Chinese Made Heritages - Diminished the value?

[DetroitBlues]

The new Ascent lineup seems to be growing, although only a few social media influencers I have found are talking about them.

Because of this history of Gibson with Heritage, I usually only compare the two business practices and exclude anyone else.  In the 1970's Gibson decided to make the Epiphone brand their import guitar brand.  It helped guitarists distinguish between US and overseas made production.   Obviously, those early import models were inferior to the USA counterparts and to this day, not really sought out guitars to collectors/players.

So when Heritage created the Ascent line, only the discerning eye would know the difference between a USA made H150 and Chinese made H150.  Heritage brand has lost some of its luster or did it?

I think I unfairly compared Heritage to Gibson.  When in fact, I should have compared them to other companies like Gretsch, Fender, PRS, etc.

Fender for instance has not one, but three different countries making guitars with Fender on the headstock.  China, Japan, and Mexico.  Only when you look for the "Made In..." would you know where the model was produced.  Gretsch has done the same with China/Indonesia/Japan.  The same models in each brand could be made at any of these locations.  The appointments and quality vary from one manufacturing source to another, but for the untrained, a Fender is a Fender.  A Gretsch is a Gretsch.  

PRS at least called their guitars Student Editions or SE's of the same US Models, originally there were some glaring differences, but in later years, they are becoming harder to distinguish.

In my opinion, without physically picking up one, I think the quality of the guitars are okay.  The cheapest components are being used and the guitars are selling on a name brand that has really picked up considerably over the past few years.  I don't expect them to be huge sellers or find them in a store next to the USA variants anytime soon.

But.... If they decided to start using upgraded parts like Gibson does with their $1,000+ Epiphones, we may yet see them in a store near you.

In my opinion, I think Heritage should have used older, discontinued models for their import line.  H120 instead of H137 (H120 was a bolt on maple neck much like the Ascent H137) or use the H140 instead of the H150 (H140 has dot inlays on the fretboard much like the Ascent H150).  There might be a place for these guitars.  Not sure though.  Is this an experiment or a permanent thing?  

 

[Gitfiddler]

I've got no skin in the game, and respect Heritage for trying to reach the beginner or low income guitar buyer. 

My only issue is the bolt-on necks of some of the Heritage imports.  Sure its cheaper to build than a set neck, but it's a big turn-off, unless you're building a Strat or Tele type guitar.

To me that really cheapens the guitar and diminishes the brand. 

Edited 4 hours ago by Gitfiddler

[Spectrum13]

23 minutes ago, DetroitBlues said:

 

So when Heritage created the Ascent line, only the discerning eye would know the difference between a USA made H150 and Chinese made H150.  

 

 

What of this discerning eye of which you speak?  Would not discerning hands and ears better judge? The Heritage brand was kept alive with Asian ownership and distribution through big box stores expanded the brands awareness big time.  Many of us replaced the "factory" parts supplied like bridges, tail pieces, pots and caps, tuners on the legacy instruments. 

"Branding" is a thing. I remember when Famous Amos made a great chocolate chip cookie. The brand was purchased in 1992 by president baking company after the 1985 sale to Bass Brothers. The "shelf stable" ingredients dropped the quality down to a chips ahoy level but one can still purchase a bag today. Not the same product that Marvin Gaye and Helen Ready invested in ....  As Peabody would say on fractured fairy tails, the moral of this story is " that is the way things are"   Happy Halloween to my on line family!  

[Heritage1970]

Everyone has their opinion on this and I respect that. My opinion though, is that the Heritage name should not be on anything except a guitar that's coming right out of Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA. If they wanted to do a cheaper, more affordable line, similar to Epiphone or something along those lines, that's fine, but they should have called it something else and not had the Heritage name on it at all. Again, just my opinion. I just don't like to see any kind of name that has a rich history tarnished all for the sake of money. I guess I'm a dreamer. In 2024 that's pretty much how things roll. Again though, just my opinion...

[Dick Seacup]

I will start by observing that there exists, in SE Asia, the ability to manufacture musical instruments to a very high quality. I am not at all espousing a "quality can only be found from American manufacturing" point of view.

There is a whole 'business' point of view that should be considered. The original vision of The Heritage guitars was pretty clear. Working instruments for working musicians, patterned after the much-loved originals, built in (what was left of) the original factory, under the guidance of some folks who were involved in the creation, build and sale of those much-loved originals. With the departure of the OG owners/founders of The Heritage, corporate interests have taken the helm. Corporate interests being what they are, profitability and growth become the core of, if not the whole "uber alles" mantra. Having personally espoused, for many years, that 'the only things in nature that experience non-stop growth are kudzu, bamboo and cancer,' I will refrain from expounding further on my thoughts thereof. Suffice to say, I think the current management has a different set of goals than the OG owners/founders did, and their marketing--which translates over to their production choices--reflects that. Nothing wrong with it, it's all just board room decisions and calculated risks. 

If it were a perfect reality, the OG owners/founders would have continued forever. They would have learned a couple things along the way, like maybe 'pay a little more attention to QC,' and The Heritage would exist in a perpetual Golden Age. But, we don't live in a perfect reality. Otherwise, I'd be typing this from a 60' Viking enclosed bridge anchored off the coast of some uninhabited atoll in the Caribbean. Instead, here I am in the vast wastelands of Michiganistan, questioning my life's decisions. 

The current stewards of the brand can make whatever decisions they like, and I wish them the best of luck. I'll stick to, ah, pre-loved Heritage guitars. 

 

 

Edited 2 hours ago by Dick Seacup