Alex Skolnick Ditches Heritage Guitars

[Billgelder]

I don't blame Alex one bit....if I were a rock star and had a signature axe, I would expect to see my model in magazines. He needs a company that will put his name out there....he is not getting any younger.

In my eyes you are a rock star.

[HANGAR18]

I tried to research ESP a number of years ago to try and figure out whether I thought they were good guitars or not, and I did learn a lot about them, but ESP/LTD dealers aren't really any easier to find than Heritage dealers. The only ESP/LTD dealers around here won't carry the ESP in stock, only the cheaper LTD line so I've never had a chance to play one (ESP).

 

ESP= Made in Japan, more hands on and less assembly line than the LTD.

LTD= Made in any one of three different Asian countries and built using assembly line protocols with less hands on like the ESP versions.

[brentrocks]

In my eyes you are a rock star.

SHOOT!!!!

 

i'm not good enough to play rhythm guitar for your band

[smurph1]

I know we have beat this subject like an old mule many times.. Heritage has never been about marketing.. I'm not saying it's bad or good, it's just the way the guys (and girl) at 225 Parsons Street are..

[chico]

It had been a nice 4 year endorsement and he said nothing but glowing accolades for Heritage.

 

They only made what 15 for the public and didn't sell very well. People aren't stupid, they know they can get a 150 with a bound headstock for a lot less than one with A.S. signature on it.

 

Good luck to AS, he seems like a good dude. And when he pulls out a guitar at home or in the studio out of the public's eye.... my money is on he's playing his Heritages.

Yup.

[bolero]

Heritage guitars! They are the best guitar that most players dont even know about and are mostly a difficult instrument to aquire in most markets...

 

that is sadly true

[Dick Seacup]

I seem to recall from one of the early Ren Wall PSP Chalk Talks that the factory doesn't give free guitars to endorsers. They do sell them to endorsers at cost, but they feel the instruments are too good to just be given away regardless of any potential exposure they might gain. As a serial entrepreneur, I totally related to that mind set.

 

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[holyroller]

He might sell acouple more, but thats about it.

[SouthpawGuy]

Can't say it comes as a surprise, he seems like a good guy. Some players have had multiple endorsement deals such as Frank Gambale and Allan Holdsworth, both world class players as is Skolnick. I wouldn't think any less of him for moving on, I doubt the guys in Parsons Street would either.

[SouthpawGuy]

And as for ESP guitars they are outstanding instruments, never played an LTD myself but I do have a custom ordered MIJ super strat from new since 1990 or so. Even then they were far and away better than Fender, very expensive but very very good.

[JeffB]

I tried to research ESP a number of years ago to try and figure out whether I thought they were good guitars or not, and I did learn a lot about them, but ESP/LTD dealers aren't really any easier to find than Heritage dealers. The only ESP/LTD dealers around here won't carry the ESP in stock, only the cheaper LTD line so I've never had a chance to play one (ESP).

 

ESP= Made in Japan, more hands on and less assembly line than the LTD.

LTD= Made in any one of three different Asian countries and built using assembly line protocols with less hands on like the ESP versions.

Over here you cant walk into a guitar store with out tripping over an LTD. But these same stores also carry ESP. The previous place that I loafed around in 5days a week probably had 40 LTD and 15-20 ESP on the floor and walls at any time. We werent the only store that had those numbers.

We had PRS, Heritage, Tom Anderson and others and in my humble opinion ESP was not out of place amongst them in terms of quality and finish. In some cases it was better and always cheaper.

There are so many ESP's that simply arent to my taste in asthetics and appointments. Looking at Alex's new sig model I can honestly say "not for me." just like much of their range. But they do have some models that I could see myself playing. Shame about the headstock though

[holyroller]

Never liked esp guitars.i have walked into many of guitars stores with lp style esp past right on by. I look at it this way heritage guitars are basicly hand custom guitars. Gibbys have there custom shops. Far as i can see esp are all imported, and i know for a fact that the rock star aint playing these. The factory hand makes them for the rock star.i think his sig guitar is butt ugly, and its still a lp style guitar. Purley a marketing thing to sell guitars.thats my 2 cents. Heritage guitars rule!

[JeffB]

Never liked esp guitars.i have walked into many of guitars stores with lp style esp past right on by. I look at it this way heritage guitars are basicly hand custom guitars. Gibbys have there custom shops. Far as i can see esp are all imported, and i know for a fact that the rock star aint playing these. The factory hand makes them for the rock star.i think his sig guitar is butt ugly, and its still a lp style guitar. Purley a marketing thing to sell guitars.thats my 2 cents. Heritage guitars rule!

For the most part over here every guitar except some acoustics is imported. Im not really all that swayed by country of origin. Ive seen and played too many absolutely superb guitars from Germany/Korea, Japan, USA and the UK. I guess I have a little less investment of emotion when it comes to country of manufacture.

[barrymclark]

No issue with LTD. I have played a number of them and found them to be GREAT bang for buck guitars.

[Gitfiddler]

OK, so does anyone here know the specs of the new ESP Skolnick signature gitfiddle?

[HANGAR18]

OK, so does anyone here know the specs of the new ESP Skolnick signature gitfiddle?

 

Available in January 2014, the ESP Alex Skolnick EC and the LTD AS-600 will be offered in two finishes: Silver Sunburst (SSB) and Lemonburst (LB). Based on ESPʼs popular Eclipse body style, the guitars feature a set-neck design at 24.75” scale, with a full-thickness mahogany body, mahogany neck, a custom headstock, rosewood fingerboard with custom inlays, Grover tuners, TonePros locking TOM bridge with stop tailpiece, and an Alex Skolnick signature Seymour Duncan pickup set.

[DavesNotHere]

My son holding (at Jim's insistence) perhaps the last AS to leave Parsons Street. Taken at PSP VI

 

 

[Guest HRB853370]

 

Available in January 2014, the ESP Alex Skolnick EC and the LTD AS-600 will be offered in two finishes: Silver Sunburst (SSB) and Lemonburst (LB). Based on ESPʼs popular Eclipse body style, the guitars feature a set-neck design at 24.75” scale, with a full-thickness mahogany body, mahogany neck, a custom headstock, rosewood fingerboard with custom inlays, Grover tuners, TonePros locking TOM bridge with stop tailpiece, and an Alex Skolnick signature Seymour Duncan pickup set.

We'll see how long it lasts...before he realizes that these Asian made guitars don't hold a candle to what he was playing before...........and what Alex does, well doesn't concern me, and should not concern anybody on this forum (unless perhaps Brent who happens to know him personally)!

[HANGAR18]

Well, I really want to see Heritage Guitar Inc. grow and prosper but there is only so much any one of us fanatics in the HOC can do to promote their instruments to the younger generations. I was quite a bit dissapointed that the one current signature artist they had who is currently playing in front of young audiences departed to a different brand.

Ultimately, the fate of Heritage Guitar Inc. is in the hands of Heritage Guitar Inc. so I guess I'm done griping about it. For now. $#!+ happens.

[tbonesullivan]

not surprising. heritage just doesn't move enough guitars, and ESP has been snatching up "metal" endorsers left and right. I am also not sure exactly how heritage does their "endorsement" deals.

 

It sounds like Heritage never sold as many as they thought they might, or maybe Alex needed/wanted more made than heritage wanted to give out.

[mtpatty]

it's all well and good, but isn't the "new AS model" just another Eclipse? (Which is not to say that Eclipse's aren't good instruments)...

[ledzef]

You would think with all the casinos in vegas, there would be lots of dealers.

Last Heritage dealer here in Vegas was Fremont Guitars and they have been out of business for 3 years now. Sad to see Alex go but at least he took his silverburst to play when he was guest guitarist on "That Metal Show".

[pro-fusion]

it's all well and good, but isn't the "new AS model" just another Eclipse? (Which is not to say that Eclipse's aren't good instruments)...

 

It's full thickness like a 150 or a Les Paul, whereas most Eclipses are thinner, like a 140.

 

I'm sad that Alex is doing this, but I understand it. Besides the money, he's on the road a lot with Testament, and he needs to be able to get guitars quickly when the airlines inevitably break or steal them.

 

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[bolero]

that's too bad, I was hoping his publicity would open Heritage up to a different demographic, who otherwise wouldn't be hip to the brand

 

what's he going to do with the 7 he has now???

 

to be honest, I agree with Kuz.....I don't think the features on his sig model were enough to justify the price diff from a standard H150

 

best of luck to him though, he sure can play!!

[HANGAR18]

My son holding (at Jim's insistence) perhaps the last AS to leave Parsons Street. Taken at PSP VI

 

 

 

I never noticed before... the Ebony fretboard with trap inlay. That's very different. The Heritage web site states Rosewood on the specs.