Kuz Posted January 27, 2015 Posted January 27, 2015 I know we all LOVE Heritage guitars. I know we have all been somewhat critical of their lack of marketing and sales plan (or lack of) strategy. I, personally, LOVE jazz guitar. 70% of my music is jazz albums. BUT..... Why for your 30th Anniversary do you now offer two new 575 signature models??? Is this the way to increase demand, to increase product awareness, to make the younger demographic want to own a Heritage, to change the perception that Heritage guitars are only for jazz artists???? I say, "NO". PLEASE don't misunderstand me, Mimi Fox & David Becker deserve and should have had signature Heritages a long time ago. But they have been endorsers for 20 years. They both have been loyal ambassadors. But why offer TWO signature 575s in the same year? Kenny Burrell is one of the most identifiable and revered jazz guitarists of all-time and how much has his name helped elevate Heritage guitars? Does the causal jazz listener really know who David Becker & Mimi Fox are?? (monster incredible players), but just saying.... Are Mimi & David finally getting their signature guitars because Heritage wants to reward them for time spent and the owners know the clock is ticking toward, dare I say, closure?? I have a name of an endorser that makes sense for a signature guitar, Frankie Ballard. He offers a couple of recent hits, TV exposure, and at least a few people know who he is. He is at least a little more modern, plays a genre (like it or not) that the younger demographic may know, has the face & image for marketing, and is already playing Heritage guitars. Slap his name on a truss rod cover and call it the "Frankie Ballard" model. This will sound like a slam against Mimi Fox & David Becker, which it is not!! I own several albums from both of them and they are magnificent players and by all accounts, great human beings. But it just seems like this is a marketing campaign developed by an older demographic based on artistic & musical superiority, not modern up to date trends. Unless of course you only want to sell jazz guitars???!!! Thoughts???
Dick Seacup Posted January 27, 2015 Posted January 27, 2015 My thoughts are: Ours is not to reason why, ours is but to play and buy. Actually, it is a curious strategy. Becker I know, but I can't say that I'd list Mimi Fox in a first-pass at "jazz guitar greats." That's not a comment on her ability, I just am not familiar with her body of work. I agree with your comment on Frankie Ballard. Whip up 25 or so black H-157s and send them to an auto-body pinstriper. See how many sell. Of course, you'd probably want to heavily publicize the availability of such a signature model, in appropriate media targeted at Ballard's fan demographic, I suppose. That doesn't strike me as the HGI "thing to do." Ultimately, they do what they do, on their own terms and for their own reasons. When can their glory fade? Oh the wild models they made! All the world wondered. All the guitars they made! Honor the Heritage brigade! Noble...five? Apologies to Tennyson.
JohnCovach Posted January 27, 2015 Posted January 27, 2015 Signature guitars are not a good solution for Heritage. Unless you can get a truly big name, it simply underscores the also-ran status they are trying to defeat. The best Gibson, Fender, Ric, Gretsch endorsers through the years have not been the official ones anyway.
DOGBOY Posted January 27, 2015 Posted January 27, 2015 Next their doing a 150 goldtop with Throbaks endorsed by a 6'5" bald praise band guy from Ohio!!
jimsoloway Posted January 27, 2015 Posted January 27, 2015 Mimi Fox is a fine player who's been around for a very long time. And perhaps beyond the players involved, what they were thinking was that they like building the 575. From a build process, it's a straight forward design without a lot of unnecessary ornamentation, faithful enough to the iconic design that it's based on to be considered a viable alternative in a fairly large market segment, and just musical as can be in a lot of different hands. And I think their next signature guitar should be yet another 575 but with a longer scale length and thinner body for a cranky old player in Canada with a tiny following
gpuma Posted January 27, 2015 Posted January 27, 2015 I agree 100% with Kuz. That said, I believe that endorsements alone are not a good way to promote the brand if they are not coming together with massive advertisement. Let's face it, Heritage endorsed legends like Gary Moore or Alvin Lee or very popular players like Skolnick (who is,let's not forget it in the top 100 of the Guitar Player reader's poll), and how many of their signature models do you seer around? Close to zero.
JeffB Posted January 27, 2015 Posted January 27, 2015 Maybe they were just saying thanks. I dont know, it seems like they just do things they want to.
jimsoloway Posted January 27, 2015 Posted January 27, 2015 I agree 100% with Kuz. That said, I believe that endorsements alone are not a good way to promote the brand if they are not coming together with massive advertisement. Let's face it, Heritage endorsed legends like Gary Moore or Alvin Lee or very popular players like Skolnick (who is,let's not forget it in the top 100 of the Guitar Player reader's poll), and how many of their signature models do you seer around? Close to zero. I dont agree. People may not have bought their signature models, but it made them more aware of the brand and gave the brand a greater image of legitimacy. I didn't buy a Henry Johnson model but knowing that Henry is committed to Heritage made me more interested in the company.
kidsmoke Posted January 27, 2015 Posted January 27, 2015 Some really good thoughts here! My thoughts are: Ours is not to reason why, ours is but to play and buy. Brilliant! Next their doing a 150 goldtop with Throbaks endorsed by a 6'5" bald praise band guy from Ohio!! THAT'S funny I dont agree. People may not have bought their signature models, but it made them more aware of the brand and gave the brand a greater image of legitimacy. I didn't buy a Henry Johnson model but knowing that Henry is committed to Heritage made me more interested in the company. Excellent point. I agree that from a modern marketing standpoint, the efforts can't be graded as much more than a miss, if in fact increasing market share is the goal. I don't think that's the goal. Any significant increase in demand on the manufacturing model in play at Parson's St would obliterate that shop. The people in charge are not looking at increasing capacity or the demand on their own time or energy. They make some of the finest guitars in the marketplace. The 575, arguably, is the best widely available guitar of it's type in the market. They can turn them out at a decent clip without compromising quality or straining operations. Let Gibson and Fender beat the crap out of each other selling solid bodies, while "we" solidify our place in the modern guitar lexicon with the 575. We all make a buck, work a four day week, take off for hunting season, and pay the bills and ourselves. Why mess with it?? Should the old guard move on and leave a active shop in someone else's hands, I think this could all change. In the meantime, I think we are so accustomed to seeing a company clamoring for "more more MORE" that we are left scratching our heads, when in fact, MORE is the last thing they really have an interest in. This is all purely speculative on my part. But it's the conclusion I've drawn.
gpuma Posted January 27, 2015 Posted January 27, 2015 I dont agree. People may not have bought their signature models, but it made them more aware of the brand and gave the brand a greater image of legitimacy. I didn't buy a Henry Johnson model but knowing that Henry is committed to Heritage made me more interested in the company. You are not disagreeing with me. The point I was making is that without ads you very likely do not even know that Henry committed to Heritage.
jimsoloway Posted January 27, 2015 Posted January 27, 2015 You are not disagreeing with me. The point I was making is that without ads you very likely do not even know that Henry committed to Heritage. I know it because it's on their website and because Henry and I communicate from time to time. I don't know if I've ever seen it in an ad.
Gitfiddler Posted January 27, 2015 Posted January 27, 2015 Addressing Kuz's question as to the timing of these two 575 signature models here. Maybe it had nothing at all to do with the 30th anniversary, and more with their showing their appreciation for their years of brand loyalty. Heritage doesn't usually sell many of their signature models anyway. They cost more to buy than a comparable model, and the artists are not as widely known. Also, being a full custom shop, why would customers pay more for an endorser/signature model, when they can custom order an instrument with their own specs? Aren't the official 30th anniversary models the '54 Black Beauty and Anniversary 555? Either way, the boys on Parsons Street march to a different drummer, so all we can do is speculate. I'm still glad that Mimi and David are getting more industry recognition.
big bob Posted January 27, 2015 Posted January 27, 2015 They should have made a Big Bob signature super billy Prospect! That's what they should do! yep!
DC Ron Posted January 28, 2015 Posted January 28, 2015 Addressing Kuz's question as to the timing of these two 575 signature models here. Maybe it had nothing at all to do with the 30th anniversary, and more with their showing their appreciation for their years of brand loyalty. Heritage doesn't usually sell many of their signature models anyway. They cost more to buy than a comparable model, and the artists are not as widely known. Also, being a full custom shop, why would customers pay more for an endorser/signature model, when they can custom order an instrument with their own specs? Aren't the official 30th anniversary models the '54 Black Beauty and Anniversary 555? Either way, the boys on Parsons Street march to a different drummer, so all we can do is speculate. I'm still glad that Mimi and David are getting more industry recognition. I'm reading this post trying to put my thoughts in order when Tim nails it. Signature models cost little to a company like Heritage, and probably mean more to the artists than they do to the guitar buying public. Which is ok with me. And though I sincerely wish the greater guitar buying public bought more Heritage guitars, I think this group is (one of) the last bastion(s) of appreciation for what the guys in Kalamazoo did and still do that is DIFFERENT from what is done at other places today. I agree what they did is not great for marketing the Heritage line to new buyers. Think it's completely in line with what they've pretty much always done...
Kuz Posted January 28, 2015 Author Posted January 28, 2015 I would buy a custom spec'd Heritage over a signature Heritage any day (and save money doing it). If Heritage is making Signature Heritages to try to sell, then if Kenny Burrell could only sell around 25 over 20 years I don't think MF & DB will sell ten combined. If Heritage is making Signature Guitars to increase the sale of Heritage guitars in general, then they should have gave Frankie Ballard a signature guitar. He is on TV and has a had a couple top hits. DB & MF are incredible talents that deserve their signature guitars, but unfortunately they will do very little to effect sales (of their signature guitars or for Heritage guitars in generally). They were already endorsers. They already only played Heritage 575s. Jazz guitarists in general (certainly the ones I have run across) are more concerned if you CAN play than WHAT guitar you play. Also more jazz guitarist are playing boutique guitars now any how. I am glad they got their deserved signature guitars, maybe it was more act of gratitude than a sales plan.
jimsoloway Posted January 28, 2015 Posted January 28, 2015 Here's a fairly uncomplicated possibility ... both of these players were appearing at this years NAMM guitar all-star night. Heritage was a sponsor of the event and given that Kenny Burrell and Henry Johnson were also on the bill I assume that they were one of the major sponsors. By bringing out signature models for Becker and Fox, all of the the Heritage players at the event were signature model endorsers. It's a big deal to be a major sponsor of that event and I've never seen one company dominate it like that before. That alone may have been reason enough for the two new signature models.
Kuz Posted January 28, 2015 Author Posted January 28, 2015 Thanks Jim, I appreciate and respect your opinions as a luthier and guitarist. Your suggestion is certainly a possibility.
Millennium Maestro Posted January 28, 2015 Posted January 28, 2015 My thoughts are: Ours is not to reason why, ours is but to play and buy. I agree 100%. Heritage is a company of INTEGRITY and as self spoken are in the business to build guitars, they know marketing is a weak point inside the company. at NAMM as Jim handed me the flyer for the 30th year guitars he stated there was 2 new sig. models and in the same breath saying " these two artists deserved an artist model" I only met David and I believe that statement to be true! THE GUYS HAS OVER A MILLION AIR MILES TOURING A SINGLE 575! His model also has a few really cool and unique features that a discerning buyer should instantly recognize. 1. Only 575 or Jazzbox with a 3" rim(Marv will not make any thicker) 2. A Piezo LR Baggs bridge pickup that gives this guitar a whole new variation in tone to the 575. Any other comments I could make would be pure conjecture! Heritage has been THE jazz company for many years, but they know there selling models are the Solids and Semi's. A huge factor in what they make has to do with the expenses of building their handcrafted guitars... Which also makes Heritage not a first time or hobby player guitar there are WAY too many manufacturers tailoring to the low end budget. My mission is to spread the Heritage faith, If I have my way I will steer a whole new generation into the Heritage fold... Care to buy a guitar from Vegas's Heritage dealer?? There are a dozen Unique guitars on the way! Sorry, none are PINK Salmon! (had to end it on a joke, what were you thinkin?) But I can get you whatever they will make! Cant wait to see you all in Summer!
Kuz Posted January 28, 2015 Author Posted January 28, 2015 1) Heritage has been THE jazz company for many years, but they know there selling models are the Solids and Semi's. 2) Sorry, none are PINK Salmon! (had to end it on a joke, what were you thinkin?) But I can get you whatever they will make! 3) Cant wait to see you all in Summer! 1) Well your quote here, kind of makes my point. Heritage is already known to the potential Jazz guitar purchaser, yet they make their money on solids & semis. Why not try coming out with a signature solid or semi from an artist that has more national and younger demographic exposure. But I am 100% agreement for that David & Mimi are worthy of a signature guitar and it has been too long a wait. 2) Now come on, the Heritage ROSE color is the bomb!!!! And we all know what Johnny Smith said about the color of his guitar: "***** Pink". You guys just need to start getting hip!!! 3) Well, we will see if this really happens and if it does if it will resemble anything like years past.
Kuz Posted January 28, 2015 Author Posted January 28, 2015 ... Care to buy a guitar from Vegas's Heritage dealer?? There are a dozen Unique guitars on the way! When did Ed Roman come back to life and start selling Heritage guitars???!!!!! LOL!!!
DetroitBlues Posted January 28, 2015 Posted January 28, 2015 I know we all LOVE Heritage guitars. I know we have all been somewhat critical of their lack of marketing and sales plan (or lack of) strategy. I, personally, LOVE jazz guitar. 70% of my music is jazz albums. BUT..... Why for your 30th Anniversary do you now offer two new 575 signature models??? Is this the way to increase demand, to increase product awareness, to make the younger demographic want to own a Heritage, to change the perception that Heritage guitars are only for jazz artists???? I say, "NO". PLEASE don't misunderstand me, Mimi Fox & David Becker deserve and should have had signature Heritages a long time ago. But they have been endorsers for 20 years. They both have been loyal ambassadors. But why offer TWO signature 575s in the same year? Kenny Burrell is one of the most identifiable and revered jazz guitarists of all-time and how much has his name helped elevate Heritage guitars? Does the causal jazz listener really know who David Becker & Mimi Fox are?? (monster incredible players), but just saying.... Are Mimi & David finally getting their signature guitars because Heritage wants to reward them for time spent and the owners know the clock is ticking toward, dare I say, closure?? I have a name of an endorser that makes sense for a signature guitar, Frankie Ballard. He offers a couple of recent hits, TV exposure, and at least a few people know who he is. He is at least a little more modern, plays a genre (like it or not) that the younger demographic may know, has the face & image for marketing, and is already playing Heritage guitars. Slap his name on a truss rod cover and call it the "Frankie Ballard" model. This will sound like a slam against Mimi Fox & David Becker, which it is not!! I own several albums from both of them and they are magnificent players and by all accounts, great human beings. But it just seems like this is a marketing campaign developed by an older demographic based on artistic & musical superiority, not modern up to date trends. Unless of course you only want to sell jazz guitars???!!! Thoughts??? Well, now here's something to write down in the history books... Kuz and I are in complete agreement. The stars have aligned... Maybe I should run out and buy a lotto ticket now... I think there should be a Frankie Ballard signature Heritage. My guess its just a 157 with some awesome pinstriping. He is photographed on stage and in video of slinging his 157 around.... And what do you know... He top wraps too...
Kuz Posted January 28, 2015 Author Posted January 28, 2015 Well, now here's something to write down in the history books... Kuz and I are in complete agreement. The stars have aligned... Maybe I should run out and buy a lotto ticket now... Josh and I agree???? Man, it is time to get more life insurance, update the will, check the smoke alarms, change the tires on the van, buy a hard hat,..... And maybe get a therapist.....
unikh550 Posted January 29, 2015 Posted January 29, 2015 Jim S., I love your playing example on your new H-575! Have now included 'All the Way' into my list of songs I'll play.- Fellow Jazzer, Charles Bevell
jimsoloway Posted January 30, 2015 Posted January 30, 2015 Jim S., I love your playing example on your new H-575! Have now included 'All the Way' into my list of songs I'll play.- Fellow Jazzer, Charles Bevell Thanks Charles. I'm hoping to get a bit more recording done in the next few days. I played that plugged straight into the recording interface and I know can get a better recorded sound than that. On the other hand, I love playing that tune.
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