A Bastardization or just SOP these days?

[skydog52]

Curious about the Ascent+ product being introduced, I brought one in.

Nice fit and finish. Dark rosewood fingerboard. 

Pickups are a little anemic. Pots have push/pull option for single coil.

I just turned it to 11. : )

[skydog52]

[golferwave]

It sure looks nice. Keep us posted as to how it functions going forward.

[skydog52]

Jumbo frets rounded and polished.

3-layer construction. Top layer is Maple, other layers are not maple. Middle layer is some kind of dark wood.

Label speaks for itself.

Graph Tech TUSQ XL nut.

Mahogany neck. Nice close grained.

[Genericmusic]

[DetroitBlues]

Is the label the only way to tell it’s an Ascent?

[Spectrum13]

3 minutes ago, DetroitBlues said:

Is the label the only way to tell it’s an Ascent?

Check out the truss rod cover!   Give a way much?

[PunkKitty]

Considering how my budget has taken a turn for the worse, one of these may be my next H-150. But that's not going to happen for a while. For the time being, the only Heritage that I have left is an H-137 with a poorly done neck repair. But it plays well, so I'm okay.

[Doug]

I thought all those Assent ones were bolt-on necks.

[TalismanRich]

The 535 has a set neck.  The new Ascent+ series have set nets and sculpted neck joints.  They also have  a belly cut.  Here are the 137 and 150 Ascent+ neck joints.

[Gitfiddler]

These latest Ascent models remind me of Chinese-made Sire guitars.

[skydog52]

3 hours ago, DetroitBlues said:

Is the label the only way to tell it’s an Ascent?

All you have to do is look at the headstock. Front and back.

[nuke]

Certainly, good guitars can be made in China, or Indonesia, or Korea. The labor costs are lower overseas, environmental and worker-safety less strict, and the currency manipulation make them even cheaper. 

Just like Epiphone, and PRS SE and any number of Fender sub-brands, and many others, production is offshored. Some are pretty good, some are every freaking corner is cut to hit a price. 

The truth is that cheap guitars outsell expensive guitars, by quite a lot. 

What is the value of the Heritage brand? Is Heritage associated as a USA made instrument brand? Does branding imported guitars with the Heritage brand de-value the brand? 

Outside of a small group of guitar nerds, Heritage is kinda unknown. Even among guitar players, I get a lot of "what is that guitar?" about my H535 (it is quite a looker in curly maple natural as well as incredibly good sounding).  

Gibson for instance, separates the Gibson and Epiphone lines as generally, USA and offshore brands. 

Fender has gone both ways. When CBS sold to private investors in the 1980's, they had no factory for a while. They were building Fender-branded guitars in Japan. (I have one, they were excellent!) They also did Squier brand and some other variants for offshore, and make Fender branded instruments in Japan and Mexico as well as USA. 

It just seems weird to me that it is virtually impossible to make electric solid-body guitars in the USA that cost less than $2000

[29er]

The Kalamazoo made Harmony guitars are probably the lowest cost solid body guitars made in the US. I briefly owned a Comet (semi hollow) and it was a great guitar. I only sold it because I needed to fund my purchase of a CC H-530. I'm curious to know how well done these Ascent models are going to be but I don't think I'll buy one. That's not to say I look down my nose at them or anyone who buys one. Not all of us can afford US made instruments.

[bolero]

they look good

I tried a belly cut on a 535 once. It didn't end well.

[tsp17]

seems like a nice product for the money for sure, and  yes- SOP now.    makes me a little sad, but gotta remember:  "Its not personal Sonny, its strictly business."

I was in London recently and I always go down to Denmark Street and Soho when there to check out the old historic (and new) guitar shops and studios. Dawsons had both US and Ch. made Heritages.  They told me that they are owned by the same company that owns Heritage Kalamazoo, so they are the London distributor for both factories.  The Chinese ones were downstairs in the main showroom.  The good stuff was upstairs in the “private” room that was roped off.  Some very nice new production instruments from both places.

[bolero]

some nice gtrs there!!

[tsp17]

the best part was this old English Bulldog snoring away on the tattered old couch while folks came in and out and played guitars. People were talking so you can barely hear him snoring due to the chatter in the room (if you listen closely at the end), but trust me-  it was classic. 

 

[davesultra]

I suppose these could be just as good (or bad) as the IBG Epiphones.

[tsp17]

they seem like quality instruments to me. especially for the money.  I've got a Korean made Comins that is one of the best made guitars I've ever played.  Eastmans (Chinese made) on the other hand - are quality, but I've yet to play one that I thought had soul.  Hopefully these Ascent H's will prove worthy of the brand.

[bolero]

I have an Eastman 00 acoustic that is great sounding

[tsp17]

18 minutes ago, bolero said:

I have an Eastman 00 acoustic that is great sounding

yep- they are really well made quality instruments.  I've tried a bunch and bought and sold a couple.  I did play one once at an old store called Buffalo Brothers here in San Diego County that I almost bought and probably should have (there's one that got away). I just haven't found one that I connected with like a Heritage, Guild or my Commons.