Leaderboard

Wolfetone Legends

I liken the Ascent line as similar to the G&L Tribute line. When first introduced, the guitars were labeled as Tribute by G&L. I think it limited the appeal of the guitars. Later, they changed to G&L Tribute Series for the logo and I think it gave the junior line a boost. I think Heritage should have done some thing similar. It would differentiate the guitars from the US line (although it easy enough to tell an Ascent by looking at the back of the headstock). I will say that my Tribute ASAT is an excellent guitar. There's no reason an Ascent guitar can't be an excellent guitar as well. As for the company dying in 2016, I would rather have the company stay alive even if it means change. I've got a guitar that was hand built by an outstanding luthier, Gerard Melancon. Unfortunately, he developed cancer and passed away some years back. The company died that day, no more Melancon guitars... JP has already passed, Jim, Bill and Marv are no longer spring chickens (God love 'em) and deserve some rest. Sometimes you just need to pass things along to the younger generation.

Hello everyone, I did a search on this forum to see if this topic has been talked to in the forum but I didn’t see any new or old topics specifically talking about which new pick ups you kind folks would replace the originals with… im not crazy about the 59’s or Seymour Duncan pick ups to be honest. To me they are too whiney and a bit on the scratchy, rough sound (if that makes sense) I would like to put in a set of humbuckers, I’ve had good luck with Tom Brantley PAF Humbuckers, I also like the new Gibson Custombuckers Humbuckers, but I am trying to stay away from Gibson. Any recommendations? I know it’s a very personal choice but it’s always good to hear other people’s opinions. Here’s my lovely guitar! Thank you in advance and my apologies if this subject has been talked to death and I missed the posting!

What kind of music do you play? Are you more of a clean player? The SD 59's are nice, but they are definitely a bit "rude" sounding, designed to sound good for rock and roll. Dimarzio 36th Anniversary PAF pickups aren't super expensive, and are really REALLY nice sounding. Not as crystal clear as say the Schaller Golden 50s that Heritage used for years, but very balanced and just really nice sounding pickups.

JS Moore humbuckers are the best pickups I've ever played. Wolfetones are also very good.

Agreed Now... I do wish "Heritage" continued success and growth. I know they are making great guitars, expanding the name recognition, and doing what they feel they need to do to thrive in today's market... but that doesn't mean I have to accept that it's the same company with the same story that I fell in love with so many years ago. I used to have to often explain my Heritages to people; but I could do so with pride. Now that conversation becomes a little more drawn out; add in these cheap bolt-on reasonable facsimiles for "Heritages", and that conversation now starts to become quite pedantic. If they had only put "Ascent" or even "Heritage Ascent" on the headstock... something to differentiate it from the main brand... I feel like that would have been a little better. But since they didn't, it does, to me, feel like it dilutes the brand as a whole. Then again, it's not like my opinion means much to anyone, and I'm certainly not the target consumer for these. So I guess I just typed all that out simply to hear myself think out loud.

My last trip to 225 Parsons was in 2016. It was just after the sale of the company. At the little lunch they put on for us I heard the new people speak and took them for chiselers. I told one of our members that the brand was dead. He thought I was crazy until a few months later when he called me and asked me how I knew so soon. I got into Heritage guitars because of their hand built guitars, made by the good hearted people of Kalamazoo. It means nothing to me when I hear about how good their guitars are now. It is a different company. Selling imports cheapens the brand. Now I have to add, "This guitar was made before they sold the company." Say what you want -The Heritage died in 2016.

I will start by observing that there exists, in SE Asia, the ability to manufacture musical instruments to a very high quality. I am not at all espousing a "quality can only be found from American manufacturing" point of view. There is a whole 'business' point of view that should be considered. The original vision of The Heritage guitars was pretty clear. Working instruments for working musicians, patterned after the much-loved originals, built in (what was left of) the original factory, under the guidance of some folks who were involved in the creation, build and sale of those much-loved originals. With the departure of the OG owners/founders of The Heritage, corporate interests have taken the helm. Corporate interests being what they are, profitability and growth become the core of, if not the whole "uber alles" mantra. Having personally espoused, for many years, that 'the only things in nature that experience non-stop growth are kudzu, bamboo and cancer,' I will refrain from expounding further on my thoughts thereof. Suffice to say, I think the current management has a different set of goals than the OG owners/founders did, and their marketing--which translates over to their production choices--reflects that. Nothing wrong with it, it's all just board room decisions and calculated risks. If it were a perfect reality, the OG owners/founders would have continued forever. They would have learned a couple things along the way, like maybe 'pay a little more attention to QC,' and The Heritage would exist in a perpetual Golden Age. But, we don't live in a perfect reality. Otherwise, I'd be typing this from a 60' Viking enclosed bridge anchored off the coast of some uninhabited atoll in the Caribbean. Instead, here I am in the vast wastelands of Michiganistan, questioning my life's decisions. The current stewards of the brand can make whatever decisions they like, and I wish them the best of luck. I'll stick to, ah, pre-loved Heritage guitars.