Heritage's doors are closed indefinitely?

[VJonathan]

Gentleman:  Perhaps the resurgence of the "Golden Age" of guitar making is finally beginning to wane.

The fine art of instrument making requires dedication and passion.  Those guys in Kalamazoo have it!  If the manufacturing process changes at Heritage, it just won't be the same.  However, if things remain status quo,  the output will be slow and quality control will continue.  This is a hard one.  We live in world of automation, outsourcing and high demand.  What ever happens, lets hope they can continue to employ the "Old School" methods of luthiery without restriction no matter the outcome.  Let us all  applaud Heritage for keeping true to the "ART"!

[GuitArtMan]

Gentleman:  Perhaps the resurgence of the "Golden Age" of guitar making is finally beginning to wane.

The fine art of instrument making requires dedication and passion.   Those guys in Kalamazoo have it!   If the manufacturing process changes at Heritage, it just won't be the same.   However, if things remain status quo,  the output will be slow and quality control will continue.  This is a hard one.  We live in world of automation, outsourcing and high demand.  What ever happens, lets hope they can continue to employ the "Old School" methods of luthiery without restriction no matter the outcome.   Let us all  applaud Heritage for keeping true to the "ART"!

Well I agree and disagree with this!  I agree we are in the “Golden Age” of guitar manufacturing, unfortunately I feel Heritage has yet to enter it!  They are continuing manufacturing techniques pioneered decades ago that while they produced some of the finest instruments on the planet are not the greatest for consistency.  Many of the great guitars from the ’50, ’60 have had a professional set up to achieve that greateness.  They didn’t play like a million bucks off the wall.  The “Golden Age” to me is the small boutique builder/player (how many of the guys at Heritage play a gig every week?).  Tom Anderson, Don Grosh, John Suhr, Gene Baker, Bill Callaham, Detemple, D’Pergo, Thorn, McInturff just to name a few.  These are the guys who are really pushing the envelope of guitar design/manufacturing and consistently producing excellent instruments.  Ask any of them about CNC machines, they all use them.  They will tell you it allows them to consistently reproduce necks/bodies to a degree of accuracy unattainable by hand.  Gibson frets the fingerboard before it is even on the neck, I can only assume Heritage does the same.  Ask any of the new manufactures what they think about this – they’ll say it crazy.  You just can’t get an excellent fret job this way.  Yeah the plek machine helps, but compared to Tom Anderson, Don Grosh (who don’t use the plek btw) and your Heritage fret work will only seem ok.  I love Heritage guitars and will continue to play/purchase them, but there is room for improvement. 

[Dick Seacup]

I don't know what fretwork (if any) has been done on my H137, but seeing as there is cherry lacquer over the ends, I'll assume they're original....no problems with them or the neck.  They're lower and wider than the frets on any other guitar I've owned, but outside of maybe needing a light 'crown' touch up, I think they're fine.

 

I'm more concerned about the one-piece mahogany neck moving than the frets, to be honest.  But, that just may be because I've bought into the Hamer 3-piece or G&L bi-cut neck hype.  :-[

 

EDIT:  But, I agree, I don't see modernization via CNC, which has the benefit of increasing quality through repeatability as a 'BadThing'.

[GuitArtMan]

I don't know what fretwork (if any) has been done on my H137, but seeing as there is cherry lacquer over the ends, I'll assume they're original....no problems with them or the neck.  They're lower and wider than the frets on any other guitar I've owned, but outside of maybe needing a light 'crown' touch up, I think they're fine.

 

I'm more concerned about the one-piece mahogany neck moving than the frets, to be honest.  But, that just may be because I've bought into the Hamer 3-piece or G&L bi-cut neck hype.  :-[

 

EDIT:  But, I agree, I don't see modernization via CNC, which has the benefit of increasing quality through repeatability as a 'BadThing'.

I expect a one piece mahogany neck to move a little before it settles in.  My 1988 '59 flame top RI took a few years before the neck settled down and stopped shifting with the seasons.  By contrast my 1989 PRS Custom never needed a truss rod adjustment once in the seven years I owned it. 

 

As for frets, one of my acid tests is if I lower the action does it start to buzz uniformly up and down the neck, or are the trouble spots?  My Anderson's, PRS's and Grosh's would all start to buzz uniformly up and down the neck when I lowered the action too low.  In contrast, when you start to raise the action it cleans up uniformly up and down the neck - there are no high or low spots.  And of course, you can get the action low, Low, LOW if you want to!

[VJonathan]

With all due respect, the CNC machine is not the "be all end all" to the fine art of luthiery.  Yes, there are inconsistencies when you make an instrument by hand, and yes, ALL stringed instruments have to be set up.  Heritage guitars have soul.  To automate the manufacturing process at Heritage would be an end of an era.  If Heritage has yet to enter the "Golden Age" of guitar making, then so be it.    John D'Angelico didn't use a CNC machine.  Cheers!

[GuitArtMan]

With all due respect, the CNC machine is not the "be all end all" to the fine art of luthiery.  Yes, there are inconsistencies when you make an instrument by hand, and yes, ALL stringed instruments have to be set up.  Heritage guitars have soul.   To automate the manufacturing process at Heritage would be an end of an era.  If Heritage has yet to enter the "Golden Age" of guitar making, then so be it.     John D'Angelico didn't use a CNC machine.  Cheers!

Point taken.  I guess I'm one who likes consistency from one similar model guitar to the next.  I know what a Tom Andersion standard neck feels like, and they are consistent from instrument to instrument.  I like that.  I also like guitars that are ready to go out of the box and don't need a trip to a lutheir for a fret dress, nut tweaking, action adjustment, etc.  Heritage is close there, but still some room for improvement imo.  Or course, many of the luthiers I mentioned in my previous post make guitars that sell for considerably more than your average Heritage, so I would expect them to be perfect out of the box.

 

Heritage is at a cross roads right now.  Apparently they have a back log of orders like they have never had before.  I'm glad people are finally catching on to the value Heritage represents in the guitar world.  Obviosly Heritage wants to meet those orders while at the same time maintaining quality.  If Luthier Joe can carve a neck by hand, in say one day, how many can a CNC machine carve?  2? 4? 8? 10?  I honestly don't know, but I assume it is considerably quicker.  Does the wood know if it was carved by hand or machine?  Does the wood care if it was carved by hand or machine?  Should we? 

 

Final assembly and set up will still be done by a human.  I would hope they focus more attention here so that all Heritages are ready to go out of the box.

[Thundersteel]

I would hope they focus more attention here so that all Heritages are ready to go out of the box.

 

I don't think that would be possible, IMHO. Every player has their own preference for string action, pickup height, etc. They can only set them up to meet general specifications; it is up to the dealer/player to do the final adjustments. I do all the adjustments on mine.

[wingnut1]

Changes in temperature and humidity between Kalamazoo, Mi and the guitars final home would make having a perfect setup out of the box impossible.  I also disagree that Heritage needs a new headstock.  I used to feel that way, but now that I have a couple and I'm used to it I actually like it as much as the Gibson or Fender headstock and better than the Martin.

[VJonathan]

Hello all.    The Heritage headstock is a variation on the early Gibson "goose head"  stocks.    One will also notice  the carving at  the top of the Heritage headstock is angled up to a point rather than inverted on the Gibson guitar.  Also, early Gibson instruments were labeled "The Gibson."    Interesting isn't it?

[GuitArtMan]

I don't think that would be possible, IMHO. Every player has their own preference for string action, pickup height, etc. They can only set them up to meet general specifications; it is up to the dealer/player to do the final adjustments. I do all the adjustments on mine.

I disaggree while there are certain aspects of a set up that are personal, there are some that objective.  Nobody likes frets that aren't leveled, crowned or polished properly.  The plek machine has helped tremendously here, but two of my pleked Heritages needed additional fret work to play their best.  There is simply no reason to have a high nut unless you are playing slide and need the clearance over the frets - non whatsover.  A high nut negativley affects playabilty and intonation.  All of my current Heritages needed nut work to play their best; both 535s needed to have the action lowered at the nut and the H-137 needed the action raised so that it didn't buzz.  Those are not subjective cases, you would have had to do the same with those instruments.

[GuitArtMan]

Changes in temperature and humidity between Kalamazoo, Mi and the guitars final home would make having a perfect setup out of the box impossible.  I also disagree that Heritage needs a new headstock.  I used to feel that way, but now that I have a couple and I'm used to it I actually like it as much as the Gibson or Fender headstock and better than the Martin.

Yes.  But then how do Tom Anderson's and Don Grosh's and John Suhr's and PRS's travel accross country and arrive with a perfect set up?

[wingnut1]

Most likely because the deal sets it up again when when it gets to the store.

[Thundersteel]

I disaggree while there are certain aspects of a set up that are personal, there are some that objective.

 

You are correct--I was mainly referring to playability set-ups that are minor and easy to take care of.

 

My H157, too, needed additional work done. The high E string was too close to the fingerboard edge, which caused it to slide off too easy. I sent it back to Heritage to have another nut and bridge saddle cut. It still wasn't repaired to my liking, so I installed my own saddles and adjusted them to how they were supposed to be. 

[golferwave]

  That's why I like the Schaller roller bridge. The saddles are adjustable from side to side as well as from to back for the intonation. I always take my Heritages in and have a bone nut made for them. The luthier cuts the slots in the nut after checking all of the frets and leveling them. I don't like plastic nuts! Never have and never will. Again - Too "old fashioned"

[GuitArtMan]

Most likely because the deal sets it up again when when it gets to the store.

Nah.  I've unboxed more than a few Andersons, Groshs, Suhrs, PRSs, etc.  They've all arrived ready to go. 

[Vinni]

Hi,

Newbie here!  8)

 

At first I was shocked to read that Heritage had to close down.

It looks like this isn't the case thankfully...

 

But....

If the demand is so high and Heritage cannot deliver the goods.....chances are that the prices will be increased.

I hope not!

 

Vinni

[Ramon Leal]

I hope they wont change too much. I have two Heritage Guitars and it seems to me that they have the charme, finish and sound of the 60,s Gibsons.

 

Hello everybody from Madrid (Spain)

[modRod]

here´s something i found this morning on the gearpage:

 

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthrea...mp;page=4  (post # 48)

[modRod]

I hope they wont change too much. I have two Heritage Guitars and it seems to me that they have the charme, finish and sound of the 60,s Gibsons.

 

Hello everybody from Madrid (Spain)

 

hi ramon

madrid´s a beautiful city. my aunt lives there for 40 years now.

 

greetings from germany

arndt

[Ramon Leal]

So when your aunt came to Madrid I was 12... not bad!

 

Which model of Heritage do you have?

[modRod]

So when your aunt came to Madrid I was 12... not bad!

 

Which model of Heritage do you have?

 

i have a h150 with lollar p90s, a h535 and one of the second edtion of the 140 with hrw pickups and right now i´m saving up for another one...

[Ramon Leal]

UUooohhh...! I have a 535 (now with Gibson 57 classic P.U.s) and a 150 Lollar P90s goldtop brand new.

 

I wanted a 140 HRW too. But I have to wait. By now both guitars are wonderful.

H535Nat.jpg

H535Nat.jpg_thumb

goldtop.jpg

goldtop.jpg_thumb

[jacques]

This thread slips away from the subject of Heritage closing its doors indefinitely, but I must say I really admire your choice of Heritages, Ramón! Have you any noise of these two from your Spanish fingers on the net?

[GuitArtMan]

This thread slips away from the subject of Heritage closing its doors indefinitely, but I must say I really admire your choice of Heritages, Ramón! Have you any noise of these two from your Spanish fingers on the net?

I think the fact has already been established that Heritage is not closing its doors indefinitely, but is going under a reorganization so that they can fill their backorders.  I think people are just posting here to keep the thread alive or something...

[Anglo]

Having lots of orders is a double-edged sword.  Companies can 'overtrade', when they take on business for which they don't have the resource or sometimes where they cannot fund the purchase of the materials required for a large number of orders- a typical 'cash-flow' type issue.

 

Let's hope Heritage resolve this speedily.  What they have is far too special to lose.