A Luthier Weighs In

[Foggy]

I took my 2007 "New Demo" H-535 to Bill Meyer for a setup.

 

Bill is an experienced guitar tech and builder who was with Buffalo Brothers for many years and now operates his own shop (Tecolote Guitar Works) in San Diego. http://www.tecoloteguitarworks.com/

 

Bill is a very straight shooter who did a great job last year bringing my early 70's Kzoo built Gibby acoustic back to life and I was interested to hear his impressions of my new Heritage.

 

Bottom line, Bill was very positively impressed with the 535. He was able to get a nice low action which he attributed to the "fine" fretboard and fret work done at the factory. He checked out the electonics which were up to his standards and he had positive things to say about the fit and finish of the guitar.

 

Based on some of the recent posts about nut issues I was prepared to have Bill replace mine. His reaction was that the factory nut was well done and he recommended against replacing it.

 

In short, a nice assessment about the quality of work coming out of Parsons Street that I wanted to pass along.

 

Happy New Year!

[Kuz]

While I do most of my own setups, when I get in a pinch I take my guitars to a luthier in Columbus. He has made acoustic guitars for James Hatfield to Leo Kottke to Arlo Guthrie.

 

He has always commented on what exceptional guitars Heritages are, how the quality of their work (from fit & finish to fret work & playability) is superb and superior to Gibby"s.

 

People are generally more motivated to voice a negative experience they have had. I think for every one-off negative issue you would find 40-50 positive experiences.

 

Glad you love your new demo and play the snot out of her.

[Gitfiddler]

Like you, Foggy, I've taken my Heritages to quality luthiers for set ups and repairs. Each has voiced unsolicited positive remarks about the build quality and tone of them. San Francisco's Gary Brawer raved about my 157 when I had him do a set up last year.

[yoslate]

Piling on here, but when the news is good, why not! My good friend and trusted luthier, Tom Henry (Tom's Guitar Repair), has had nothing but positive things to say about my Heritages. At one point, Tom, a very accomplished guitarist, owned a 150 (which he may still have).

[fxdx99]

I'll pile on as well - local guitar luthier/tremendous blues player Moses Oakland plays his early 60s L5 and Barney Kessel. Built a fantastic '59 LP relpica for himself. His last guitar purchase?... Heritage 535 that he says is a tremendous playing/sounding/built guitar. "I didn't need another guitar, but couldn't pass this one up". I've heard and played (unplugged) his 535 and it is indeed one tasty instrument...

 

...almost as good as my 535

[High Flying Bird]

A little different situation..... A few years ago when I was at a Guitar Center in Nashville I had to take the guitar (Gold 535 with Bigsby) out of the case so they could inspect my stuff. When I held the 535 up out of the case a guy from the back, the guitar tech, started going crazy. All of a sudden 5 or 6 guys were there marveling over the guitar I started to explain the Heritage story and they stopped me because they all were big Heritage fans....... in the city that builds Gibson.

[DeLorean]

Add another luthier to the list, two really as the owner of the shop I work in (also a luthier) is also a fan. We wouldn't be Heritage dealers if we didn't think they are top notch.

 

The only problem is that when we get a few in, they sell long before the next batch hits the door...

[jacques]

Really funny to read all this marvelling.

 

May be quite some time ago, but I have also vivid memories of people like Guitartman and quite a few other HOC veterans raving about the horrible setup of their Heritages, plekked or not, and all the nuts, bridges, pickups and God knows what they had to replace to try and get a decent guitar. Often there were famous luthiers involved who then did wonderful things to the guitars (we never got informed about the price) and made them 'really come alive'.

I never understood that since all my four Heritages (1988-2005) were basically excellent guitars (I had some complaints about Schaller pickups in one of them) and the same goes for everybody I know who plays one.

 

In the Netherlands we have an expression for overdoing it in the field of searching for minor flaws: ant fucking, if you'll excuse my French. Many guitar forums thrive on it.

 

But all the posts in this thread up until now are good news - not to my surprise.

[Kuz]

Really funny to read all this marvelling.

 

May be quite some time ago, but I have also vivid memories of people like Guitartman and quite a few other HOC veterans raving about the horrible setup of their Heritages, plekked or not, and all the nuts, bridges, pickups and God knows what they had to replace to try and get a decent guitar. Often there were famous luthiers involved who then did wonderful things to the guitars (we never got informed about the price) and made them 'really come alive'.

I never understood that since all my four Heritages (1988-2005) were basically excellent guitars (I had some complaints about Schaller pickups in one of them) and the same goes for everybody I know who plays one.

 

In the Netherlands we have an expression for overdoing it in the field of searching for minor flaws: ant fucking, if you'll excuse my French. Many guitar forums thrive on it.

 

But all the posts in this thread up until now are good news - not to my surprise.

 

 

+1.000,000.....

[jaywolfe]

This is fun. Just wanna add that in the past 20+ years I've bought, sold, setup, rejected, corrected, made excuses for, bragged on, talked people into buying, argued with Heritage over.....more Heritage Guitars than anyone on this planet. For a number of years I purchased over 600 instruments a year from Parsons St., and here's a few observations:

* I Love Heritage and support them heavily with enthusiasm, although its not always been easy. I plan to increase my support in 2010.

* I own tons of vintage guitars & my go to guitar is my H535

* I feel Bob Peterson is one of the finest Luthier's I've ever met. Bob Plays a H535

* We reject & return a number of Heritages yearly, BUT- we receive hundreds that we do not return.

* Those guys "still" have some old Gibson habits, and the nut is a definite issue- as it always was with Gibson. I've fought with them for years about this. I don't bother anymore because it just causes hard feelings and they won't change. They do not consider me a pleasant fellow to deal with because of this & other chronic complaints.

* We receive SO MANY, many, many complimentary e-mails & verbal feedback remarks from players receiving their Heritages. This does not in any way excuse the few valid complaints we get, but the compliments never see the light.

* We almost daily pull newly arriving Heritages from their cartons and "gush" over the sheer beauty, quality & uniqueness. Heritage's are truly new vintage guitars that are a superb value. A plus for me is I do not need to exaggerate nor lie to sell them. They are awesome hand crafted old school guitars.

* I sold & setup Gibsons in the 60's. Their fit & finish was terrible at best. necks & frets were all over the place. Kinda makes me chuckle seeing what those clunkers sell for now. Heritage's are clearly superior in every way.

Could go on & on, but we're getting busy. HAPPY HERITAGE NEW YEAR TO ALL.

Jay Wolfe

[111518]

This is fun. Just wanna add that in the past 20+ years I've bought, sold, setup, rejected, corrected, made excuses for, bragged on, talked people into buying, argued with Heritage over.....more Heritage Guitars than anyone on this planet. For a number of years I purchased over 600 instruments a year from Parsons St., and here's a few observations:

* I Love Heritage and support them heavily with enthusiasm, although its not always been easy. I plan to increase my support in 2010.

* I own tons of vintage guitars & my go to guitar is my H535

* I feel Bob Peterson is one of the finest Luthier's I've ever met. Bob Plays a H535

* We reject & return a number of Heritages yearly, BUT- we receive hundreds that we do not return.

* Those guys "still" have some old Gibson habits, and the nut is a definite issue- as it always was with Gibson. I've fought with them for years about this. I don't bother anymore because it just causes hard feelings and they won't change. They do not consider me a pleasant fellow to deal with because of this & other chronic complaints.

* We receive SO MANY, many, many complimentary e-mails & verbal feedback remarks from players receiving their Heritages. This does not in any way excuse the few valid complaints we get, but the compliments never see the light.

* We almost daily pull newly arriving Heritages from their cartons and "gush" over the sheer beauty, quality & uniqueness. Heritage's are truly new vintage guitars that are a superb value. A plus for me is I do not need to exaggerate nor lie to sell them. They are awesome hand crafted old school guitars.

* I sold & setup Gibsons in the 60's. Their fit & finish was terrible at best. necks & frets were all over the place. Kinda makes me chuckle seeing what those clunkers sell for now. Heritage's are clearly superior in every way.

Could go on & on, but we're getting busy. HAPPY HERITAGE NEW YEAR TO ALL.

Jay Wolfe

 

Thanks, Jay. I think most of us who are sometimes critical of the co. are not nitpicking so much as trying to present a balanced picture of the few frustratingly chronic problems that go along with a very great tradition of craftsmanship that obviously we love and appreciate, or we wouldn't be here in the first place. No one can present that balance with the breath of experience that you have. I think everyone who owns a Heritage owes you a debt of gratitude for your relationship with the company. Happy New Year. Larry Boyette

[FredZepp]

Thanks for the input , Jay... It just verifies some of the things that we know and/or believe about our boys in Kalamazoo.

 

And yes jacques, I too am amazed at the Heritage guitars that I have. I just re-strung one of the 150's and I am in awe again....

[yoslate]

This is fun. Just wanna add that in the past 20+ years I've bought, sold, setup, rejected, corrected, made excuses for, bragged on, talked people into buying, argued with Heritage over.....more Heritage Guitars than anyone on this planet. For a number of years I purchased over 600 instruments a year from Parsons St., and here's a few observations:

* I Love Heritage and support them heavily with enthusiasm, although its not always been easy. I plan to increase my support in 2010.

* I own tons of vintage guitars & my go to guitar is my H535

* I feel Bob Peterson is one of the finest Luthier's I've ever met. Bob Plays a H535

* We reject & return a number of Heritages yearly, BUT- we receive hundreds that we do not return.

* Those guys "still" have some old Gibson habits, and the nut is a definite issue- as it always was with Gibson. I've fought with them for years about this. I don't bother anymore because it just causes hard feelings and they won't change. They do not consider me a pleasant fellow to deal with because of this & other chronic complaints.

* We receive SO MANY, many, many complimentary e-mails & verbal feedback remarks from players receiving their Heritages. This does not in any way excuse the few valid complaints we get, but the compliments never see the light.

* We almost daily pull newly arriving Heritages from their cartons and "gush" over the sheer beauty, quality & uniqueness. Heritage's are truly new vintage guitars that are a superb value. A plus for me is I do not need to exaggerate nor lie to sell them. They are awesome hand crafted old school guitars.

* I sold & setup Gibsons in the 60's. Their fit & finish was terrible at best. necks & frets were all over the place. Kinda makes me chuckle seeing what those clunkers sell for now. Heritage's are clearly superior in every way.

Could go on & on, but we're getting busy. HAPPY HERITAGE NEW YEAR TO ALL.

Jay Wolfe

 

Well...there it is...from someone who's laid hands on more Heritages than...Brent. Glad you're looking in, Jay.

[barrymclark]

In the Netherlands we have an expression for overdoing it in the field of searching for minor flaws: ant fucking, if you'll excuse my French.

Oh, I like this guy. haha.

[Jazzpunk]

Really funny to read all this marvelling.

 

May be quite some time ago, but I have also vivid memories of people like Guitartman and quite a few other HOC veterans raving about the horrible setup of their Heritages, plekked or not, and all the nuts, bridges, pickups and God knows what they had to replace to try and get a decent guitar. Often there were famous luthiers involved who then did wonderful things to the guitars (we never got informed about the price) and made them 'really come alive'.

I never understood that since all my four Heritages (1988-2005) were basically excellent guitars (I had some complaints about Schaller pickups in one of them) and the same goes for everybody I know who plays one.

 

In the Netherlands we have an expression for overdoing it in the field of searching for minor flaws: ant fucking, if you'll excuse my French. Many guitar forums thrive on it.

 

But all the posts in this thread up until now are good news - not to my surprise.

 

Hi Jacques,

I own one of GuitArtMan's old 535's and can tell you that the work he had done on it is outstanding! Would it have been necessary for you? Obviously not but it was his guitar and he had his own vision of what he wanted.

 

I have a very unique 535 due to the killer refret he had done by Michael Tuttle and I really dig it. Honestly, I feel really lucky to have inherited his upgrades. If that's what you guys call antfucking than sign me up!

[Kuz]

Hi Jacques,

I own one of GuitArtMan's old 535's and can tell you that the work he had done on it is outstanding! Would it have been necessary for you? Obviously not but it was his guitar and he had his own vision of what he wanted.

 

I have a very unique 535 due to the killer refret he had done by Michael Tuttle and I really dig it. Honestly, I feel really lucky to have inherited his upgrades. If that's what you guys call antfucking than sign me up!

 

I think there is a fine line in the middle on this ant F***ing thing.

 

-Are Heritages, bone stock, more than adequate? YES

 

-Are some aftermarket upgrades an improvement? POSSIBLY

 

I never felt the need for any fret work on my Heritages, but changing the Caps to bumblebees, really just enhanced the vintage tones that Heritage guitars are known for.

I also change the stock pickups to some good PAF-like pups.

I have never needed to change or mess the nut, unless the dealer screws it up. The guitars I have picked up from the factory have had nuts cut just fine.

[Lionheart]

When my Roy Clark guitar gets here, I will be bringing it to Jim Mouradian, who is a local guy who sets up all my guitars. I am very curious about what his remarks will be.

[iim7v7im7]

Phil Jacoby an independent luthier in Baltimore (http://www.philtone.com/) thought my 2000 Sweet 16 was an excellent instrument.

• The neck after 9 years of play was good to the point where pleking was only optional (I did have it done though).
  
• The factory nut was also good, only requiring some leading edges to be broken and some lubrication.
  
• The factory bridge needed re-contouring, likely due to the top settling/shinking over the years. One thing was that the steel posts are not blind drilled and go through to the sound board which makes re-contouring quite difficult.
  
• The guitar also intonated beautifully.