Heritage Guitars Ascent+ (Import series) Deep Dive

[HANGAR18]

 

[pressure]

Well done review. I'm a little bummed to think women on the Internet might not really like my photo. Could that true?

Edited August 29 by pressure

[DetroitBlues]

Rather surprised on the neck carve.  That is a step up to an Epiphone alone.  Electronics seem a bit on the budget side, but I’m sure they are fine.

[ElNumero]

I wouldn’t touch an Ascent much less try to play one. I guess I’ve been too spoiled by what comes out of 225 Parsons St. But I suppose they have a place somewhere. 

[MartyGrass]

I see these in a different light.  The guitar seems decent by this review.  The price point is attractive to the begining and intermediate player due to the price.  Those who can pay more and want "better", there are other places to go.  I don't own anything in this series but have played a couple.  I also recall one of my favorite rock players, Randy California of Spirit, played a Sears Silvertone in his early recording and performing days to great reviews.

I have modded my H-150/157s over the years in some cases.  The didn't "need" mods, but some fret work and slot cutting helped.

If I were back in 6th grade, there's no way I could afford a new American built H-150 or H-535 from my paper route. If the Ascent+ was available, that may be within reach.

I have an emotional bias though.  I grew up in Kalamazoo.  I'd take the temperature of the community since they are my audience.  I don't think there would be resentment if I got the Asian version, especially as a kid.  I can tell you that in Kalamazoo years ago, a lot of guys played Fenders and Gretsches.  They never got any pushback for disloyalty.  Rather, my friends liked trying them out.  Quite a few were loyal Fender players.  Some worked for Gibson.

Brand loyalty has advantages.  And if QC is solid, one advantage is you pretty much know what you're going to get before you open the case.  If the Ascent series does have the quality and tight specs, those are strong positives.  I don't own one, but I'm not allergic to them!  A major reason I had a good early experience, 6th-10th grade, was a glut of Gibsons in my city.  I got a Firebird V with a Kalamazoo amp from a neighbor for 6 weeks of paper route money.  If I were not in Kalamazoo at the time, I'd probably would have had to go Asian!

Let me mention that the Ascent line is still owned and managed by the Heritage company owners.  If they can produce very good guitars with a significantly lower price in Asia, they likely have to strongly consider doing that for their investors.  It is likely mandated.  But it's our choice as to what we buy, and we buy for different reasons.  My choice has been to buy locally.  That's easy when the product is good and it supports your neighbors.  If I were 13 again and had to earn the money for a guitar, amp and lessons, and a used Gibson or Heritage would cost more than a new Ascent, the lofty ideals of "buying American" may not be reachable.

Lastly, the Ascent series idea came from somewhere.  It may be what allowed the new Heritage owners the ability to maintain the original Kalamazoo site for the Heritage models.  IDK.  Recall that whatever the original Heritage factory owners were doing was not survivable, leading to its sale.

Projecting from my youth when I'd stare at the Gibson catalogs, quite a few kids who get an Ascent will move up into a Heritage or Gibson or Fender or PRS.  From what I see, the Ascent seems like it could work as an entry point for a kid into a lifetime of guitar.