davesultra Posted January 31, 2018 Posted January 31, 2018 12 hours ago, CJTopes said: I was a little late to the party but I think the golden age of Heritage guitars is over. I'm not knocking there present quality or that the company is worse off. IMO the affordable custom order was what attracted a lot of buyers. ( me included) I was thinking about selling my CS-336 for a custom Millie DC but thats not going to happen anymore. Things sure are beginning to look and sound a lot more “corporate”. What I always loved about the golden age of The Heritage was that they were anything but corporate. I’m sure they’ll be just fine... maybe. (IMO) Trying to re-invent the brand in a flooded market is going to be quite a task.
holyroller Posted January 31, 2018 Posted January 31, 2018 Every guitar was basically hand made like they used to make them . Is what drew me to heritage . Today it sounds like there gonna have a standard line and a custom line . Thought they all were custom .? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Spectrum13 Posted January 31, 2018 Posted January 31, 2018 5 minutes ago, holyroller said: Every guitar was basically hand made like they used to make them . Is what drew me to heritage . Today it sounds like there gonna have a standard line and a custom line . Thought they all were custom .? My read into this is as Gibson leaves the mom and pops as well as the finer regional dealers due to their large inventory requirements, Heritage can acquire the empty shelf space. So to produce their highest volume sellers, 535 150 155 137 in the most popular colors and supply all their former Gibson dealers with 225 Parson Street alternatives appears to me ( I never worked in a music store so what do I know) a good way to get the most affordable models into the hands of potential new buyers. Retailers could mention available custom options as their customers ogle, and play the available stock.
ElNumero Posted January 31, 2018 Posted January 31, 2018 10 minutes ago, Spectrum13 said: My read into this is as Gibson leaves the mom and pops as well as the finer regional dealers due to their large inventory requirements, Heritage can acquire the empty shelf space. So to produce their highest volume sellers, 535 150 155 137 in the most popular colors and supply all their former Gibson dealers with 225 Parson Street alternatives appears to me ( I never worked in a music store so what do I know) a good way to get the most affordable models into the hands of potential new buyers. Retailers could mention available custom options as their customers ogle, and play the available stock. Very good perspective Dan, I think you nailed it!
LittleLeroy Posted January 31, 2018 Posted January 31, 2018 8 hours ago, ElNumero said: Very good perspective Dan, I think you nailed it! 8 hours ago, Spectrum13 said: My read into this is as Gibson leaves the mom and pops as well as the finer regional dealers due to their large inventory requirements, Heritage can acquire the empty shelf space. So to produce their highest volume sellers, 535 150 155 137 in the most popular colors and supply all their former Gibson dealers with 225 Parson Street alternatives appears to me ( I never worked in a music store so what do I know) a good way to get the most affordable models into the hands of potential new buyers. Retailers could mention available custom options as their customers ogle, and play the available stock. Mr. Kuok is looking way beyond America: "BandLab isn't Kuok’s only musical endeavor. He's also turning Swee Lee, a sleepy 70-year-old distributor of guitar and audio equipment in Singapore, into a modern enterprise, selling merchandise online and offering music lessons. It's now the biggest distributor of instruments and audio equipment in Southeast Asia, with shops in Malaysia, Myanmar and Vietnam. Sales have doubled since he bought the company in 2012. Swee Lee is also where Kuok bought his first guitar. Kuok declined to say how much it cost to buy Swee Lee."
DavesNotHere Posted January 31, 2018 Posted January 31, 2018 Change for the better, change for the worse, fear change, fight change, embrace change, regardless change will occur. I believe the changes are for the best and I choose to embrace the changes. The way the new owners are running their company, in which they invested their capital, in no way diminishes the proud legacy, one may say The Heritage, of the founders. The guitars coming out of 225 Parsons St right now have arguably the best, most consistent, fit and finish that they have ever produced. We have always lamented the lack of dealer inventory. Getting the pump primed and moving the most popular models quickly to distribution/inventory is a great move. I cherish the PSPs I attended, and the custom guitars I ordered while the founders were running the show. However Pete's enthesium is so infectious I can't wait to see what is in store for us Heritage loyalists.
DanD Posted February 1, 2018 Posted February 1, 2018 Just because a model isn't offered in this years' line up does not mean it will forever disappear. I think getting the best selling models into the marketplace will help expose more people to Heritage guitars. The market for archtops is very limited. Gibson had gone for years without producing many of their high end archtops. Last year Gibson did a full run of L5s and other assorted upper echelon archtops and they are still hanging on dealers walls from Louisville, CO to Boston, MA and everywhere in between. For the past few months they've been hanging at reduced prices and yet they are still unsold. I'm pretty sure Edwin is well aware of what sells and what doesn't. Working on better/faster/more consistent production of the core model line should be good for business. When demand builds for the Prospect model there's no reason why Heritage wouldn't do a run of Prospects for say 2020. Maybe a run of Roy Clark models for 2021, etc... More than anything I'd like to see consistent quality control, lighter weights, and necks that are delineated by size so the consumer has an idea of what they are getting. I've passed on more 150s than I can shake my stick at because of the standard small 60s shape necks that seem so prevalent. I think working on the core line and breaking that core line down into various sub models (with different neck shapes and appointments) would keep the new owners busy for a couple years. Admittedly I do regret the demise of the custom orders. But if that tact had been working we wouldn't be seeing the changes that are at hand.
Gianluca Posted February 2, 2018 Posted February 2, 2018 Gregg De Lorto Guitar on FB, they're not a Heritage rep. anymore Quote It has been my great privilege and honor to represent Heritage Guitar Inc. of Kalamazoo and the finest guitar builders over the last three decades. However, change is the constant in life. Effective today (February 1, 2018) we no longer officially represent Heritage Guitar Inc. We thank everyone who has supported Heritage Guitar through De Lorto Guitar. We remain devoted to the men and women who founded and worked to make Heritage one of the most respected guitar names worldwide over the last 32 years - they were my mentors and teachers, and will always be our friends and considered family. We especially thank and appreciate Jim Deurloo, Marvin Lamb, Bill Paige, Rendal Wall, Jack French, Lane Zastrow, Vince Margol and Pete Farmer. We will also never forget two remarkable men who passed on all too soon, JP Moats (1935-2015) and Hilmer "Tiny" Timbrell (1917-1992). Tiny was my mentor in the Gibson days and it was with his wisdom, training and understanding of guitars and the guitar industry that inspired me to continue on with Heritage. I have had wonderful opportunities to draw on hundreds of years of collective knowledge to develop my own expertise. I hope I have been a worthy disciple of the legacy of their life's works in the past and as we continue to move forward in the guitar industry. We are not retiring. Please continue to follow "De Lorto Guitar" and stay in touch as we broaden our scope to use our knowledge and experience in the guitar industry. In the meantime, we want to bring new and exciting guitar related information and happenings your way through "De Lorto Guitar." We encourage all to follow your dreams and honor your mentors and the masters before you, prepare to become a mentor, and above all, practice practice practice. Guitar gladness and blessings, Gregg & Sharon De Lorto Like
Steiner Posted February 2, 2018 Posted February 2, 2018 Class act! Talked to him once, he was very cordial and knowledgeable.
Millennium Maestro Posted February 2, 2018 Posted February 2, 2018 43 minutes ago, Steiner said: Class act! Talked to him once, he was very cordial and knowledgeable. Gregg and Sharon De Lorto are great people! Highly recommended to work with!
ElNumero Posted February 2, 2018 Posted February 2, 2018 On 1/31/2018 at 6:02 PM, LittleLeroy said: Mr. Kuok is looking way beyond America: "BandLab isn't Kuok’s only musical endeavor. He's also turning Swee Lee, a sleepy 70-year-old distributor of guitar and audio equipment in Singapore, into a modern enterprise, selling merchandise online and offering music lessons. It's now the biggest distributor of instruments and audio equipment in Southeast Asia, with shops in Malaysia, Myanmar and Vietnam. Sales have doubled since he bought the company in 2012. Swee Lee is also where Kuok bought his first guitar. Kuok declined to say how much it cost to buy Swee Lee." Sweet Lee and Kuok? Is he related to Kuz??
LittleLeroy Posted February 2, 2018 Posted February 2, 2018 bottom line for me: if the founders r there and happy and passing on their skills to the next generation, it's all good!
Kuz Posted February 3, 2018 Posted February 3, 2018 12 hours ago, ElNumero said: Sweet Lee and Kuok? Is he related to Kuz?? Do I really have to respond to this? Of course we are related because we don't have the same last name (what the hell Will????)
Kuz Posted February 3, 2018 Posted February 3, 2018 9 hours ago, LittleLeroy said: bottom line for me: if the founders r there and happy and passing on their skills to the next generation, it's all good! And I am sure Leo was happy initially with the sale of Fender to CBS. It turned out to be a different story in reality. All I will say is that I love my "Pre-CBS" Heritages!!! Two of the three were custom orders where I got to spec everything and talked directly to Marv & Ren about the build. The build QC is perfect on both of them (and on all the custom order Heritages I made, for that matter). I hope the best for Heritage Guitar, but this IS a different corporate animal than the original company. It will be interesting to watch the outcome from the sidelines.
Spectrum13 Posted February 3, 2018 Posted February 3, 2018 5 hours ago, Kuz said: Do I really have to respond to this? Of course we are related because we don't have the same last name (what the hell Will????) I am related to people with different last names. Will might be on to something.
Hammertone Posted February 4, 2018 Posted February 4, 2018 Such terrible pix of the GE Custom! Here are a couple I took:
LittleLeroy Posted February 6, 2018 Posted February 6, 2018 Thanks for posting the vids, Paul. Pete is *really* emphasizing the custom work. That's really nice to see.
bolero Posted February 7, 2018 Posted February 7, 2018 "Sweet Lee and Kuok? Is he related to Kuz?? " "Do I really have to respond to this? Of course we are related because we don't have the same last name (what the hell Will????)" "I am related to people with different last names. Will might be on to something." HAHAHAHAHA.....man that is some of the funniest stuff I have read around here!! Will: your alzheimers is acting up again
davesultra Posted February 7, 2018 Posted February 7, 2018 On 2/3/2018 at 4:17 AM, Kuz said: All I will say is that I love my "Pre-CBS" Heritages!!! I like to think of mine as “Pre-Plaza era” Heritages.
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.