Gitfiddler Posted April 12, 2021 Posted April 12, 2021 Recently there have been a few nice old Heritage guitars shown here, either for sale or questions about them by their owners. The question about the 'B' serial numbers really struck me since those guitars, made around 1985 would now be 36 years old! In the guitar world, an instrument becomes 'vintage' after about 30 years. https://reverb.com/page/vintage-guitar-faq Considering Heritage likely sold everything they built since 1985, there should be a ton of vintage Heritage guitars out there in the wild. Also, any Heritage guitar made prior to 2016 would now be vintage. Right? I just checked and the ONLY non-vintage Heritage I currently own is my 2020 H-137. Interesting. What do you folks think about this vintage label as it applies to your Heritage guitars?
skydog52 Posted April 12, 2021 Posted April 12, 2021 The oldest Heritage I have is a G model 1990. 31 years old. I consider it Vintage. It's a H-537 and has that vintage feel and still has that smoky odor. Discontinued model a long time ago. One of the best sounding guitars I have. I never could figure out what pickups are in it and don't care. Tone is awesome
Yooper Posted April 12, 2021 Posted April 12, 2021 Vintage 2008 H-150 with ThroBak SLE 100s. Vintage 2015 H-535 with ThroBak ER Customs.
Spectrum13 Posted April 12, 2021 Posted April 12, 2021 Also, any Heritage guitar made prior to 2016 would now be vintage. Right? I strongly agree with 2016. As our parlementarian, may I suggest we hold a pole among HOC members and a super majority of 67% shall be ratified if not vetoed by the moderator.
Gitfiddler Posted April 13, 2021 Author Posted April 13, 2021 OK, since the Parliamentarian spoke up...I'll admit it's fuzzy math. My oldest, most vintage Heritage is a '93 Golden Eagle...Old Style Burst. Even though 28 years old, she sounds a lot older.
TalismanRich Posted April 14, 2021 Posted April 14, 2021 For sure, I've got one Vintage model. This is my 87 H140. Surely since it's that old, it must be worth at least 5 times what I paid for it! Maybe 10! The Millie LE is a 2000, the 157 is 2003 and the 535 is a 2005. I don't now if those would be considered vintage or not.
Yooper Posted April 14, 2021 Posted April 14, 2021 If it was built in the vintage 225 Parsons Street building, it's vintage to me.
houndhome Posted April 14, 2021 Posted April 14, 2021 It seems to me that "vintage" came about because of perceived down periods in a company's history e.g. Fender 1965-87 ish,Gibbons Norlin period,Martin 1970's when it was felt that the company's product prior to this period was superior.I dont recall Rickenbacker for example having a "down" period hence no great desire for a "vintage" Ricky over current production.Likewise I dont feel that Heritage have ever had a period when quality has slipped to a undesirable level,in which case I dont feel that the term is applicable is appropriate.Some may feel that there could be seen to be a dividing line between the original/current owners but not in terms of there being a serious slip in quality at any point in Heritage's history.
heritagefan7 Posted April 26, 2021 Posted April 26, 2021 On 4/12/2021 at 3:52 PM, skydog52 said: The oldest Heritage I have is a G model 1990. 31 years old. I consider it Vintage. It's a H-537 and has that vintage feel and still has that smoky odor. Discontinued model a long time ago. One of the best sounding guitars I have. I never could figure out what pickups are in it and don't care. Tone is awesome That looks so much like the 574 that I once had. SUPER guitar. Last I knew it was still in the HOC. (I think it still is???) The one that got away....
Genericmusic Posted April 26, 2021 Posted April 26, 2021 Vintage smintage who cares as long as play well. Here's mine, a 1998 Mahogany Eagle an one off for somebody. I think I know who but can't prove it other than hearsay. She's a player and a keeper.
Gitfiddler Posted April 26, 2021 Author Posted April 26, 2021 53 minutes ago, Genericmusic said: Vintage smintage who cares as long as play well. Here's mine, a 1998 Mahogany Eagle an one off for somebody. I think I know who but can't prove it other than hearsay. She's a player and a keeper. Gorgeous Eagle! I bet that big Mahogany girl has tones as warm as a summer night.
bolero Posted April 26, 2021 Posted April 26, 2021 Dunno if I have an opinion on vintage or not, but those are all very fine looking guitars!
ElNumero Posted April 27, 2021 Posted April 27, 2021 On 4/12/2021 at 2:20 PM, Gitfiddler said: Recently there have been a few nice old Heritage guitars shown here, either for sale or questions about them by their owners. The question about the 'B' serial numbers really struck me since those guitars, made around 1985 would now be 36 years old! In the guitar world, an instrument becomes 'vintage' after about 30 years. https://reverb.com/page/vintage-guitar-faq Considering Heritage likely sold everything they built since 1985, there should be a ton of vintage Heritage guitars out there in the wild. Also, any Heritage guitar made prior to 2016 would now be vintage. Right? I just checked and the ONLY non-vintage Heritage I currently own is my 2020 H-137. Interesting. What do you folks think about this vintage label as it applies to your Heritage guitars? Tim, how do you figure a 2015 Heritage is vintage? I am not understanding that part of your logic. I do however get the "older than 30 years" which would mean 1991 or earlier would be considered vintage these days.
ElNumero Posted April 27, 2021 Posted April 27, 2021 On 4/12/2021 at 3:52 PM, skydog52 said: The oldest Heritage I have is a G model 1990. 31 years old. I consider it Vintage. It's a H-537 and has that vintage feel and still has that smoky odor. Discontinued model a long time ago. One of the best sounding guitars I have. I never could figure out what pickups are in it and don't care. Tone is awesome Wow, that looks so close to my 1992 model 574!!! Same color too!
ElNumero Posted April 27, 2021 Posted April 27, 2021 On 4/26/2021 at 1:29 PM, heritagefan7 said: That looks so much like the 574 that I once had. SUPER guitar. Last I knew it was still in the HOC. (I think it still is???) The one that got away.... See my post above referencing that guitar!
Gitfiddler Posted April 27, 2021 Author Posted April 27, 2021 3 hours ago, ElNumero said: Tim, how do you figure a 2015 Heritage is vintage? I am not understanding that part of your logic. I do however get the "older than 30 years" which would mean 1991 or earlier would be considered vintage these days. Will, I self-corrected my bass-akward math in a subsequent post. Basically, guitars built in 1985 would BECOME vintage in 30 years, or in the year 2015.
ElNumero Posted April 28, 2021 Posted April 28, 2021 20 hours ago, Gitfiddler said: Will, I self-corrected my bass-akward math in a subsequent post. Basically, guitars built in 1985 would BECOME vintage in 30 years, or in the year 2015. That is funny Tim, and I didn't even pick up on that. Maybe I can blame it on old age!
barrymclark Posted April 29, 2021 Posted April 29, 2021 The oldest I've owned is a 91 H140. The next oldest was a 94 Mahogany Eagle. The one I still own is a 09 H575. The oldest I've played is a 84 140 and a 85 140.
rooster Posted May 11, 2021 Posted May 11, 2021 I've got 4 Heritage guitars, 3 are H-150s and 1 is a H-170 with a "B" serial number, and a cracked/repaired headstock joint. They all play and sound great, and none of them sound like each other, even though they have the same (Bill, Becky, and Shannon Lawrence) pickups. Those pickups put the sound of the wood out front, not the sound of the wire. Perfect for Heritage guitars, the best LPs ever. In my opinion. rooster.
Umut Posted May 11, 2021 Posted May 11, 2021 This one is an early h-147, some of you may already have seen it from my topic. It inherited from my late brother who had bought it probably circa early 2000s from Istanbul Turkey. From what I'd heard from my bro, the previous owner could be a German. A piece of history isn't it? Schaller pegs 'made in west Germany'. And probably Schaller pups, as the early 80s models got (As some friends told me here). Although I'm not a les paul type body fan, this one is amazing, lightweight and still got lots of sustain. Wish I could date it with the serial number, however it is vanished.
michaeljames Posted July 3, 2021 Posted July 3, 2021 March 1988. MARCH 1988. 1ST YEAR H150. NOTE THE INCONSISTANCIES IN THE INLAYS. I LIKE IT. PROOF OF NON PRODUCTION LINE... HAPPY 4TH EVERYBODY!?
michaeljames Posted July 3, 2021 Posted July 3, 2021 and i have the original heritage pickguard...fwiw
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