What Would It Take For Buddy Guy To Play A Heritage?

[PacerX]

As much as Heritage likes to make money and be a viable business , I don't believe they want to grow significantly. I was standing in my local guitar shop ( a Heritage dealer after seeing my guitars ) while he was talking on the phone to Heritage. The specific person I don't know ...but he was custom ordering some 150's . Basically he wanted G like parts and pickups on the guitars. The Heritage person said if you send us those parts we will put them on the guitars but not stock ....because they don't want Gibson coming after them. If they ever started cutting seriouly into G's business they would get sued just like PRS did and lost I believe. So if Heritage gets "too big" they will be on the radar. Which I think is what they have been trying to avoid all along ....just mho ....Lonnie

 

 

PRS won that suit.

[yoslate]

Based on my two visits to the factory, I don't think Heritage has ever been interested in playing the 'endorsement' game. They don't give away free instruments to musicians...except for the HOC. Yes, you read that right. As far as I know, those who endorse Heritage pay cost for their instruments; two lucky HOC members received guitars gratis. Keep this in mind when reading the next part.

Based only on my few visits to the factory and chit-chat with the principals there and at the PSP, I think they're going to stick to that. They may entertain the notion of an endorser, and may even let them buy instruments at cost, but that's not where their bread and butter is and they seem to know it. Think of it this way:

From the heart of Kalamazoo, genuine tools of the trade for genuine players. If you're looking for a lifestyle, try Tennessee or Maryland.

 

Saw this coming earlier today, and resisted posting because I knew someone else would hit the note better than I might. Turned out to be John; how apropos! A number of relatively new members got this thread off the ground...just as it should be. The new energy here of late has been nice to see! But those who've been here a bit longer have already hashed this one out.

 

To go to Parsons Street and smell the lumber; to talk to Katie Flamm and watch her work; to have a beer with Marv; to listen to Ren testify; to blow a gasket trying to get them to get the spec on a custom order right...again; to own one of their guitars, is to see the closest thing to a business model or a growth curve you're likely to. All this talk of endorsement has been interesting, too, in its one glaring omission. They've had an endorsement deal with one of the best players ever to bend wire! And his name hasn't even appeared in the thread! Q.E.D. boys!

[Jazzpunk]

BTW Blueox, thanks for turning me on to Mr. Bassett. Great tone and mighty fine player!

 

 

[FredZepp]

At PSPII, I missed the group photo because I was inside having a very interesting conversation with Jim Deurloo. It was about running a business in today's economy... And he was interested in what I experienced in my (very different) type of business , and of course I loved hearing his insights.

I do not think that these gentlemen have been operating without a business plan for 25 years... I just think that it is unique and many of the comments here signify those values. My hope for them is to see maybe a 20% or a 40% increase in business. Which I think that they could handle without becoming a Gibson clone. And make them stronger.. maybe we can have PSP gatherings for many years...

Perhaps we wonder if when Lane Zastrow left things would change....We all wish them the best and don't change the guitars that we love.

 

Just wanted to make sure that I wasn't being misunderstood...

[TruckbodyJones]

PRS won that suit.

I did notice that PRS is still marketing the single cut ...wonder what it cost them though. Seems to be a totally different guitar to me than the G ...but I think G was just trying to make a statement . Gotta check the bank account ...I need a new Heritage !!

[ingeneri]

With reference to the title, didn't Buddy Guy used to play a Guild semi-hollow sometimes. Since Fender bought out Guild, I heard they no longer make archtops. Maybe Heritage could get Guy into a 535 or 525? But I suspect he'd be more interested in a Strat and a big check from Fender.

 

'Slate has to be referring to the greatest Heritage endorser of them all: Kenny Burrell. Johnny Smith was no slouch either.

 

Keep the business model, fix the website.

[FredZepp]

haven't seen............Roy Clark mentioned.

[TalismanRich]

With reference to the title, didn't Buddy Guy used to play a Guild semi-hollow sometimes. Since Fender bought out Guild, I heard they no longer make archtops. Maybe Heritage could get Guy into a 535 or 525? But I suspect he'd be more interested in a Strat and a big check from Fender.

 

'Slate has to be referring to the greatest Heritage endorser of them all: Kenny Burrell. Johnny Smith was no slouch either.

 

Keep the business model, fix the website.

 

You are right on that one. I think it was in the 70s that Buddy used to play a Starfire IV which is a takeoff of the 335. Semi hollow, selector switch on the lower horn, double humbuckers with a trapeze tail (old style 60s-70s), stop tail (in the 80s), or Bigsby. I have a Dearmond version that uses the harp and uses GoldTones in place of the normal humbuckers.

[Kuz]

I LOVE Buddy Guy as much as the next guy, but at his age and with his better playing days behind him he is more interested in chasing the endorsement dollars than tone.

[ledzef]

How successful was the Mark Slaughter and Alvin Lee model?

[111518]

I got to see Buddy Guy and Junior Wells back in the early 80s when I was in grad. school in Rochester. Suits (no overalls) and the Guild Starfire. It was a great show --much more uptown, jazzy kind of high volume-high energy blues playing than I expected at the time, or that I hear from Guy lately.

 

Funny thing is, after Fender made the polka dot signature strat, Guy went back to playing a tele custom he had hanging around and that he decided he liked better ... probably not the best illustration of an endorser. I guess he got the brand right, but my understanding is that he hasn't been playing his own model lately, even when he wears the shirt.

 

[Bluesdawg]

My thoughts on this topic go something like this, I play what I know is quality, I recognize quality based on the years I've been playing, Heritage is all of the above. I own vintage guitars, G&L, Guild, Gibson, Dobro and Fender, all are great instruments but I pretty much play my Heritage guitars. I really don't care who plays them, a free guitar to Slash, Clapton or Buddy Guy only says one thing "Just another Free Guitar" I would never buy a guitar based on who is playing it on the cover of any magazine. Heritage is the real deal.

 

 

I bet you can't play just one, once you purchase your first Heritage you'll be back for more

 

LOL RIGHT GUYS Al B

[blueox]

All these thoughtful comments contain points that are well-taken. Like most Heritage owners weighing in here, I also believe that Heritage should continue doing what it does best without regard to endorsements. I don't care who plays 'em, this H-150 is rockin'. Of course, we all want them to sell as much as they need to in order to keep full employment and make some money, allowing us to buy their instruments in the years to come. I must admit that there are times when I see Robert Cray, Ronnie Earl, Buddy Guy, Tinsley Ellis, Eddie Clearwater, Lonnie Brooks, or Joanna Connor, for examples, on stage or on the CD foldout playing a different brand, I think: This sounds good, but it might sound even better if he/she was playing a Heritage, at least some of the time. I know that it is rather presumptuous of me to even suggest to a working pro of many years' success that I could even suggest an improvement in his/her sound. But what the heck: B.B., won't you at least try an H-555!?!?

[big bob]

I love Buddy Guy, he is a start guy always has been! Heritage is not the sound he wants .

 

 

please do not change the great Buddy guy, he is who he is a strat guy

[skydog]

An "overly successful" ad campaign can become a double-edged sword. In 1984 the famous "Where's The Beef" commercial spurned such rapid, unchecked growth that Wendy's almost went under. Granted, this was a very rare occurrence, but it can happen. Also, with reference to the Dimebag endorsement at Dean, do we really want to see Heritage develop a bargain line for those that just can't afford the endorser's model? I know I don't. Heritage guitars available at Wal-Mart? I hope not! So is there a middle ground? There should be, it will just take the right amount of advertising/endorsements and that's not an easy task.

[tulk1]

All these thoughtful comments contain points that are well-taken. Like most Heritage owners weighing in here, I also believe that Heritage should continue doing what it does best without regard to endorsements. I don't care who plays 'em, this H-150 is rockin'. Of course, we all want them to sell as much as they need to in order to keep full employment and make some money, allowing us to buy their instruments in the years to come. I must admit that there are times when I see Robert Cray, Ronnie Earl, Buddy Guy, Tinsley Ellis, Eddie Clearwater, Lonnie Brooks, or Joanna Connor, for examples, on stage or on the CD foldout playing a different brand, I think: This sounds good, but it might sound even better if he/she was playing a Heritage, at least some of the time. I know that it is rather presumptuous of me to even suggest to a working pro of many years' success that I could even suggest an improvement in his/her sound. But what the heck: B.B., won't you at least try an H-555!?!?

 

Yeah baby! Tinsley Ellis!! My blues band in the early '90s must have covered his whole album Fanning the Flames. Really liked that CD. Still do Must be the Devil from time to time.