Heritage Signature models

[brentrocks]

With the departure of Alex Skolnick, I have been thinking about Heritage signature models of the past and the numbers produced.

 

Probably the most popular that come to mind are....

 

Gary Moore...........150 units produced

Roy Clark...............still available

Alvin Lee................24 units produces

Alex Skolnick.........20 units produced

Leon Rhodes.........4 units produces

Kenny Burrell.........still available

Henry Johnson......still available

Gerry Gessie.........still available

Mark Slaughter......approx. 48 H 150 made and approx. 10 "rock" models produced

 

 

I may have forgotten a couple...but if you look at these models listed, they are by far the most collectable and most expensive (in the used market) Heritage guitars out there. I'm not trying to take away from regular production models, but in the future, will these really be the true "collectors pieces" of Heritage guitars?

 

Discuss....

 

 

[gpuma]

 

Gerry Gessie.........still available

 

 

 

Really? Certainly not the RWB, right?

[Billgelder]

Good job.

Thank Brent

[Steiner]

These days you can get your own signature guitar. That's that's only one I want.

 

Regardless of brand, I'll not pay more for somebody else's name on a guitar.

[DetroitBlues]

Since when was Skolnick a twenty unit run? They still make them as we've seen the guitar and the fretbaords in the shop. I've even seen new ones at Motor City Guitar...

[bolero]

don't forget the "Bolero" signature model

 

as far as I know, there is only one of them

[H]

I think Steiner's right: Heritage produce a lot of 'standard' guitars and a lot of customer-specified customs. Their output is small and high quality with various short-lived models, some of which are for very particular tastes

 

I think the collectibles will be the outstanding examples within each set rather than just for having an artist name on the headstock.

[brentrocks]

Since when was Skolnick a twenty unit run? They still make them as we've seen the guitar and the fretbaords in the shop. I've even seen new ones at Motor City Guitar...

when they first signed the deal with Alex....Vince ordered 20 fretboards....the last ones were used on the 2 black ones everybody saw at PSP

[111518]

Well, as the owner of one of the Leon Rhodes guitars, I can't say that I think it will every be particularly valuable, even if rare. Tulk 1's certainly didn't fly off the shelf when he had it for sell.

 

Heritage is never going to be a manufacturer known for making tele-type guitars, and, although Leon Rhodes at one time had some name recognition as Ernest Tubb's guitar player, he has never been a household name. Rhodes was (is, I think he's still playing, though I'm not certain)--a guitarists' guitarist, within the world of jazzy country/western swing that has very little visibility these days. I would bet only a small percentage of those who currently define themselves as country music fans know who Ernest Tubb was, much less Leon Rhodes.

 

All that is absolutely ok, even if I don't get my money out of the guitar. (I very rarely buy a guitar if I don't think that, with patience, I can get my money out of it --the reason I almost never buy new guitars or guitars that I think are cresting a wave of temporary interest, even if I really like those guitars.) The LR is a nice guitar, and an interesting timepiece, if the pickup mounting and switching is a bit crude, as might be expected of a guitar with such a short run they might all be considered prototypes. It is red, and Rhodes played a red Epiphone with the Texas Trubadours. Hey, I'll never have an early sixties red Epi Sheraton, but I do have a red Heritage Leon Rhodes.

 

My only disappointment is that I hoped to work with Tom Short, who is a big fan of Rhodes and of mini's and of tele's, to develop a new pickup and switching system for the guitar, which would combine a mini up front (ala epi's), a tele in the rear and perhaps a strat in the middle. With a nice basic guitar, and with pickups etc. designed with someone I thought would really appreciate the project and is a delight to work with, I was looking forward to a special result. (Reversible, so that the guitar could go back to original, since it is a timepiece and that element, at least to my thinking, shouldn't be lost.) Unfortunately, I'd just gotten Tom's enthusiastic agreement to work on this with me when he became ill --so, whether or not it will ever happen now is a question, and clearly no time soon.

 

Not sure if this is the discussion the thread called for, but my thinking about owning one of the guitars on the list.

[Gitfiddler]

Not to argue with you, Brent, but any discussion about Heritage Guitars and increasing values simply does not reflect market reality.

 

The two exceptions are likely the Gary Moore and Johnny Smith models that appreciated mostly due to their passing. Yes, both were outstanding guitars, made to recognize and pay tribute to great guitarists.

 

The rest of the list of Heritage signature artist models won't likely be worth much more than standard models.

[HANGAR18]

I was kinda under the impression that if I wanted a brand new Gary Moore, that they could make one for me.

Not a big deal because I would be more likely to special order a guitar to my own specifications.

[Guest HRB853370]

I was kinda under the impression that if I wanted a brand new Gary Moore, that they could make one for me.

Not a big deal because I would be more likely to special order a guitar to my own specifications.

If you change your name to Gary Moore they might do that!

[tulk1]

Uh ... I don't see the Tulk Millie DC NFH on that list.

 

 

 

 

..........

[Spectrum13]

These days you can get your own signature guitar. That's that's only one I want.

 

Regardless of brand, I'll not pay more for somebody else's name on a guitar.

And I can get them to make a Steiner Eagle without paying royalties. What a deal.

 

Henry Johnson, and Kenny Burrell should always demand a higher than most being their most expensive models.

Johnny Smith and American Eagle go for what, between 3K to 4K? Guild Artist Award and AA Benedettos go for double.Why? Older and greater brand recognition or a better archtop?

 

I can see the Alex Skolnick and Gary Moore being the most expensive and collectable 150s due to limited runs and choice materials.

The real sleeper is the one-off combinations Brent Rocks finds and instantly gets a dozen dibs.

If he sold to the highest bidder we would have an example of a perfect micro marketplace determining collectable value from a manufacture producing 1200 custom a year. (insert joke here)

 

For my money the best value is going the the factory choosing some wood and building your next dream guitar with Marv and Jim. With the magic combination you may have the most unique, beautiful, best sounding, best playing, most collectable and valuable Heritage of all time. And if it falls short. try again.

[Kuz]

I think Marv said they have never sold a Henry Johnson Signature guitar.

[TalismanRich]

They also had the Chris Bovard Kahuna and the David Paul Signature guitars.

 

We know of a few Kahunas, don't know if they ever did more than a couple of David Pauls.

[skydog52]

I think Marv said they have never sold a Henry Johnson Signature guitar.

That one is on my bucket list!

[big bob]

I have a Katie Flamm signature model! Signed by the artist herself.

 

I also have a heritage that was signed by a quartet that I swear I heve never heard of, Bill Paige, J.P. Moats, Jim Deurloo and Marvin Lamb otherwise known a the grumpy old guys.

[Steiner]

Shoe leather does taste funny on Sunday morning. I must confess, I sought after and purchased a grumpy old guys guitar; even had it signed by the road crew. They're not the best for theatrics but they sure do know how to make a guitar that sings!!!

[Kuz]

That one is on my bucket list!

Agreed, but when I spoke to Ren the only one/ones ever made were for Henry Johnson himself.

 

Even the one in the catalog or web site was photoshopped by Ren from two different guitars.

 

Again, this is what Ren told me.

[pressure]

Don't forget about the "Wild Bill Durken" model.

[Redsand]

Cool post, I wasn't aware of these figures until now.......I'd love to see Heritage lure in Warren Haynes for a limited run!!!

[kidsmoke]

Cool post, I wasn't aware of these figures until now.......I'd love to see Heritage lure in Warren Haynes for a limited run!!!

Warren's an open minded dude, and just signed an endorsement deal with Washburn for there MIA Acoustics. I imagine his deal for the Gibson signature LP would be hard for Heritage to match, given the frustrations that Skolnick alluded to.

 

I'm with on you wishing it could happen,though.

[tbonesullivan]

Yeah... Kahunas are nice. though essentially they are just slightly modified H150CMs.

 

I definitely have a pretty weird one though

 

 

I've gotta get the output jack fixed. It's rotated in a way where the spring part is running right into the side of the hole, so it's really hard to put in a cord.

[Gitfiddler]

Kahuna's are cool!