The Kids Are Not Alright...

[LK155]

Today I took my oldest daughter for "our" first driving lesson. My younger daughter was in the park with friends and as we drove by I hung out the window screaming, "save me!"

 

It was hard turning over the wheel to her. I love my Element.

 

 

 

Bird,

For the sake of your own sanity, and to prevent heart stoppage, turn the driving lessons over to a pro.

Send her to Student Drivers or Young Drivers or whatever it's called in your area.

You will both be better off, and you will probably live through the experience. It's only money, after all.

I don't know if it's the same deal where you are, but our two sons both will have car insurance discounts for life because they took a driver training course.

[Guest HRB853370]

I see where your coming from slammer, but you know as well as I it's not heritages fault,,,,,, The youth , just like all of us when we where young, follow what is in at the time.. Heritage guitars are the best for sure, we know that end of story. Im talking about the future genair's. We all started playing guitars because of some player we wanted to sound like, hence we played the guitars they did. Then we got older and realized what quality means (heritage of course)!!! I have heard stories of heritage not giving top notch players who are touring to millions thier guitars. That is just beyond a mistake!!!!!! Why wouldnt you give a touring popular band a guitar to endorse to millions of up and coming generations to lust after like fender and gibson does and has for over 50 years????? Thats foolish, and very very bad business.. Now you all can say alll you want about heritage guitar but in the end they are a business! So if they want to carry on a heritage tradition they need to get the attention of these video gaming mindless teens you speek of. Because like it or not they are the future owners of heritage guitars and what will keep them in business,,,,, which is what we all want in the end right?

How is that going to happen if none of them has heard of heritage because they wouldnt send a major star a free guitar so thousands of fans can see and hear one in action by someone they idolize! How soon we all forget huhh? Just like my son son told me 2 years ago ,,, if heritages are so great why doesnt zakk wylde play one? Maybe heritage needs to be reminded kids are kids and like it or not you have to play the marketing game. Thats all im sayin..

 

Now we can all sit here and massage heritages ego but what going to happen when where all but gone. You tell me???????????

 

But as JD from Heritage pointed out, even if Heritage was to give away a guitar to a "rock star", unless there was something contractual that he/she had to play it live or pose in photos with it (even better), there is nothing to say that the artist would actually play it. What grates me is these high paid artists who "demand" free gear. I once had a Gretsch drums endorsement, but that did not mean I received free drums. If I broke a part they would send me a replacement at N/C but I had to buy my drums. And I was proud to play Gretsch and still am. I never bought any guitar based on the brand a particular artist I loved played. I bought my guitars based on a quality/value proposition. Maybe its different today and based more on fads.

[bolero]

yeah it's a complex issue & I'm sure we'd all love to see more high profile ppl playing Heritage

 

IMO cream rises to the top, I'm sure we'll be seeing more of them prominently

 

I'm selling all my Gibsons, and hell, if I ever become famous you're damn right I'll pimp The Heritages!!

[DetroitBlues]

yeah it's a complex issue & I'm sure we'd all love to see more high profile ppl playing Heritage

 

IMO cream rises to the top, I'm sure we'll be seeing more of them prominently

 

I'm selling all my Gibsons, and hell, if I ever become famous you're damn right I'll pimp The Heritages!!

 

Ah, just give 'em away then! I'll take one or two from you and promise not to sell them!

[the jayce]

I just seems like it would be worth sending the guitar heros of today a heritage to play and try out, because theres a good chance they will convert and play it at every show for millions to see,,, but we will never no because they dont even try. Just like up and coming bands, if thier not out playing clubs and handing out demo's to everything that breaths to try and get thier name out chances are they arnt going far. Dont really see how thats any different in trying to sell your product and get the brand known. (Hint Hint owner of heritage.)

[mark555]

Every chance I can make I mention Heritage guitars. Until a mainstream artist starts playing one (which won't happen since Fender, Gibson, and PRS giveaway their guitars to just about anyone kids watch), it will be a obscure botique guitar builder....

 

So true, but isn't it fantastic to know that you have something that is special and that the sheep are all buying something inferior? Nothing wrong with a good Gibson, but you have to work hard to find one now for the overpriced ticket on the guitar.

 

I really like having something the crowd does not.

[Trouble]

I definitely don't want Heritage to become Gibson (I was in Nashville this weekend and had a drink at the

airport's "Gibson Cafe", complete with $28 T-shirts) but it does concern me that the company's clientele is

aging significantly.

 

The younger guys on this forum are in their thirties. I'm 39, and I only heard about Heritage because my

guitar teacher started playing an Eagle about fifteen years ago.

 

When you tell 15-year-olds about the company, they aren't going to trade in their ESP or Jackson for a Sweet 16...

but 20 years from now, they may be informed buyers. I look at it as putting wood or whiskey aside for seasoning.

I agree completely, I actually did hear about Heritage in the beginning, but I wasn't interested in that type of guitar. At that time, just like the younger generation today, I wouldn't have traded my hot rod guitars but the funny thing is I would have no interest in owning any of those guitars today.

[Trouble]

Also add in Johnny Smith, Roy Clark and there is more! I don't think Heritage is marketing to the 18-25 year old set. I bet if you took a survey, the average age of a Heritage owner is over 35. Notice the word AVERAGE. They don't have the budget models like Gibson and Fender do. ALL of their guitars are of professional grade quality. You don't see any offshore made Heritage's like you do with Fender and Gibson. Heritage's are sold to the folks that are educated and can afford them. Period. That is not to say that they should not go for the younger set, as they definitely should. Orders are orders and sales are sales.

 

I agree, I think the kind of person that would buy a Heritage is a person that has passed the point of getting caught up in fads and hype, and appreciates the tradition and rich history behind a hand made guitar.

 

As far as spreading the word, most guitarist I meet I could care less whether the know about Heritage or not, even though it bugs me when someone says knock off or Gibson copy. Now and then though I meet someone who has a passion for real music and not cookie cutter pop music that is so mainstream, and those guitarst will usually have a pretty solid collection of amps and instruments, maybe not large but classy. Fender, Marshall, Rick, Gibson, Martin.

 

 

Those are the kinds of players that I get stoked talking to about Heritage, and it always amazes me how receptive those kinds of guys are.

 

The guys that have a Jackson or a LP studio and some hot rod Crate amp generally don't listen to what I say.

 

I think in the end the right kind of people will find Heritage when they are ready, as long as Heritage is still there.

[Trouble]

h555 you are wise well beyond your years, apparently!

 

Your vocabulary is also quite remarkable for the average American 12 yr old these days. Either you are quite remarkable, fooling with us , or from some 'socialist' northern European country where they actually value education and the Arts.

 

Doesn't matter any old way, because you got good taste.

 

+1, WOW

[cod65]

one of my first guitars at 12:

 

 

 

Gibson 65 Melody Maker

200-250$,Swansea Mall(?)

 

 

 

I carved a hole for a DiMarzio 'super distortion' in body (ughhh.)... ...and made an aluminum pickguard.

 

Sold the original plastic pickguard on ebay last year for ........ 20$

 

Traded the guitar away long ago.

 

Great neck it had though! Even converted for lefty.

 

I still have the single coil pickup in a drawer.

[H]

I agree, I think the kind of person that would buy a Heritage is a person that has passed the point of getting caught up in fads and hype, and appreciates the tradition and rich history behind a hand made guitar.

 

I think in the end the right kind of people will find Heritage when they are ready, as long as Heritage is still there.

Very true, Trouble, Heritage is a guitar one 'graduates' to after learning the way on lesser fare.

 

Their charm and appeal comes, in part at least, from the type of company they are. They seem to do it for the love of building guitars and, in the case of Marv, Ren and others, of passing the knowledge of hand-building guitars to the next generation of craftspeople. How could they hope to continue in a similar vein were they to become large, corporate and, ultimately, completely profit-oriented?