DetroitBlues Posted January 15, 2020 Posted January 15, 2020 If you were the Curator, what pieces of Heritage History would put in the museum? I would think to start, would be examples of what Marv, Jim, and Bill produced when Gibson was there. Then move onto their very first models, such as a H140 all mahogany. There are so many crazy models from the 80's through the 90's that just don't exist any more. STAT, Parson Street, Terminator, Exterminator, etc. Some pieces though, such as my old 1985 H140 and Fred's Centurion would be pieces that should be showcased. It would be fun to see the old acoustic instruments.... Flattops, banjo's, mandolins. Plus some of the amps. I couldn't imagine where we'd find all these models, but there is so much history that is sadly being forgotten. If you had a Heritage or Kalamazoo made guitar in your collection that should be in the museum, post a picture of it. Or comment on what you'd like to see.
y2kc Posted January 15, 2020 Posted January 15, 2020 I would want to see at least one of everything made. I would also include the last years of gibson. Same guys, hands and building.
LK155 Posted January 15, 2020 Posted January 15, 2020 1 hour ago, DetroitBlues said: If you were the Curator, what pieces of Heritage History would put in the museum? Ren Wall.
Polo Posted January 15, 2020 Posted January 15, 2020 In my opinion any decent "Heritage" museum would need to contain the following: - At least one example of every Heritage production model that's ever been made. - A rotating "custom order" exhibit featuring a large collection of unique custom builds and or employee builds. Perhaps they could entice folks to lend their guitars by offering a lender model of anything in the current production line for the duration of the loan. - An amps and oddities collection showcasing any non-build related Heritage related things, items such as Heritage- Amps, Posters, Catalogs, T-shirts, HRW pick ups, Pickguards, Folk art made of guitar parts, Ect. - A photo museum of pictures taken at 225 during the "Heritage years", it'd be cool if they could find pics of every long term employee that's worked there as well. an exclusive Marvbird (Birds built between 2008-2015) exhibit would be cool!
yoslate Posted January 15, 2020 Posted January 15, 2020 3 hours ago, LK155 said: Ren Wall. Ren is The Heritage Museum....
rwinking Posted January 15, 2020 Posted January 15, 2020 The Leon Rhodes that I now own and love dearly......
DetroitBlues Posted January 15, 2020 Author Posted January 15, 2020 In case no has seen an all Mahogany H140... this came through my feed on Reverb. 1986 H140 (Don’t know where they got the term “thinline”, there is no such thing. https://reverb.com/item/31336494-1986-heritage-h-140-thin-line-electric-guitar-cherry-burst
skydog52 Posted January 16, 2020 Posted January 16, 2020 I thought original H-140s where a thinner slab?
skydog52 Posted January 16, 2020 Posted January 16, 2020 Old Thread H150 vs H140 By Ridgeback, October 17, 2010 in Heritage Guitars Ridgeback 0 Posted October 17, 2010 I am no where near a Heritage dealer. Can someone give me the basic skinny on the differences between the 140 and the 150? FredZepp 289 Posted October 17, 2010 The H-140 is 1 5/8" thick , where the H-150 is 2' thick at the rim and is 1/2" wider. And the 140 usually has dots on the fretboard, where the 150 will have traps. The older (1st edition) 140 is a different shape... but the current 140's are very similar to the 150 shape. The 140 gives you a slightly lighter and easier to handle version of the 150 , with similar tone. cod65 0 Posted October 18, 2010 the basic skinny is the 140 is skinny. pcovers 0 Posted October 19, 2010 I've had both. Eyes closed, I think the only difference in tone was primarily due to the difference of pickups. I prefer the 140 for the minimally smaller width and depth. It is just an easier guitar to hold. It is lighter, but not significantly. Still a very solid feeling mahogany/maple LP'ish guitar. I really like soft cutaway version of the H140, which does look almost identical to an H150 from the front. My H140 Bottom line is that you can't go wrong with either.
Millennium Maestro Posted January 16, 2020 Posted January 16, 2020 I know the prototypes are designated, also during the Plaza Era I remember certain guitars being built exclusively for that including the "passing the torch" guitar.
DetroitBlues Posted January 16, 2020 Author Posted January 16, 2020 2 hours ago, skydog52 said: I thought original H-140s where a thinner slab? They are thinner, I’m just saying there isn’t a special 140 called a thinline. They are all thin instead of weight relieved.
Gitfiddler Posted January 16, 2020 Posted January 16, 2020 Thinline is an old Gibson term typically referring to a hollow or semi-hollow body guitar that is 'thinner' than the typical (roughly) 3" body width. Gibson was one of the first to use the term, but Fender later used it to describe one of their Tele models. But ya'll get the point. The term thinline had little or nothing to do with the width of Heritage H-140's. Now if you want to start discussing my favorite Heritage 'thinline' H525's, I might jump in.
High Flying Bird Posted January 16, 2020 Posted January 16, 2020 225 Parsons was a museum until it was sold to the current owners.
DetroitBlues Posted January 16, 2020 Author Posted January 16, 2020 5 hours ago, High Flying Bird said: 225 Parsons was a museum until it was sold to the current owners. A bit of a museum, bit of a time-capsule, and a whole lot of messy tinderbox. More like an Egyptian tomb buried in sand. You'll have to dig out decades of dust and debris to find historical pieces in the factory.
Polo Posted January 16, 2020 Posted January 16, 2020 49 minutes ago, DetroitBlues said: A bit of a museum, bit of a time-capsule, and a whole lot of messy tinderbox. More like an Egyptian tomb buried in sand. You'll have to dig out decades of dust and debris to find historical pieces in the factory. That tinderbox was a thousand times cooler than the dentist office that it is now! Looking back I can recall taking about a half a dozen friends or so to the factory for the tour during the golden years. All of them inevitably ended up buying or ordering themselves a Heritage guitar shortly after. Like I posted recently, I haven't been there in over 2 years, nor do I regularly speak with anybody who still works there. I haven't bought myself a new or used Heritage guitar in just as many years, nor do I notice very many other people around here buying them either. Coincidence?
Steiner Posted January 16, 2020 Posted January 16, 2020 19 minutes ago, Polo said: Like I posted recently, I haven't been there in over 2 years, nor do I regularly speak with anybody who still works there. I haven't bought myself a new or used Heritage guitar in just as many years, nor do I notice very many other people around here buying them either. Coincidence? Not at all. A classic example of cause and effect.
DetroitBlues Posted January 16, 2020 Author Posted January 16, 2020 37 minutes ago, Polo said: That tinderbox was a thousand times cooler than the dentist office that it is now! Looking back I can recall taking about a half a dozen friends or so to the factory for the tour during the golden years. All of them inevitably ended up buying or ordering themselves a Heritage guitar shortly after. Like I posted recently, I haven't been there in over 2 years, nor do I regularly speak with anybody who still works there. I haven't bought myself a new or used Heritage guitar in just as many years, nor do I notice very many other people around here buying them either. Coincidence? You're right. Its not the same. Average quality and build methods have improved. Opinions may have changed of the factory and owners, but I suspect not because they cleaned up the shop. I think it has more to do with the once inspiring mass hiring that later turned into the subsequent mass layoff heartbreak. I believe fewer of us buying new Heritages because of company policy changes rather than a clean and healthy work environment. (Anyone in manufacturing can tell you, nearly all the changes were absolutely necessary for the safety and well-being of the employees). Myself, I'd love to buy a new Heritage, but with a H150 and H535 in my stable, there really isn't a model they make now I just gotta have. I really like the Harmony's they make now, but I'll just wait a few years for used ones to hit the market as I really don't need anymore guitars right now (No, I'm not sick. I just have too many other obligations my money is being redirected to from the guitar slush-fund).
deytookerjaabs Posted January 16, 2020 Posted January 16, 2020 1 hour ago, DetroitBlues said: (Anyone in manufacturing can tell you, nearly all the changes were absolutely necessary for the safety and well-being of the employees). You can install industrial grade air filtration & dust control systems in old buildings, happens every day in cities across the country.
Polo Posted January 16, 2020 Posted January 16, 2020 3 hours ago, DetroitBlues said: You're right. Its not the same. Average quality and build methods have improved. Opinions may have changed of the factory and owners, but I suspect not because they cleaned up the shop. I think it has more to do with the once inspiring mass hiring that later turned into the subsequent mass layoff heartbreak. I believe fewer of us buying new Heritages because of company policy changes rather than a clean and healthy work environment. (Anyone in manufacturing can tell you, nearly all the changes were absolutely necessary for the safety and well-being of the employees). Myself, I'd love to buy a new Heritage, but with a H150 and H535 in my stable, there really isn't a model they make now I just gotta have. I really like the Harmony's they make now, but I'll just wait a few years for used ones to hit the market as I really don't need anymore guitars right now (No, I'm not sick. I just have too many other obligations my money is being redirected to from the guitar slush-fund). As always, you've done a wonderful job providing a well thought out and rational response to an admittedly romanticized view of the "golden era". The brass at Heritage should truly consider hiring you as a kind of "Mark Agnesi" of brand ambassador. They need one, desperately! I'm totally serious.
Gitterman Posted January 16, 2020 Posted January 16, 2020 Love the 357, That is the Firebird model, correct?
skydog52 Posted January 16, 2020 Posted January 16, 2020 16 hours ago, DetroitBlues said: They are thinner, I’m just saying there isn’t a special 140 called a thinline. They are all thin instead of weight relieved. Yes indeed. The H-140 body wasn't as wide at the H-150 also. 12.5 inches.
skydog52 Posted January 16, 2020 Posted January 16, 2020 Back to the topic. For a true Heritage Museum there should be one of each model they made. IMHO Probably impossible but it would be nice. Marv told me one time that when they first started Heritage they tried everything to see if it would stick. Obviously Corporate Heritage took the top selling models and made them the Standard series. Makes business sense. https://web.archive.org/web/19981201071755/http://www.heritageguitar.com/company/model_history.htm
DetroitBlues Posted January 16, 2020 Author Posted January 16, 2020 1 hour ago, Polo said: As always, you've done a wonderful job providing a well thought out and rational response to an admittedly romanticized view of the "golden era". The brass at Heritage should truly consider hiring you as a kind of "Mark Agnesi" of brand ambassador. They need one, desperately! I'm totally serious. As much as I'd love to entertain that idea, they couldn't afford me.
ElNumero Posted January 16, 2020 Posted January 16, 2020 8 hours ago, Polo said: That tinderbox was a thousand times cooler than the dentist office that it is now! Like I posted recently, I haven't been there in over 2 years, nor do I regularly speak with anybody who still works there. I haven't bought myself a new or used Heritage guitar in just as many years, nor do I notice very many other people around here buying them either. That's a shame. A plain shame (as Frampton would say). And I'd get my teeth cleaned at that dentist office any day of the week. It's very impressive what they have done there. But of course you wouldn't know, since you've chosen to stay away!
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