Why did you buy a Heritage?

[Thundersteel]

Again, with the impending sale of Heritage, it's time to reflect on why we bought this particular brand of guitar.

 

To be honest, at first I was disappointed with mine. I had to send it back to Heritage 2 or 3 times before they fixed everything to my satisfaction (mostly minor finish problems).

I was also new to the world of hand-made guitars. I was loyal to G****n; had a Guild and was considering a Hamer. I didn't like the little imperfections I noticed with my new Heritage. I also had just sold a used H150--probably the best sounding guitar I had. My problem was, I was hearing with my eyes instead of my ears. Jay set me straight, and now my H157 is my #1 axe (sorry Les!). I can't wait to get a H150 with Lollars!

 

So I'm asking: Why did you buy a Heritage?

[Dick Seacup]

Because many years ago I played the original Black Beauty (the two humbucker, not that later monstrosity, it was the seventh or ninth one built, I can never remember) that belonged to a guy I worked for.  It was well-played, as he had been a gigging musician (and had his own radio show at one point) back in the 50s/60s.  The binding was all ivory colored, the markers were funky, the finish had that vintage patina.  The action was incredibly low and the thing weighed a ton.  But, it sang.  Through a Fender Deluxe (or maybe it was a Dual something or other), it absolutely killed.

 

I've tried more Gibson Les Pauls than I care to shake a stick at and none of them have ever come close to having the vibe that I (probably mistakenly) remember from that guitar.  I've bought Hamers, and they're great guitars, but they aren't really "Gibsons."  Then I played an H150 in the local mom and pop.  It had finish damage from reacting with a guitar hanger (seems like a lot of them do that), but it came closest to nailing that "feeling."  Unfortunately, I was not in a position to buy it at the time. 

 

In the intervening years, I've read a lot about how Heritage is the real deal.  So, I took started looking around for an inexpensive way to find out.  That's when I found the H137D (first edition) for a bottom feeder price (significantly less than the beat one that recently went on eBay, and in better condition, to boot!).  It showed up, I cleaned it up and changed the strings.  It's not a Black Beauty, but the construction and feel are there.  I'm hoping the Millinnium DC has it, too.  If it does, I'm going to start seriously scouring for a black H157.

[just-a-guy]

I was going to start this out as a profession of my love for authentic things.  I do believe that these guitars are "authentic" Gibsons.  They are built by the masters who chose to stay behind when Gibson moved to Tennessee.

 

Although part of that answer would be true, it wouldn't be a complete truth,  A more complete response includes the fact that I love the way this guitar looks.  I like the way it plays.  I like the idea I payed gobs less for it than I would have for a Les Paul.  I enjoy the fact that it was made for a NAMM show and I never experienced some of the fit and finish problems discussed by others I've seen.  I think it's cool that the pickguards on some of the jazzboxes I've seen are made of the same wood and finish as the rest of the top of the guitar.  On top of all that it is a hand built instrument that comes from the same factory that built some instruments of legend.

 

Confession:  I find he guitar harsh when played in a small room at low volumes for an extended period of time.  I get listener's fatigue from it faster than any of the other guitars I own.  When it is mixed in with other instruments at performance level this thing just screams and I love it to death.

 

Brian

[GuitArtMan]

I was looking for a 335 and didn't care for the current G word offerings.  Must were heavey and dead with about as much resonance as a rock and with set up isses, high price, etc.  Then I played a local shop owners 535 and was floored.  It played great, looked great and abover all sounded great!  Alive, resonant, a joy to play.  I've been hooked ever since.  I've compared my 535s to numerous current G word 335 and everytime the 535 won hands down.  I could afford a G word if I wanted one, I don't - the 535 is a better guitar.  Period.  End quote.

 

Oh and my H-137 second edition ROCKS!!!

[golferwave]

 In 1971 I purchased a new Gbrand LP Custom and also at that time had an early 69 LP Goldtop with P-90's. They were the best sounding guitars with incredible action, very easy to play, and of course were made in Kalamazoo.  From the mid 70's to the late 80's I didn't play much due to a child and other family obligations and the guitars were sold.  In the late 80's I started playing regularly again and  purchased a 1988 LP STD in tobaccoburst - it was pure crap.  I purchased many other of the brand because I love the LP style of guitar. Most of the ones I purchased either played poorly or had a dead sound to them with little resonance in the wood and were heavy. In the early 90's I heard about the old Gmen that were building the Heritages in the Parsons Street factory and soon purchased one. I've been hooked on them since.

[wingnut1]

I wanted another Les Paul guitar and I almost pulled the trigger on a Les Paul Premum Plus, but it was just too much money.  I had been keeping an eye on a black H157 that had been hanging at a local music store for 18 months.  I had helped my brother get a great deal on a black Millennium DC from the store earlier this year.  I really like the H157, but I kept asking them to take a lowball offer and they kept saying no.  The guitar is a 2005 and and was very dirty from being played alot.  It also had some hanger wear from the finish being eaten by the wall hanger.  The day I bought it I offered to buy it for $1,000 and the guy said he couldn't do it so I asked what the best deal he could make on it was.  They came down to $1250 and I decided to pull the trigger.  That was the first of three Heritage guitars that I've purchased.  They also had a nice figure top H150 that I delt them down on and I purchased a H555 off eBay.

 

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While price was one aspect of why I purchased these guitars, I also purchased them because I feel a certain connection with Heritage.  I grew up in Kalamazoo and I had quite a few friends and aquaitances that worked for Gibson.  From my first guitar when I was 13 till I got my first Fender when I was 40 all my guitars had been built in that plant.  I'm very happy with these guitars and I would encourage anyone to purchase a heritage.  I haven't had much opportunity to play the H555 yet so I pulled it out today and I've been playing it.  All I can say is WOW!! what a guitar!  I always thought semihollow bodied guitars were geared toward country players, this is one monster blues guitar and I can get some great classi rock tones from it too.

 

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[Thundersteel]

Beautiful guitars! I guess I need to add an H555 to my stable!

[GuitArtMan]

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g170/wingnut318/Heritage%20H-555/IMG_1007.jpg[/img]

That's a unique 555 - it has a mahogany neck.  The standard is maple neck.

[Gitfiddler]

Mahogany neck on an H555 raised my eyebrows also. 

 

Or is that a shot of your other beauty' neck, the H535?

[DrFrankStein]

I had gone through about 10 guitars in 10 years. I had gone through all the pointy Floyd Rose equipped guitars and eventually cam back to the basics. I had finally decided what type of guitar I wanted. I had also decided that I wanted to buy something that would keep me satisfied for quite a while. I was ready to make the move to a professional level guitar, and I played everything I could get my hands on.

 

Some axes seemed very pricey for no reason other than manufacturer. I was actually leaning towards an Epi Elitist LP when a buddy of mine let me try his H150 at a gig. I kept that in the back of my mind and then started leaning towards Hamers, just because I wanted more options than Red, Black and Heritage Cherry Sunburst. (No offense to those colors, but I really had started developing an idea of my perfect guitars.

 

On a whim, I contacted Jeff Hale and he answered every question and even asked me a few things I had not thought of. Unable to decide which one I wanted more, I got both. Next thing you know, an H-150 and H-535 made their way to Georgia and the rest is history!

[V23505]

I hate to admit it, but it was through Ed Roman that I first heard of Heritage, but after a little research I ended up at Jay Wolfe's site 8) I have always loved and continued to love Gibsons and was going to purchase a Les Paul Studio (a VERY good one) from a dealer here in Ireland. Instead, I was lured by the sheer value for money (what was not to love - an LP Custom with a great top, Duncan Alnico IIs and burst finish for the price of a black Studio here), took the risk and bought sight unseen over the internet. Had I seen this guitar in a shop in Ireland I'd have bought it anyway. There is a lot to be said for the traditions the founders have carried on, but most importantly, V23505 was and is an instrument that speaks to me, and no matter the name on the headstock, if it allows you to do what you want to do, then that itself is worth far more than the purchase price alone.

The flexibility with Heritage with regard to custom orders is also something that draws me to the brand again; hopefully this is something that will survive the change in ownership.

[wingnut1]

That's a unique 555 - it has a mahogany neck.  The standard is maple neck.

 

The guitar was custom built for Bob Gallo a jazz guitarist out of NY City.  He said he bought it from Heritage as an artist package.  He said he never played the guitar and had to turn it over right away because he had gotten a Gibson L-5 CS that he had ordered several years before and he couldn't afford to keep both.  He was the one who ordered it with the mahogany neck.  While the flamed maple neck is beautiful, I like the sound of the mahogany neck better.

[GuitArtMan]

The guitar was custom built for Bob Gallo a jazz guitarist out of NY City.  He said he bought it from Heritage as an artist package.  He said he never played the guitar and had to turn it over right away because he had gotten a Gibson L-5 CS that he had ordered several years before and he couldn't afford to keep both.  He was the one who ordered it with the mahogany neck.  While the flamed maple neck is beautiful, I like the sound of the mahogany neck better.

I like the Mahogany neck better as well; both for weight and tone.  I didn't notice the difference between the 535 and 555 so much when clean, but when overdriven.  The 535 (mahogany/rosewood) stays warm and smooth while the 555 (maple/ebonh) get's a little edgey sounding.

[BarryE]

I bought one after looking at them for about 5 years. Always wanted a 335 style and one day I compared two Gibsons and two Heritages side by side and came away feeling that they were equal (these were all four very outstanding guitars from a shop that is known for well set-up instruments) So I continued looking as I started to get my money together and one day an old friend who I hadn't seen in 10 years showed up at my door and he had an envelope with $1000 in it that I forgot that he owed me (long story better left untold). The night before by coincidence I had seen a 535 on Craigslist for $1050. so it was meant to be. Ended up with a French Wine Red 535 with Duncans that is incredible sounding. Did I say it was incredible sounding? A great guitar.

[High Flying Bird]

One day me and a buddy showed up at Mr. Walker's music store.  He had just opened up two new heritage guitars.  (I love that smell.)  He told us the Heritage story and the rest is history. 

[bluesaxe]

This one's easy -

 

Quality that kicks G***** butt for a much better price, especially used.  Plus this is the first LP style guitar that's really spoken to me.  I'm historically a Strat Guy (Can you say "Strat" here??)

[Roy Brooks]

A couple years ago I was at Elderly Instruments looking for an archtop in the sub-$2500 range.  I tried a Hofner New President, an Ibanez George Benson, Eastman, Gretsch 6120, and practically every other hollowbody electric in the store in my price range.  The last one I tried was a Heritage H575.  I liked it more than the rest of them.  I still play it alot.  Though the one I usually play now is a 1956 ES-175D.

 

Last year I was looking around for a good Les Paul Junior-style guitar.  I didn't particularly care for the reissue Juniors.  And I didn't like the Special-style DC Faded.  The old Juniors were too expensive.  So I first bought a Tokai Love Rock double cutaway with a single P90.  It got the job done.  But then I saw that Jay Wolfe had a single cutaway TV yellow H137 with a single Lollar P90.  I got it.  And I liked it enough that I didn't play the Love Rock again.  I ended up selling the Love Rock.

[Thundersteel]

I bought my first "good" guitar (brand new '89 G***** LP Custom) from Elderly. I still have it, and I will never sell it.

 

When I lived in Michigan during the early '90s, I made the trip to Elderly several times. I've bought several guitars from there.

 

It looks like they don't sell new G***** anymore (but they have a lot of used ones); too bad they don't sell Heritages.

[sweet-tooth]

In my never ending quest for "the knowledge" I came across the Heritage story in the early '90's. Having been a GB player almost exclusively, and having always coveted the old 'Mazoo instruments, I was instantly intrigued. I spent the next few years haunting every music store in Los Angeles (my home at the time) that stocked Heritage. Finally, in '99, I pulled the trigger and walked out the door with the only investment I've ever made; my sweet 16.

[MikeBeers]

I wanted a Gretsch 6120 or Tennessean, but the new ones (this was late 1990s) were expensive and of dubious quality and the vintage ones were more expensive and had less reliable build quality. Or so I perceived the market at the time.

 

So I ordered a pair of custom wound Filtertron's fitted into a PAF-style pickup covers for a H-550. I later added a Bigsby. I didn't get the guitar in orange because I wasn't pretending it was a Gretsch. I like the tobacco sunburst. I requested the contrasting pickguard.

 

Right now, it is at the Heritage factory undergoing going repair for damage sustained in a basement flood. The headstock split. It was awful.

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[Gitfiddler]

I've always wanted a quality archtop.  Heritage was the first one I could afford...and it was used! 

 

 

Now it's 'vintage'! 8)

[Heritage4]

Beautiful SEMI-HOLLOW BODY! When I was in my tens and twenties I played nothing but Tele's and Strat's. But always lusted after that warm sound of a hollow body. Played Fender Starcasters for a number of years and collected them. Had seven at one time, man I wish I still had all of them as they're going for around $4000.00 now and remember picking them up for $800.00 used. Still got more for them than what I paid, but... any way. Went from the Starcasters to the Guild Starfire 4's and then got hooked on the Guild Starfire 5's. From there I got my first Heritage and they've been my babies ever since. Still have a couple of Starcasters and three Guild Starfire 5's, but I play my Heritages the most. Oh no I just realized something...they no longer make Starcasters or Starfires, I hope this isn't an omen. (Currently crossing self three times while spitting on ground while uttering senseless words in a long forgotten ancient language while spinning clockwise in a circle and crossing all fingers and toes.)

 

Graham

[doc a]

I got my first Heritage in '03,  an H-155.  Started playing in high school (early 70s) and wanted a Les Paul but could not afford one.  Had to settle for a used tele and then a strat (not necessarily a bad thing I still have and play them).  Collage then dent school and residency put my guitar quest on hold.  Then came marrage and kids.  Finally got the g. but was only mildly satisfied,  I thought that all the years of waiting had given me too high an expectation.  Not long after I read a review on the H-155 in Guitar magazine (UK).  I had not heard of Heritage and was curious to learn more.  225 Parsons St., golden age G guitar makers, hand craftmanship,  it sounded good.  I was lucky enough to find a 155.  Wow, lovely to look at, a delight to hold and a dream to play.  Sold my Les Paul and never looked back.  Now I also have a '85 140, '93 137D and a '05 Prospect.  I will post a pic soon,  the one I have is to big a file.

[Gitfiddler]

I bought a Heritage because of the unique headstock design.

[Dick Seacup]

I bought a Heritage because of the unique headstock design.

 

Thanks, I just shot beer out my nose.