Good News and Bad News

[Sparky]

Had the same problem with my custom ordered Heritage. The nut was slotted too small on the B and G strings, causing

the strings to pinch and release making that "tink... tink" sound. Fortunately some nut lubrication helped, but unfortunately

my dealer was none other than the King of sleazeballs... Ed Roman. Since it took 360 days to get the guitar (when 180 was the promised delivery), there was no way I was gonna put it back in the box and send it to Capt. Shadey to ignore over $100.00 worth of nut replacement costs. It would have cost me half that just to ship it.

Although your guitar should have never left the factory that way, it is the DEALERS responsibility to insure you get

what you've paid for. There is NO EXCUSE in these bleak economic times for a dealer not to preemptively address

every last detail on a custom-ordered instrument before it ships. You should have never known that there was a problem.

[rooster]

Wow. If it helps at all, I only ever had 1 guitar that had the nut cut right out of the box, and that was my 1987 PRS Custom that I bought brand new. I've redone the nut on every guitar I've ever owned, and nowadays use Earvana shelf nuts on them (great stuff, but takes a bit of skill to slot them right). I hope this doesn't turn you off of Heritage too much, as my 3 H150s seem to get better every month.

 

rooster.

[brentrocks]

I think its just one of those...."its here!" oh...damm, well, its still here....everybody makes mistakes, i hope this will not make you go buy a Gibson?

 

i would be upset too

[Jim W]

Guess that answers the questions about whether or not they still use the PLEK machine.

[iim7v7im7]

Here are some better photos of the nut courtesy of a Canon EOS SLR with a macro:

 

The overview shows the string spacing issues.

 

The side view shows the size of the slots relative to the E, A and D strings.

 

These types of photos may be useful by a QC department to teach inspectors what a defective nut looks like?

Bob

[chico]

Here are some better photos of the nut courtesy of a Canon EOS SLR with a macro:

 

The overview shows the string spacing issues.

 

The side view shows the size of the slots relative to the E, A and D strings.

 

These types of photos may be useful by a QC department to teach inspectors what a defective nut looks like?

Bob

 

 

Man. Sloppy.

 

Still, if you choose to go get the bone redone yourself, makesure its part of a process handled through the dealer such that your warranty is not (technically) voided. Not that I'm thinking it would be necessarily, considering who the company is, or their people. Vince will make it right.

 

I like the idea of Heritage reimbursing you for your own guy to re-bone it, as opposed to you sending it back. The pictures don't lie.

 

We all feel your pain. Stay cool.

 

PS: the nut on my Millie DC needs to be redone too. it is a 2002-era production.

[iim7v7im7]

Some happier photos....

 

[iim7v7im7]

The back...

 

[brentrocks]

Some happier photos....

 

 

OMG...that is beautiful!!!!

[SouthpawGuy]

I can only repeat what everyone else has already said .. it should not have left the factory like that, and the dealer should have caught that obvious error. I hope you get it resolved satisfactorily.

 

Looking closely at the first shot of the nut there seems to be an outline for the D string slot where it should be on the nut but it obviously wasn't followed.

[iim7v7im7]

I noticed that as well...

 

I can only repeat what everyone else has already said .. it should not have left the factory like that, and the dealer should have caught that obvious error. I hope you get it resolved satisfactorily.

 

Looking closely at the first shot of the nut there seems to be an outline for the D string slot where it should be on the nut but it obviously wasn't followed.

[LH575]

I'd talk to Vince Margol at Heritage. I had issues in the past with my 575. He made them right, and never challenged me on anything. A pleasure to deal with.

[Spectrum13]

First thing.... Absolute beauty of a 535 that is almost a 555. Or a 555 with rosewood and blocks.

 

My 150 had a nut half as bad as that and cracking the clear coat with an inlaid headstock needs to be done with care as would be the new nut shaping. My Prospect came without the scratch guard and the dealer sent it back as it needed to be fitted. Trust me, you do not want that beauty going back to Parsons street. They MUST be aware of these finishing problems and being a small company with highly skilled buy not all perfect craftman.... well some of us have been in a working situation with co-workers either getting jaded or lacking on getting on in years but the political reality is to continue on same old same old.

 

Big picture, you have a treasure from the golden age of Heritage and all the real important stuff you can't fix is built right and drop dead pretty. Factory tradition on setups is to fine tune local with the player nut slot depth cut deeper to taste.

 

We learn what to expect on a custom order from postings on this forum. High Flying Byrd had a pretty good way of saying it . I posted concerning my custom order and mentioned the $30 upcharge for a bone nut which I was told is cut by Ren as being good risk managent. Then again, I posted on a recent thread a link to the latest video by the green children with my brother in law playing the bad guy. I doubt any living guy would not comment on Milla voice and looks, just no way man.

[golferwave]

That is one beautiful guitar Bob! The more I think about it the more I agree with some of the others and would just take it to your luthier and have him fit a proper bone nut. Much faster. Then let the dealer and the Heritage boys decide how to compensate you. Good luck!

[jmc7581]

It is indeed a beautiful instrument, and this will all work out in the end. But it's still a pretty shocking QC lapse by both Heritage and the dealer, and one or both needs to step up immediately to make this right, or Bob is going to have a lasting bad taste in his mouth, and so to some extent may some of the rest of us.

 

It makes sense that nobody wants to name the dealer, to avoid mudslinging and to give everyone time to do the right thing. If you look back at Bob's earlier posts about deciding to place the order, it's there, and that makes the whole thing all the more bewildering, as it's one of the most respected dealers around. I can't figure it out.

[cod65]

It makes sense that nobody wants to name the dealer, to avoid mudslinging and to give everyone time to do the right thing. If you look back at Bob's earlier posts about deciding to place the order, it's there, and that makes the whole thing all the more bewildering, as it's one of the most respected dealers around. I can't figure it out.

 

I'm with you on that one about mudslinging, even tho I started the thread on the Power of Humiliation. I don't know who the dealer is, nor do I want to know at this point. i hope that it was construed that this would be a 'last resort' strategy, albeit an option that is worth mentioning- a 'nuclear option'. I tihnk we are all pretty confident that it wouldnt even get close to that. People have bad days, eat bad food. Or get pooped on by a bird randomly (which is good luck in my book).

 

An old drunk bluesman told me his philosophy at Skip's Tavern one night:

 

"Communication, Understanding, 'Compromisation' " ....... AKA the 'C.U.C.' method. I'm hoping he came up with that and didnt lift it from an infomercial.

 

Another thought I've had during this thread:

 

We all pretty much know when you buy a new or custom quality instrument it is going to need to be set up to personal specifications. my 158 order (from a dealer that shall remain nameless ) came with a dealer recommended graphite nut to accomodate my bigsby-itis. All was well. i never really figured out who actually put the nut and Bigsby on - dealer or heritage- but I kind of assume that since Heritage can be notoriously sloppy in certain requests that said dealer slapped it on in transit.

 

That said, I tihnk that it would be reasonable for heritage to provide a basic, high-actioned, pre-slotted nut job with the assumption that a true 'journeyman' Heritite is going to have a little 'local work done' . maybe this would improve their 'bottom line' and get things out the door a tad quicker, reduce overall stress all 'round.

 

i'm not sure it's reasonable to expect ' out-of-the-box' setups to be magically on-target.

 

Mind you, that nut is still an embarrassment.

[High Flying Bird]

The second shot with the macro was one great photo.

[Thundersteel]

That is, by far, probably the WORST nut job I have seen. So sorry!

 

The dealer AND factory need to be contacted. Too bad Lane isn't with Heritage anymore; he'd be the one to get the ball rolling.

[Jazzpunk]

It is indeed a beautiful instrument, and this will all work out in the end. But it's still a pretty shocking QC lapse by both Heritage and the dealer, and one or both needs to step up immediately to make this right, or Bob is going to have a lasting bad taste in his mouth, and so to some extent may some of the rest of us.

 

It makes sense that nobody wants to name the dealer, to avoid mudslinging and to give everyone time to do the right thing. If you look back at Bob's earlier posts about deciding to place the order, it's there, and that makes the whole thing all the more bewildering, as it's one of the most respected dealers around. I can't figure it out.

 

I am of the opinion that we have every right to be open and honest about our transactions. The reality is that I purchased a new Heritage from the same dealer and I too had to have the nut replaced. In the end I was compensated by the dealer but it made me more realistic about what to expect should I consider a future purchase.

 

It is important to share information with our fellow HOC members as it will help them to ask the right questions. It is also important so Heritage and Heritage dealers will know what level of quality we are expecting.

 

I think Heritage has, hands down, the most understanding and patient customer base I've ever seen. This is a wonderful thing but it's also ok to expect a certain level of quality when spending a couple grand on a new guitar.

[rjsanders]

such a beautiful instrument. what a shame. good thing it's fixable. here's to full enjoyment eventually.

 

(my local dealer is C.B. Perkins and they would make it right, i have no doubt. i'd put the onus of the fix or arranging the fix on the dealer...)

[Kuz]

But I thought this dealer gave PROFESSIONAL set-ups second to none, were experts in package and worldwide shipping, and their price included a hard shell case (like you would buy a guitar without a case).

 

I have bought a few guitars from this dealer and in general have had good experiences (say 3 out of 5 stars).

 

The one problem I did have was nuts cut TOO low (which you will have to trust me Heritage doesn't do, don't get me wrong Heritage make screw up a nut but they error on the side of cutting the nut too high) and a cosmetic issue where I later found out was due to rubbing compound applied at this dealer to buff out some shop wear.

 

You guys know I defend Heritage with all my fiber, but IF the guitar came to the dealer like that THERE IS NO EXCUSE.

 

BUT...

 

The cracking in the lacquer around the nut makes me wonder if this nut wasn't installed at the dealer (maybe a set up problem and they tried to fix it) or again maybe it came from Heritage that way.

 

Either way a dealer inspection should have never shipped that guitar!

[pro-fusion]

There is simply no excuse for this guitar to have been shipped to the customer in such a condition, whether it is the dealer or Heritage at fault. That nut is so far from being acceptable, that no one responsible could look at it and say "that's ok." I would be on the warpath if that guitar had been shipped to me.

[iim7v7im7]

My point in posting here was really about community awareness. I hope that Heritage looks at this forum and as a result "changes". I also wanted any of you who are ordering instruments to have an awareness of the issue so you do not suffer the same disappointment and surprise. I am sure that I can reach some resolution with my dealer (so leave that between myself and them).

 

I never had any expectations of a "perfect" nut, or for that fact a "perfect" guitar. This is really about the degree or extent of the defect and the fact that it got through a system (which indicates that there is NO system in my opinion). Like many of you, I want Heritage to survive and succeed. What I saw in this nut was as follows:

 

1) The product of a non-skilled craftsman or a skilled craftsman who no longer cares.

2) A manufacturing system without any independent QC/QA on subsequent worksteps or at product release.

3) A dealer QC who has lost sensitivity to defects due to frequency of defect or increased volume of business.

 

Some quality problems are difficult to change and some are easy. This in my view should be easy to address at the factory, if it becomes a project that gets some focus. A standard factory nut cut and set up should be achievable. Not one that addresses every players individual needs, but a professional and consistent cut to a target specification. You need to address, 1 with training, fixtures and repetition. Point 2 would require an in-process inspection and sign-off by a qualified independent source from the craftsman who executed the nut with another added at product release.

 

Point 3, I am sure has a lot of history to it and fatigue has set in causing a "blind eye". Until points 1 and 2 have been addressed. Explain to your customers up front about the issue and offer an up charge service at your shop vis a local qualified luthier. Myself, I know that I would have paid for that without blinking. Its about managing expectations.

 

Those are my $.02

 

Bob

[iim7v7im7]

Kuz,

 

No cracking...that is just fur from the case on the instrument that may appear like cracking. Where specifically were you referring to? I will look.

 

:-)

 

Bob

 

But I thought this dealer gave PROFESSIONAL set-ups second to none, were experts in package and worldwide shipping, and their price included a hard shell case (like you would buy a guitar without a case).

 

I have bought a few guitars from this dealer and in general have had good experiences (say 3 out of 5 stars).

 

The one problem I did have was nuts cut TOO low (which you will have to trust me Heritage doesn't do, don't get me wrong Heritage make screw up a nut but they error on the side of cutting the nut too high) and a cosmetic issue where I later found out was due to rubbing compound applied at this dealer to buff out some shop wear.

 

You guys know I defend Heritage with all my fiber, but IF the guitar came to the dealer like that THERE IS NO EXCUSE.

 

BUT...

 

The cracking in the lacquer around the nut makes me wonder if this nut wasn't installed at the dealer (maybe a set up problem and they tried to fix it) or again maybe it came from Heritage that way.

 

Either way a dealer inspection should have never shipped that guitar!

[brentrocks]

But I thought this dealer gave PROFESSIONAL set-ups second to none, were experts in package and worldwide shipping, and their price included a hard shell case (like you would buy a guitar without a case).

 

 

kinda my thoughts too....