FredZepp Posted January 6, 2017 Posted January 6, 2017 A Facebook post from Heritage Guitar.... "SPECIAL BULLETIN!With the impending restoration of our beautiful 99 year old factory space, we will be temporarily relocating our production area to a different part of the building.Wednesday, January 11 we will be hosting two very special final tours of our factory in it's original condition at 10:30AM & 1:30PM.Registration is required for these tours. To register please call (269) 385-5721" Change is on the way at Parsons Street... the renovation is about to really begin..
Millennium Maestro Posted January 6, 2017 Posted January 6, 2017 They were supposed to move in Sept. You were there at PSP when they announced production would move to the back during the 2 years renovation project. Just 4 months behind schedule...
gattart Posted January 6, 2017 Posted January 6, 2017 Hi guys, as a proud owner of two Parson's Street Beauties, a '63 SG-shaped Les Paul and a '90 H575, I'm sure there're many more in my position, or better, that would love to see A WHOLE LOT of photos of the before and after renovations. Maybe organized by department, by guitar type, whatever... I only wish I lived less than 4599 miles away so I could experience the before, before...! I'm sure most people on this list, and most owners, people who may have screen-shot the Google earth street view of the factory and use it as a screen saver, occasionally, would be happy to buy a nice shiny paged book on the subject. Might even go a ways to financing the renovations... or you could do it for free Anyways... guys, all the best for a smooth transition! Rick Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
FredZepp Posted January 6, 2017 Author Posted January 6, 2017 ..... Just 4 months behind schedule... Yeah... I was thinking about that. And so... we move into the new era of Heritage Guitars... PSP 2017 promises to be very interesting indeed.
Millennium Maestro Posted January 6, 2017 Posted January 6, 2017 NAMM is coming, I am looking forward to a few surprises!
TalismanRich Posted January 6, 2017 Posted January 6, 2017 Hi guys, as a proud owner of two Parson's Street Beauties, a '63 SG-shaped Les Paul and a '90 H575, I'm sure there're many more in my position, or better, that would love to see A WHOLE LOT of photos of the before and after renovations. Maybe organized by department, by guitar type, whatever... I only wish I lived less than 4599 miles away so I could experience the before, before...! I'm sure most people on this list, and most owners, people who may have screen-shot the Google earth street view of the factory and use it as a screen saver, occasionally, would be happy to buy a nice shiny paged book on the subject. Might even go a ways to financing the renovations... or you could do it for free Anyways... guys, all the best for a smooth transition! Rick Rick, we have GOBS of before shots, the accumulation of 9 years of PSP events. Take a gander at the PSP galleries and pick your favorite photos. Last year's event included much of the upstairs area, including the spray booths. Just looking at the discarded parts that have been gathering dust for 30 years was impressive. I really look forward to seeing the "renewal". If only we could convince them to put up a web cam!!!!
schundog Posted January 6, 2017 Posted January 6, 2017 Hi guys, as a proud owner of two Parson's Street Beauties, a '63 SG-shaped Les Paul and a '90 H575, I'm sure there're many more in my position, or better, that would love to see A WHOLE LOT of photos of the before and after renovations. Maybe organized by department, by guitar type, whatever... I only wish I lived less than 4599 miles away so I could experience the before, before...! I'm sure most people on this list, and most owners, people who may have screen-shot the Google earth street view of the factory and use it as a screen saver, occasionally, would be happy to buy a nice shiny paged book on the subject. Might even go a ways to financing the renovations... or you could do it for free Anyways... guys, all the best for a smooth transition! Rick Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Sorry you aren't able to visit 225 Parsons Street, but I can't recommend this picture book by one of our former members enough! Some great pictures of the guitars and the facility. http://www.blurb.com/b/3614926-the-heritage-guitar-inc
Farmboyjo Posted January 7, 2017 Posted January 7, 2017 Ah crap... Looks like I'll miss my chance at the original space. My niece in Ludington.MI got engaged over Christmas, so we're making the 1500 mile trip in August for that and were going to make the little jaunt down to K'Zoo for a tour since we're there. Any of you educated folks heard yet if they will still be doing tours in the temp space?
Gitfiddler Posted January 7, 2017 Posted January 7, 2017 Heritage Guitars is packing up and moving production...Signs of continuing progress and moving their business plan forward. Great news! Don't forget these...
skydog52 Posted January 7, 2017 Posted January 7, 2017 I will never forget this moment! Marv personally applying the finish to my H-150.
bsck1 Posted January 8, 2017 Posted January 8, 2017 OH YEAH! What an incredible piece of provenance! Paul, I hope you've got that photo prominently displayed! What a treasure.
MrB Posted January 8, 2017 Posted January 8, 2017 What does this mean for the guitars? Good or less-than-good during the transition? Better after? Did I wait too long to order a new Millie DC, is it too late for me? MrB
Hfan Posted January 9, 2017 Posted January 9, 2017 I'm glad they are making progress and, of course wish them the best, but I hope that old school production floor mojo isn't lost in the shuffle. This will be interesting.
Spectrum13 Posted January 9, 2017 Posted January 9, 2017 I'm glad they are making progress and, of course wish them the best, but I hope that old school production floor mojo isn't lost in the shuffle. This will be interesting. Old school production methods with current OSHA protective safeguards in a 100 year old building. I see something wrong with Floyd spraying nitro without a mask, Marv also. I value the health of people making products over the mojo.
ElNumero Posted January 9, 2017 Posted January 9, 2017 Old school production methods with current OSHA protective safeguards in a 100 year old building. I see something wrong with Floyd spraying nitro without a mask, Marv also. I value the health of people making products over the mojo. You know you value MoJo, he is your favorite Cat and you cannot convince me otherwise!
skydog52 Posted January 9, 2017 Posted January 9, 2017 Went by the Factory today to pick up an order and check on a few other builds. Jim gave me the 2 cent tour of the new shop. I was impressed. State of the art dust collection system and paint booth with drying room. I asked Jim if any new machines where coming in and he said no we will be keeping it old school the way they've been doing. They start moving everything on Thursday. Quality is definitely up. I am seeing it in the builds I have been getting. Excited! NAMM next week.
skydog52 Posted January 9, 2017 Posted January 9, 2017 Couple videos. Second one showing the Stack and the new entrance.
Gitfiddler Posted January 9, 2017 Posted January 9, 2017 That's great news!!! Any chance they'll start winding their own pickups again? Or did they sell all of the old machines to Throwback?
skydog52 Posted January 9, 2017 Posted January 9, 2017 That's great news!!! Any chance they'll start winding their own pickups again? Or did they sell all of the old machines to Throwback? I think ThroBak got all their machines. Never say Never though. Tease:
Hfan Posted January 9, 2017 Posted January 9, 2017 Went by the Factory today to pick up an order and check on a few other builds. Jim gave me the 2 cent tour of the new shop. I was impressed. State of the art dust collection system and paint booth with drying room. I asked Jim if any new machines where coming in and he said no we will be keeping it old school the way they've been doing. They start moving everything on Thursday. Quality is definitely up. I am seeing it in the builds I have been getting. Excited! NAMM next week. Good, so a win win, the health aspects never entered my mind. There is a pic here some place I saw a few days back of Marv spraying a member's H150 with no mask, made me shudder. I knew an old time auto body shop guy who sprayed with no mask for ever. Back then I guess it was common, he wound up with very bad and ultimately fatal issues.
TalismanRich Posted January 9, 2017 Posted January 9, 2017 A good dust collection system and an update of the spray booth and drying areas are both positives. I believe Archie was talking about redoing the windows, which are perfect examples of "state of the art" 1920s industrial buildings. FWIW, the old guys did a lot of spraying without masks, but they do now have a respirator system for the spray booths. This is one of Fred's videos from the visit in July. You also must understand that the booth is designed to draw the air and fumes out through the filters on the back. The person doing the spray doesn't get a full does of solvent fumes. Its not as bad as you might think, but over the long term, it probably won't meet OSHA specifications. And you really DON'T want to fight OSHA on stuff like that.
ElNumero Posted January 11, 2017 Posted January 11, 2017 Couple videos. Second one showing the Stack and the new entrance. BRRRR it looks so cold there
washbrook Posted January 11, 2017 Posted January 11, 2017 Thanks for the videos, they are always nice to see and I love looking at them. I would have dearly loved to have visited the old plant and in fact last year I was actually looking at the costs and investment entailed to make the trip and try and hopefully tie it in with an HOC visit but as I live in the UK, it was turning out to be an expensive trip for me. I am also recent widower and now live on my own and unfortunately, currently having hospital checks for prostate cancer myself over the past 4 months so at the moment it really not an option for me. Sadly, and this could just be me, but I personally feel the revamped factory, whilst I would still like to see it some day, I just dont feel it would have the same motivation for me to do it now. Im all for the workers being looked after and kept safe while at work and I'm also aware that things move on for various reasons (including factories) and I do still wish Heritage all the best for the forthcoming improvements and hope all its future plans go well. As I have said, Im not sure if its just me or not but I am kinda pleased that my very much loved 555 and 575 were built by the craftsmen in the old, dirty and clapped out factory and also while the four main guys were still working there. I feel my guitars still have some of the DNA, nostalgia, mystery and magic of the old Parson Street building and that makes me feel very proud and grateful to own these two wonderful instruments, I am not sure I would feel the same connection with one coming out of the restored building. Ill probably get shot down for expressing my feelings, but I am certainly not intending to stir things up with anyone, I do realise that Heritage couldnt have continued the way they were.... perhaps I am just getting old and nostalgic. anyway, I just thought I would share my thoughts with you.
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.