Heritage Custom shop bespoke program anybody?

[hopkinwfg]

Wondering has anybody here gone with the Heritage bespoke custom shop program where things could do custom according to your preference? 

I just wonder what will be the dos and not... ? 

[DetroitBlues]

Other than artists and social media in influencers, I’ve never heard anyone able to use the bespoke program ever since they announced it.

[hopkinwfg]

  On 3/17/2025 at 12:44 AM, DetroitBlues said:

Other than artists and social media in influencers, I’ve never heard anyone able to use the bespoke program ever since they announced it.

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I remember spoken to Mike when getting my H150CC as i wanted to get his help to hand select "the one" with a nice decent tone and a wild flame top.... he has gotten me the best believed but i wasnt that impress with the top yet and Mike suggested me to wait for the bespoke custom to announce and i could basically do a custom.... but didnt want the wait so i grab that existing one whom he helped me painstakingly selected.... 

He went thru many boxes and i strongly believe its out of his working usual capacity but he was trying to help me realise my dream H150CC, we chatted abit over the mail and was really a pleasure to have conversed with him.... 

I lately play thru my H150CC especially after changing modded the bridge, this beast sound and resonate like no other LP does so far whom i played not plugging in.... its thick loud and with that mid character going with a hint of high end girth going... 

I then thought i probably sell the other H150 standard i got and perhaps do a bespoke custom H157CC and would like to hear if anybody does.... especially price and their custom work....

[kbp810]

Eh... I was about to make a long drawn out whiny post about my attempts at getting a bespoke made... but will just condense it to say; once asked for a 150 custom core in faded blue to match an amp my kid and I made (that was it, just the color; and it was a color they've done before); was told no. Later down the road there was some possible horse trade dealing going on, for which my terms were a 150 custom core in faded blue with split inlays or something to make it unique for my daughter; was again told no. 

As Blues hinted at; I think the program is just a teaser, and really only open to artists and influencers. They don't really have any interest in making unique one-offs; except maybe for NAMM. Which I do get, to some extent... they probably don't want to trump their own standard line up or things they've made for endorsing artists and what not. 

It's a different world and a different Heritage. 

 

 

 

Edited March 17 by kbp810

[Gitfiddler]

If Heritage is currently unable or unwilling to take 'bespoke' custom orders, then they should take down that section of their website.

They did offer a few custom builds for NAMM a while back, but I've not seen any customer ordered one-offs in years.

[skydog52]

  On 3/17/2025 at 7:28 PM, Gitfiddler said:

If Heritage is currently unable or unwilling to take 'bespoke' custom orders, then they should take down that section of their website.

They did offer a few custom builds for NAMM a while back, but I've not seen any customer ordered one-offs in years.

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I have requested builds but have been rebuffed. So much for loyalty. If they only knew!

[Spectrum13]

There was a reason when the old guard retired, Heritage only made the 535 and 150's and discontinued or limited production of archtops. They opened to Sweatwater and other large retailers and cut off lots of brick and mortar, mom and pops stores. They were looking at the bottom line. The time and expense of building one-off for Boomers and dealing with expectations of same was altruistic and a money suck. Having a website promising future "bespoke" and making the occasional for a high-profile player and influencers is smart marketing. I was fortunate to have my builds made in 2009, 2011 and 2013. Those days are gone forever over a long time ago, oh well! 

 

[bolero]

I can't sing, I ain't pretty, and my legs are thin

[ElNumero]

  On 3/17/2025 at 9:56 PM, Spectrum13 said:

There was a reason when the old guard retired, Heritage only made the 535 and 150's and discontinued or limited production of archtops. They opened to Sweatwater and other large retailers and cut off lots of brick and mortar, mom and pops stores. They were looking at the bottom line. The time and expense of building one-off for Boomers and dealing with expectations of same was altruistic and a money suck. Having a website promising future "bespoke" and making the occasional for a high-profile player and influencers is smart marketing. I was fortunate to have my builds made in 2009, 2011 and 2013. Those days are gone forever over a long time ago, oh well! 

 

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Good point Dan. I got mine too while the gettin was good!!!

[hopkinwfg]

  On 3/17/2025 at 5:42 PM, kbp810 said:

Eh... I was about to make a long drawn out whiny post about my attempts at getting a bespoke made... but will just condense it to say; once asked for a 150 custom core in faded blue to match an amp my kid and I made (that was it, just the color; and it was a color they've done before); was told no. Later down the road there was some possible horse trade dealing going on, for which my terms were a 150 custom core in faded blue with split inlays or something to make it unique for my daughter; was again told no. 

As Blues hinted at; I think the program is just a teaser, and really only open to artists and influencers. They don't really have any interest in making unique one-offs; except maybe for NAMM. Which I do get, to some extent... they probably don't want to trump their own standard line up or things they've made for endorsing artists and what not. 

It's a different world and a different Heritage. 

 

 

 

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Ouch... that sucks !! 

[TalismanRich]

  On 3/17/2025 at 7:28 PM, Gitfiddler said:

If Heritage is currently unable or unwilling to take 'bespoke' custom orders, then they should take down that section of their website.

They did offer a few custom builds for NAMM a while back, but I've not seen any customer ordered one-offs in years.

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There's a big difference between a customer having a build to his specifications vs buying a prebuilt NAMM special build.   What I don't understand is the company doing "bespoke" custom builds for "influencers" vs people who have supported them for 10 or 20 years.   For an artist,  I'll give them more of a pass, as it most companies have artist programs.   Frankie Ballard

It's great that these people are finally looking at Heritage guitars, but how does someone who has ignored Heritage for years get to spec out a guitar with their color,  a P90/PAF and Bigsby for free?  

Maybe it's because I'm old school, but social media influencers are probably the lowest point on my list of reasons to look at something, much less to buy something.   I find about 90% of the online reviews or gear to be utterly useless.