FredZepp Posted June 30, 2011 Posted June 30, 2011 But, in 1984,Norlin Corporation closed the Kalamazoo plant and left behind a core of craftsmen with 500 collective years of guitar-making experience. A few of those luthiers formed a new company, Heritage Guitar Inc. The appellation is apt. “Heritage is more than our name; it’s who we are,” says Jim Deurloo, a cofounder along with Marv Lamb, J.P. Moats and Bill Paige. “We’ve been building guitars all our lives,” adds Jim, who started at Gibson in 1958 at age 19. Marv was 16 when hired on May 31, 1956, a date he recalls with pride. “We were farmers in Alabama. I came north in October 1955 and worked with my brother and brother-in-law at a bakery. Dad came to the Gibson guard shack where they took applications every day until they hired him, and he got me a job here, too.” Like Marv, J.P. also hails from Alabama “ My sister worked at Gibson and she got someone to hire me — that was in 1957 — and I worked for them for 28 years.” Vince elaborates,"Our product is the core of the company, and customers can count on hand-made, high-quality craftsmanship, just as it’s always been. Made in the U.S.A. Made in Michigan. Made in Kalamazoo.” Not surprisingly, Vince finds support in Jim, Marv, J.P., Bill Paige and a half dozen others in the plant who, for 50 years, have lived a golden partnership deeper than some marriages. “These guys are amazing individuals above and beyond the amazing things they do with their hands to build those wonderful instruments everyone covets,” Vince says. “Each of them reminds me of my father in some way: Jim’s sense of humor; J.P.’s easy way; and Marv wears his honesty on his sleeve. Even though they have reached retirement age, they each plan to stay as long as they are needed because they want to be secure in knowing the company will continue here in Kalamazoo.” He smiles with appreciation. “And I can’t do this without them.” Quotes from Encore Jan 2008
FredZepp Posted June 30, 2011 Author Posted June 30, 2011 Jim started sanding rims, the vertical “side” of a guitar as the instrument lays on its back. He then moved into the mill room where he operated band saws, routers, joiners and shapers. He went to pattern making, his favorite job, then to guitar prior to the color coat being applied. engineering and assumed responsibility for jig construction. He became supervisor of the pattern makers and machine shop, and then plant manager. J.P. started sanding white wood, moved to cleaning and buffing, and then became cleaning inspector. From there, it was a quick step to quality control. After a stint as wood purchaser, which took him to forests in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Mississippi, the West Coast, Germany and other parts of the world, he returned to quality control and supervisor of the service department. Marv, in his early days as a hand sander, expressed his desire to learn all he could about guitar making. He became an inspector, then a line leader, and then a supervisor. He also started the first night shift at Gibson, and then returned to the day shift as a supervisor. He became foreman of whitewood, assembly and finishing, and, finally, plant superintendent. Each agrees: “Heritage is a natural name for us.” At the same time, the evolution from being a Gibson employee to a Heritage founder is tinged with a hint of vinegar. “When Gibson closed,” Jim begins. “No, let me say it like it is — when Gibson left us, we could have gone to Nashville, but all of us would have been redundant there.” Link >>>> PDF link Encore Jan 2008
Gitfiddler Posted June 30, 2011 Posted June 30, 2011 Fred, thanks for these historical perspectives and anecdotes from Parsons Street. I think the content needs to be put in a separate area of this great site and available for reading by all that visit the HOC. Admin, can you hear me? My problem is that each time I read about the passion of the owners of Heritage Guitars, Inc., I want to buy another of their great products!
mooonpi Posted June 30, 2011 Posted June 30, 2011 Fred, thanks for these historical perspectives and anecdotes from Parsons Street. I think the content needs to be put in a separate area of this great site and available for reading by all that visit the HOC. Admin, can you hear me? My problem is that each time I read about the passion of the owners of Heritage Guitars, Inc., I want to buy another of their great products! Yes, that makes a lot of sense to me. I enjoy reading them, and it'd be nice if they were collected.
FredZepp Posted May 19, 2012 Author Posted May 19, 2012 But, in 1984,Norlin Corporation closed the Kalamazoo plant and left behind a core of craftsmen with 500 collective years of guitar-making experience. A few of those luthiers formed a new company, Heritage Guitar Inc. The appellation is apt. "Heritage is more than our name; it's who we are," says Jim Deurloo, a cofounder along with Marv Lamb, J.P. Moats and Bill Paige. "We've been building guitars all our lives," adds Jim, who started at Gibson in 1958 at age 19. Marv was 16 when hired on May 31, 1956, a date he recalls with pride. "We were farmers in Alabama. I came north in October 1955 and worked with my brother and brother-in-law at a bakery. Dad came to the Gibson guard shack where they took applications every day until they hired him, and he got me a job here, too." Like Marv, J.P. also hails from Alabama " My sister worked at Gibson and she got someone to hire me — that was in 1957 — and I worked for them for 28 years." Vince elaborates,"Our product is the core of the company, and customers can count on hand-made, high-quality craftsmanship, just as it's always been. Made in the U.S.A. Made in Michigan. Made in Kalamazoo." Not surprisingly, Vince finds support in Jim, Marv, J.P., Bill Paige and a half dozen others in the plant who, for 50 years, have lived a golden partnership deeper than some marriages. "These guys are amazing individuals above and beyond the amazing things they do with their hands to build those wonderful instruments everyone covets," Vince says. "Each of them reminds me of my father in some way: Jim's sense of humor; J.P.'s easy way; and Marv wears his honesty on his sleeve. Even though they have reached retirement age, they each plan to stay as long as they are needed because they want to be secure in knowing the company will continue here in Kalamazoo." He smiles with appreciation. "And I can't do this without them." Quotes from Encore Jan 2008 Jim started sanding rims, the vertical "side" of a guitar as the instrument lays on its back. He then moved into the mill room where he operated band saws, routers, joiners and shapers. He went to pattern making, his favorite job, then to guitar prior to the color coat being applied. engineering and assumed responsibility for jig construction. He became supervisor of the pattern makers and machine shop, and then plant manager. J.P. started sanding white wood, moved to cleaning and buffing, and then became cleaning inspector. From there, it was a quick step to quality control. After a stint as wood purchaser, which took him to forests in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, Mississippi, the West Coast, Germany and other parts of the world, he returned to quality control and supervisor of the service department. Marv, in his early days as a hand sander, expressed his desire to learn all he could about guitar making. He became an inspector, then a line leader, and then a supervisor. He also started the first night shift at Gibson, and then returned to the day shift as a supervisor. He became foreman of whitewood, assembly and finishing, and, finally, plant superintendent. Each agrees: "Heritage is a natural name for us." At the same time, the evolution from being a Gibson employee to a Heritage founder is tinged with a hint of vinegar. "When Gibson closed," Jim begins. "No, let me say it like it is — when Gibson left us, we could have gone to Nashville, but all of us would have been redundant there." Link >>>> PDF link Encore Jan 2008 some more Heritage history to ponder.....
StephenK Posted May 20, 2012 Posted May 20, 2012 Fred, thank you. Agree should be a historical area on board. Great stuff, great guys, great product.. Stephen
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