When Will Heritage Guitars Become 'VINTAGE'??

[Gitfiddler]

OK, so Heritage began building guitars back in 1984...or was it 1985? 

 

Either way, that's only 23 or 24 years ago.

 

Heritage archtops, in particular have a vintage 'feel' to them right from the factory.  Their semi-hollows have been compared favorably by many, to early 335's.  Heritage solid body models have that special, almost mystical vibe of very old B-brand LP's. 

 

However, the vintage guitar market is very fickle and loves specific brands.

 

So when will Heritage archtops, semi-hollows and solid body instruments truly be considered VINTAGE?

[brentrocks]

I COSIDER ANYTHING FROM HERITAGE, '90 OR OLDER VINTAGE FOR THEM......THE REST OF THE GUITAR WORLD WOULD DISSAGREE THOUGH

[big bob]

classic in terms of cars is 25 years,

vintage or at least the term vintage is in the eye of the beholder.

 

A vintage wine is one made from grapes that were all, or primarily, grown and harvested in a single specified year. In certain wines it can denote quality, as in Port wine, where Port houses make and declare "vintage" Port in their best years. From this tradition, a common, though incorrect, usage applies the term to any wine that is perceived to be particularly old or of a particularly high quality.

 

but because vintage guitar magazine came out in 1986, any thing from 1986 or before will be considered vintage  :afro: :afro:

[ingeneri]

The subjective standard I've heard several times is that the 1970s are the real cut off date. While there have been good guitars made since, the manufacturing practices and materials in mass produced guitars changed significantly back then.  Thus Norlin/CBS era stuff is not expected to appreciate in the same way as the golden age 50-60s instruments.  IMO, most of the vintage market is driven by middle aged guys wanting the same guitar as X musician of their youth.  To some extant, we all suffer from this, but here at the HOC we've gone beyond just looking at the headstock. 

[cod65]

The subjective standard I've heard several times is that the 1970s are the real cut off date. While there have been good guitars made since, the manufacturing practices and materials in mass produced guitars changed significantly back then.  Thus Norlin/CBS era stuff is not expected to appreciate in the same way as the golden age 50-60s instruments.  IMO, most of the vintage market is driven by middle aged guys wanting the same guitar as X musician of their youth.  To some extant, we all suffer from this, but here at the HOC we've gone beyond just looking at the headstock. 

 

 

does anybody remember back to the 70's , when nobody wanted 3-bolt neck strats ? and now they are considered 'vintage'. they were considered a lesser quality guitar at the time. You just have to ask yourself: 'is the quality good'?  In the case of Heritage, emphatically yes.

[brentrocks]

Heritage will enter the collectors market within the next 5-10 yrs, i think

[Bombassa]

May be sometimes. Would be nice if my guitars where very valuable

I'm even more satisfied with the fact that Heritage doesn't make new (fake)

vintages like two major guitar manufacturers. I'm thinking about: faded,

worn out, destroyed relics. That makes me thinking about the Italiens

making antique furnitures. Their main tools : Beretta shotgun. ;D ;D

[jacques]

Heritage guitars will become vintage when your dentist wants one to hang on his wall.

[brentrocks]

Heritage guitars will become vintage when your dentist wants one to hang on his wall.

 

[glow=red,2,300]LMAO[/glow]

[yoslate]

While there have been good guitars made since, the manufacturing practices and materials in mass produced guitars changed significantly back then.  Thus Norlin/CBS era stuff is not expected to appreciate in the same way as the golden age 50-60s instruments.  IMO, most of the vintage market is driven by middle aged guys wanting the same guitar as X musician of their youth.  To some extant, we all suffer from this, but here at the HOC we've gone beyond just looking at the headstock.   

 

Agreed!  What does "vintage" mean anymore?  Generally, it means too expensive to acquire and play out.  It represents an investment or a trophy, rather than a vehicle for artistic expression.  There was a time, and not all that long ago, when it meant a cool, eminently playable older instrument with a history and a patina, a funky pedigree, that made it desireable to people with an arcane sort of knowledge.  And those instruments were acquired to be played.  Ironic, isn't it, that Heritage guitars seem to reflect the qualities of the outmoded definition of "vintage" rather than what the term currently seems to identify.  So, given the difference in definition, and if ingeneri's insight is accurate, regarding guitar as last grasp at a popular icon of one's fading youth, I'd predict they'll never become "vintage" in the same sense as a '50's Paul, or ES, or a '60's Strat.  And my response to that is: so what?  Do you want to play it, or rub it and stare at it in a temperature controlled, smoke-free "environment"?  Jacques may have nailed it....   

[High Flying Bird]

Heritage is, in my opinion, a no nonsense guitar made and marketed for working people by working people who want a top notch guitar at a reasonable price and could care less if their guitar ever had any type of mystic wrapped around it. 

 

Gibson started out this way but they and the public seem to buy into the "mystic" of Gibson. 

[cod65]

I predict Heritage will suddenly become 'hot' in the future. When ? I dunno. it's inevitable. The next Kurt Cobain or somebody is seen with one.  Gibson or somebody  will try and buy them out for an outrageous sum. maybe this happens 20 yrs from now. Maybe whomever is in control 'sells out' . The we look back on the golden, silver platinum eras of The Heritage. It can't not happen! it's already happened. The thing with Heritage is they've never really made a bad product.

 

>

[fxdx99]

Good question.  I'd say some are now - pre '88s, especially with the 'pointy' cut away since that's a feature no longer being made, the 140s and 170s since they're no longer being made, either.  They're quality instruments as recognized by many musicians (the wise ones anyway), have a unique and interesting historical story...  as has been mentioned, they lack being linked to a musical event/sound/style/celeb which prevents them from joining the 'collectible' movement driving 50/60s guitar values.

 

So some are vintage today.

Few (none?) have acheived collectible status (if one assumes the definition of collectible guitars includes providing a financial return on the investment.)

[ingeneri]

IMO the entire collecter thing is going to go sub-prime within 10 years.  The hip-hop generation won't produce nearly enough people who care to pay $50,000 on a guitar, the boomers will die, and we'll all be too broke anyways.  And good riddance, let's bring the instruments back to the musicians and away from the dentists and hedge fund managers.

[Gitfiddler]

Hey all of you newer HOC folks, what do you all think of this (fairly) old topic.

 

Part of the reason I'm reviving it that I've had an opportunity to play a few 'vintage' guitars lately, and well, my Heritage feels and plays better.  Personal bias or not, it simply FEELS more vintage than much older guitars.

[Spectrum13]

Thanks for the memories...Ingeneri hit it... except for the hedge fund manager having money to buy big ticket items.

 

Made to be appreciated by players not the collectors.

 

Built it, and they will come.

[smurph1]

I think that eventually some people will realize it's about the tone..not the name..If the G=Brand keeps cranking out inconsistent and over priced guitars..It will eventually bite em in the butt..A friend of mine has been lusting over a 335 for years, but since I got my H-140, he wants a 535!! I think with time, the Heritages will start popping up on stages around the world, and their market value will increase, because the just kick a**..

[Dick Seacup]

Thursday.  Definitely on Thursday.

 

Seriously, they'll be classic right about now. Vintage, and all the baggage that goes with it? I hope never. I like that they're affordable, working instruments.  Even if I'm not working with mine.

[dblazer]

Are we talking "vintage" or are we talking "valuable"?

 

No. 9 on the dictionary list: 9. representing the high quality of a past time: vintage cars; vintage movies.

 

So, they'll be "vintage" when they're "of a past time", to me that's maybe 30-40 years, right now guitars from the 50s and 60s, and before of course, are "vintage".

 

Heritage guitars will be "vintage" in another 20-30 years. If they're then "valuable" we'll have to wait and see.

 

Or at least you will.

 

My only collector's value one is probably the (probably only) left handed 10th anniversary H-140.

[yngwie308]

Hey and compared to G, I love my snakehead headstock, that's what Orville used back in the day...

yngwie308

[zydecosoultrain]

Heritage guitars are vintage NewNewStock, ie affordable vintage

[totonka]

I saw a H-150 here, so I think that means they're all vintage.

[tulk1]

I saw a H-150 here, so I think that means they're all vintage.

 

 

[smurph1]

May be sometimes. Would be nice if my guitars where very valuable

I'm even more satisfied with the fact that Heritage doesn't make new (fake)

vintages like two major guitar manufacturers. I'm thinking about: faded,

worn out, destroyed relics. That makes me thinking about the Italiens

making antique furnitures. Their main tools : Beretta shotgun. ;D ;D

I gotta chime in on this..I was jamming with some friends recently, and the bass players brother asked me quote, "is that a Les Paul, or a knockoff?" (I was playing my 140) I have to admit, it really p#ssed me off!! I bit my tongue, and very politely answered: "It's a Heritage..Made in the original Gibbon factory, by many of the original GBrand craftsmen" He seemed very unimpressed, until he listened to it for a while..the rich tone, and sweet distortion..finally he said,"Nice Guitar" I don't think i convinced him it was better than a Gibbon, but at least I got him to thinking..

[pegleg32]

Actually I don't care if they ever become "vintage". If they do, I probably won't buy one. I bought Heritage based on reviews and the history of the company. When I got it in my hands, I was even more impressed. I played a Gibson 335 during the late 60's and you can imagine I remember it very fondly, however, my 535 is ever bit as good or better than the way I remember the 335. Thats really all I care about. I just want to be able to play a guitar that pleases me. Anything else is fluff.