckle every time it does. Just par for the course, with a small operation headed by retirement-age luthiers I guess.

[LK155]

 

My preference is honestly to buy gently used. I'm not in it to make a quick buck on a turnaround, just financially conscious, married to a bean counter, and aware of the economic times.

 

 

You're not alone. This sums up my situation exactly. Even down to the beancounter spousal unit comment.

 

I delude myself with the thought that buying a used Heritage is not totally evil, because maybe I'm creating a 'Heritage void' somewhere for someone else to fill with a new one.

[DetroitBlues]

Born and Raised in Michigan. Yes Economy sucks here, but Kalamazoo has always been on the lower end of the economic stick. Since they have little to do with the automotive industry, they survive just fine considering they are a college town with Western Michigan University.

[Kuz]

My point in the "Support Heritage, buy a new guitar!"....

 

-was first conditioned by saying "I can understand if it is not financially feasible for many of us right now". I feel your pain and understand.

 

-BUT it was also directed at some hypocrisy implying Heritage "does not caring for their employees" and yet many have no intention of buying a new guitar to support Heritage.

 

-AND I am not saying that you HAVE to buy a new Heritage (there are many great deals on gently used ones) and you may never want to buy a new one. But then I feel your comments are then diluted to the point of being hypocritical if you are criticizing Heritage's business philosophy, support of the company, and treatment of it's employees.

 

Just my .02, no harm intended.