tommyd73069
Senior Member
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2013
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I would think, outside of the Heritage Owners Club Forum, this would be the next hottest place to discuss Heritage Guitars.
Maybe they aren't being discussed because so few know their story.
From Heritage Website:
Heritage Guitar Inc. of 225 Parsons Street in Kalamazoo, Michigan was incorporated on April 1, 1985. The company is going on 25 years old, it has achieved the status of one of the premier guitar companies in the world today. It is, in many instances, the new guitar line handled by countless vintage shops throughout the world. This indicates it is thought of as the collectible guitar of tomorrow.
The idea to start Heritage Guitar began when the Gibson Guitar Corporation closed its Kalamazoo, Michigan factory in September of 1984 and moved all production to its other plant in Nashville, Tennessee (in operation since 1975). When this took place, some of the employees were asked to move to Nashville. However, since their families had spent many years in Kalamazoo, it made it difficult to uproot and move. Therefore 3 men, Jim Deurloo, Marvin Lamb, and JP Moats, decided to start a guitar manufacturing business. In 1985 when the company was incorporated, 2 other former Gibson Guitar Corporation employees, Bill Paige and Mike Korpak, joined as owners. Mike left the company in 1985.
The founders biggest resource is and was the group of craftsmen they could draw from to begin operations. The owners themselves each had in excess of 25 years of hands on experience in making guitars. To this day each of the owners is directly involved in the manufacturing of each instrument.
Heritage started operations in the oldest of five buildings formerly owned and operated by Gibson Guitar Corporation. That building was completed in 1917 and has been a center for guitar manufacturing ever since. Much of the machinery that Heritage uses today, was purchased from Gibson Guitar Corporation.
The first guitar Heritage introduced was the H-140 solid body single cutaway electric guitar. This model was shown at the NAMM show in June of 1985.
Since that time Heritage has added many instruments. Currently Heritage manufacturers Custom Carved Hollow Body Guitars, Semi Hollow Body Guitars, and Solid Body Guitars. This is to say nothing of the countless number of custom instruments made in each of the groups previously mentioned. Banjos, Mandolins, Flat Tops, and Basses, are no longer being produced because of the demand for the guitars mentioned in the above 3 categories.
Heritage is proud of its older employees with 25 years of average experience and what it has accomplished in 24 years. Heritage is also training younger luthiers to learn this fine art of craftsmanship.
___
Once I learned this, I started searching for nice used Heritages. What I found was the best value in a super premium guitar out there. I wanted a vintage/reissue ES335 dot. Prices ranged from $3-5000 for anything nice, with it's original case, pickups and hardware. Most were plain tops, many were unbound necks and bodies (studio?). By the time I got to the bound, flamed tops, sides and backs, $6,000 wouldn't hardly get it done.
I wanted the classic mickey mouse cutaways, nitro finish, flame maple top, back and sides. I didn't want one frech from the CNC machine. I wanted vintage construction techniques. I found all of that in a 15th anniv. 2000 Heritage H535 for $1600, with the original case, case candy and unmolested.
Many more pictures here: Heritage H-535 Photos by tommyd73069 | Photobucket
When we get into their solid body line, there are some knockout choices.
These are all under $4000 at full retail. Jay Wolfe has dozens. Here's an H157 for under $1800.
2007 Heritage H157CM Dark Almond Burst > Guitars : Electric Solid Body - Wolfe Guitars | Gbase.com
So, why do I see more discussions of guitars that cost more and have none of the history that goes with the designs they are copying. The guys at Heritage were at Gibson when all the historics we lust after were built. Many were built by these exact guys. Some of them have worked in this same Parson St. building since they were teenagers.
I'm looking at several solid body Heritages. If I settle on one, I will be wearing you guys out about it. If you don't know about them now, you will if you follow along.
Here's some really cool video from the factory tour in 2011.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzOxYhcMwsY"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzOxYhcMwsY[/ame]
Maybe they aren't being discussed because so few know their story.
From Heritage Website:
Heritage Guitar Inc. of 225 Parsons Street in Kalamazoo, Michigan was incorporated on April 1, 1985. The company is going on 25 years old, it has achieved the status of one of the premier guitar companies in the world today. It is, in many instances, the new guitar line handled by countless vintage shops throughout the world. This indicates it is thought of as the collectible guitar of tomorrow.
The idea to start Heritage Guitar began when the Gibson Guitar Corporation closed its Kalamazoo, Michigan factory in September of 1984 and moved all production to its other plant in Nashville, Tennessee (in operation since 1975). When this took place, some of the employees were asked to move to Nashville. However, since their families had spent many years in Kalamazoo, it made it difficult to uproot and move. Therefore 3 men, Jim Deurloo, Marvin Lamb, and JP Moats, decided to start a guitar manufacturing business. In 1985 when the company was incorporated, 2 other former Gibson Guitar Corporation employees, Bill Paige and Mike Korpak, joined as owners. Mike left the company in 1985.
The founders biggest resource is and was the group of craftsmen they could draw from to begin operations. The owners themselves each had in excess of 25 years of hands on experience in making guitars. To this day each of the owners is directly involved in the manufacturing of each instrument.
Heritage started operations in the oldest of five buildings formerly owned and operated by Gibson Guitar Corporation. That building was completed in 1917 and has been a center for guitar manufacturing ever since. Much of the machinery that Heritage uses today, was purchased from Gibson Guitar Corporation.
The first guitar Heritage introduced was the H-140 solid body single cutaway electric guitar. This model was shown at the NAMM show in June of 1985.
Since that time Heritage has added many instruments. Currently Heritage manufacturers Custom Carved Hollow Body Guitars, Semi Hollow Body Guitars, and Solid Body Guitars. This is to say nothing of the countless number of custom instruments made in each of the groups previously mentioned. Banjos, Mandolins, Flat Tops, and Basses, are no longer being produced because of the demand for the guitars mentioned in the above 3 categories.
Heritage is proud of its older employees with 25 years of average experience and what it has accomplished in 24 years. Heritage is also training younger luthiers to learn this fine art of craftsmanship.
___
Once I learned this, I started searching for nice used Heritages. What I found was the best value in a super premium guitar out there. I wanted a vintage/reissue ES335 dot. Prices ranged from $3-5000 for anything nice, with it's original case, pickups and hardware. Most were plain tops, many were unbound necks and bodies (studio?). By the time I got to the bound, flamed tops, sides and backs, $6,000 wouldn't hardly get it done.
I wanted the classic mickey mouse cutaways, nitro finish, flame maple top, back and sides. I didn't want one frech from the CNC machine. I wanted vintage construction techniques. I found all of that in a 15th anniv. 2000 Heritage H535 for $1600, with the original case, case candy and unmolested.
Many more pictures here: Heritage H-535 Photos by tommyd73069 | Photobucket
When we get into their solid body line, there are some knockout choices.
These are all under $4000 at full retail. Jay Wolfe has dozens. Here's an H157 for under $1800.
2007 Heritage H157CM Dark Almond Burst > Guitars : Electric Solid Body - Wolfe Guitars | Gbase.com
So, why do I see more discussions of guitars that cost more and have none of the history that goes with the designs they are copying. The guys at Heritage were at Gibson when all the historics we lust after were built. Many were built by these exact guys. Some of them have worked in this same Parson St. building since they were teenagers.
I'm looking at several solid body Heritages. If I settle on one, I will be wearing you guys out about it. If you don't know about them now, you will if you follow along.
Here's some really cool video from the factory tour in 2011.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzOxYhcMwsY"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzOxYhcMwsY[/ame]
