New, first time, owner - expectations?

[Yooper]

No question, Heritage still makes great guitars. Knowing the old crew that made our pre-Plaza guitars just makes them more special. We are a sentimental lot, after all.

[WScott]

Hi Yooper,

I saw a video of a tour of the new factory arrangements in July 2018.   Everything is very clean and neat.  There are a lot of machines at work and a lot of young people (I am 78)  using them.  I know one dealer who said he hoped they corrected their quality issues by the end of 2018.

Are you one of the "old" employees, a current employee, or associated in some way with the new owners?   If so, suspect you have some first hand insight that I do not.

I would appreciate your opinions on the current products.     Thanks,  Scott      

[TalismanRich]

Scott,

I talked with the dealer that I bought my first Heritage from back in 2003 and he said that the last order that he got in this past spring was very good from a quality standpoint.  His issue has been more on the distribution side.    He currently doesn't have anything in house, and since the majority of his sales were custom orders,  that's changed his dealings.    Jay Wolfe recently posted that the guitars are coming in without issue.  

Yes, the company has changed, but that's to be expected with the main owners moving on to a well deserved retirement!  The new shop floor is much more organized which is a good thing.  I'm  sure its cleaner and safer than its ever been for the employees.   The product line has been trimmed for now, so they can concentrate on tuning the process.    Pete Farmer has been put over the shop, and I don't think he's going to allow things to get shoddy. 

 

 

[WScott]

Hi Rich,

Thank your for the information.   I have a dealer friend who been trying to assist me.   But price has become the sticking point.  I can get a new Standard H-575 for $3,499.   But since I wanted a 1.75" nut (with wider board of course - the only custom feature requested) the price to dealer went up to well over $5,000.   Well out of the range for this old retired guy with crooked fingers!   

I actually contacted Wolfe but they apparently had nothing or just did not want to deal with my nice Switchmaster as a trade for part of the cost.    So, life goes on.  I love the H 535 I got even though I bought it because it was supposed to have a 1.75" nut.  Unfortunately, my ruler does not say it is that wide.      As I said, life goes on.

I agree the plant looked cleaner and safer.  But I really have to wonder why so many really quality people, regardless of their age, who just loved making great guitars, decided to leave or got fired.  I know it was not the pay they were getting.

I love the look of your guitar.

Thanks, again.     Scott

 

[Yooper]

4 hours ago, WScott said:

Hi Yooper,

Are you one of the "old" employees, a current employee, or associated in some way with the new owners?   If so, suspect you have some first hand insight that I do not.

I would appreciate your opinions on the current products.     Thanks,  Scott      

Not an employee. Just a fan. The newer ones I've played are delightful.

[Kuz]

I ordered my Custom 555 (Pre-Plaza) with a 1.75" nut width and it is exactly 1.75".

If yours is not the width you ordered it, I would return it.  But that is just me.  My charge was maybe  $100 for the wider nut in 2008.  To charge you a $1500 upcharge for a wider nut is laughable and yet another reason I have for not buying another Heritage or any need to go back there.  Bottom line is.... times have changed.  

Only my opinion, your opinion may vary. 

I am sure their new guitars are great but so are my Pre-Plaza honeys.

[WScott]

Hi Kuz,

Thank you for your help.  I actually bought the H-535 on Reverb.  The owner sent me a picture with a tape measure on the neck and it seemed to show 1.75.   But now that I have received it I see it is really 1/16th smaller, standard width.

However, it is such a nice guitar and I like it so much I do not want to return it.  So I have not contacted him about it.  I suspect he was being completely honest.  It is a tough measurement to make with a metal tape measure.

But I fully agree with you about the pricing.  They said any change forces it into their "Custom" category and they just charge more for the hand work that I guess used to be done out of love of guitars.

Regards, Scott

[WScott]

2 hours ago, Yooper said:

Not an employee. Just a fan. The newer ones I've played are delightful.

Which new one have you gotten to try since 2018?   I am really thinking of getting an older one because I just can't afford the extra thousand or two for a new one.   I would really like an Eagle Classic!

   Scott

[Yooper]

10 minutes ago, WScott said:

Which new one have you gotten to try since 2018?   I am really thinking of getting an older one because I just can't afford the extra thousand or two for a new one.   I would really like an Eagle Classic!

   Scott

I played a couple 2017's at the factory. I had a wonderful Eagle Classic, but my aging fingers prefer the shorter scale of my 150s. Millie, and 535. The 535 is "close enough for jazz" for my needs and ability. 

[WScott]

Yooper, I have apparently gone completely crazy!!  I just bought a 1997 Eagle Classic that looks beautiful.   And a few minutes before that I traded my 1997 Gibson L-5 Switchmaster for a 1998 H575 that a dealer I have dealt with before who I trust has played and says is a fantastic guitar.

So I will soon be the proud owner of an H-535, an H-575, and an Eagle Classic all made by the old professionals at Heritage.

Like I think I told you, I am 78 and just hoping for as many more good years as possible to enjoy these great instruments!  I hope my kids appreciate them as much as I do after I am gone!   

Regards, Scott

[Yooper]

Well done, my man! Welcome to the cult.

[Vanschoyck]

12 minutes ago, WScott said:

Yooper, I have apparently gone completely crazy!!  I just bought a 1997 Eagle Classic that looks beautiful.   And a few minutes before that I traded my 1997 Gibson L-5 Switchmaster for a 1998 H575 that a dealer I have dealt with before who I trust has played and says is a fantastic guitar.

So I will soon be the proud owner of an H-535, an H-575, and an Eagle Classic all made by the old professionals at Heritage.

Like I think I told you, I am 78 and just hoping for as many more good years as possible to enjoy these great instruments!  I hope my kids appreciate them as much as I do after I am gone!   

Regards, Scott

Now that is a party!

[Gitfiddler]

Another Heritage addict has officially joined our little cult. 

Our work is done here.

Scott...Congratulations on your Heritage trifecta!!! 

[WScott]

2 hours ago, Yooper said:

Well done, my man! Welcome to the cult.

 I have to admit that after today I feel kind of like I have been possessed by a cult of sorts!        Scott

[WScott]

42 minutes ago, Gitfiddler said:

Another Heritage addict has officially joined our little cult. 

Our work is done here.

Scott...Congratulations on your Heritage trifecta!!! 

Thank you... quite a day!      Scott

[bolero]

9 hours ago, WScott said:

Yooper, I have apparently gone completely crazy!!  I just bought a 1997 Eagle Classic that looks beautiful.   And a few minutes before that I traded my 1997 Gibson L-5 Switchmaster for a 1998 H575 that a dealer I have dealt with before who I trust has played and says is a fantastic guitar.

So I will soon be the proud owner of an H-535, an H-575, and an Eagle Classic all made by the old professionals at Heritage.

Like I think I told you, I am 78 and just hoping for as many more good years as possible to enjoy these great instruments!  I hope my kids appreciate them as much as I do after I am gone!   

Regards, Scott

haha!!

that is hilarious....and congratulations!

superb guitars, all of them. more pics incoming?

[WScott]

Yes, it is really funny, but expensive.  I will post pictures of the two I just dealt for when I get them.  I have to wait to get the Switchmaster back and sent it to Chicago before they will mail me the 575.  And the Eagle seller asked me if he could keep it until Jan 2 to mail to minimize the time the guitar will be out in the cold.  Of course I said that's fine.  The Eagle looks almost as nice as the 535.  But don't tell anyone, all my activity yesterday is still a secret from my wife!!   Living dangerously in my old age!       

Happy New Year, Scott

[kennyv4]

Scott, you have been on the planet long enough to buy a few things you want.  You eared that right. I await to hear what your next purchase will be. Congratulations and enjoy.

[WScott]

Hi Kenny,

I hope I can enjoy these guitars for a long time.  But I am already practicing with three fingers in case I lose the little finger before I die.  It goes up and down but not sideways!    So the bar chords are really tough.  I have to get my hand and arm way under the neck to move the little finger out over the E or A strings and then just drop it down!       Sounds like an episode of a Soap!   

Regards, Scott

[AP515]

42 minutes ago, WScott said:

Hi Kenny,

I hope I can enjoy these guitars for a long time.  But I am already practicing with three fingers in case I lose the little finger before I die.  It goes up and down but not sideways!   

Learn alternate tunings.  Open E or open G and you can play with one finger.  Or learn slide in open G.  Just need to hold a pill bottle.

[Edko11]

Hello, I just joined this forum after having a H-140 fall into my hands for $300. As a working musician of over 30 years, I’m a bit embarrassed to admit I was not very familiar with Heritage when a guy approached me in the grocery store, and said I should take this guitar home and If I like it then give him the $300. I did, and it didn’t take long to realize I owed him money. The previous owner did a disasterous job of trying to refinish it and the grocery store guy did a fair job of making it presentable visually, structurally and from a playability standpoint it is in great shape. I believe it has stock Schaller pick ups, which arent that bad. I’ve used it at a few gigs now and am smitten with it. I have been almost exclusively a Strat player, so I was really enthusiastic about how comfortable and natural it felt to play this guitar. I would like have a new finish put on it and was wondering if Heritage Owners have any advice, anecdotes, horror stories, do’s & donts as I start the job of bringing this great guitar to life. I believe it is from 1992. 

[WScott]

3 hours ago, AP515 said:

Learn alternate tunings.  Open E or open G and you can play with one finger.  Or learn slide in open G.  Just need to hold a pill bottle.

I started collecting stuff about open tuning when the condition started to get bad.   So I have a place to start in case I need it.   Thanks!   Scott

[WScott]

2 hours ago, Edko11 said:

Hello, I just joined this forum after having a H-140 fall into my hands for $300. As a working musician of over 30 years, I’m a bit embarrassed to admit I was not very familiar with Heritage when a guy approached me in the grocery store, and said I should take this guitar home and If I like it then give him the $300. I did, and it didn’t take long to realize I owed him money. The previous owner did a disasterous job of trying to refinish it and the grocery store guy did a fair job of making it presentable visually, structurally and from a playability standpoint it is in great shape. I believe it has stock Schaller pick ups, which arent that bad. I’ve used it at a few gigs now and am smitten with it. I have been almost exclusively a Strat player, so I was really enthusiastic about how comfortable and natural it felt to play this guitar. I would like have a new finish put on it and was wondering if Heritage Owners have any advice, anecdotes, horror stories, do’s & donts as I start the job of bringing this great guitar to life. I believe it is from 1992. 

Hi,  I am afraid I can't help with any of the technical questions.  But it appears you have the makings of a great guitar.   I just discovered Heritage myself a month or so ago -  and now I have one in hand and two on the way.   They have historically just do a great job manufacturing guitars.    I have seen much worse Fenders turned into immaculate guitars and I suspect the same can happen with this guitar.  Great forum.  If anyone has any ideas I am sure you will hear from them!   Regards, Scott

[WScott]

12 hours ago, bolero said:

haha!!

that is hilarious....and congratulations!

superb guitars, all of them. more pics incoming?

Hi,

Thank you for your last message.  It gave me a lot of insight.  I appreciate you sharing it with me!!  Regards, Scott