Shocking headstock picture

[Guest mgoetting]

This is the back of a custom ordered Golden Eagle as it arrived at a dealer. Oops.

 

How could that be missed? Unreal.

[barrymclark]

Did it go back to Heritage to be fixed?

[Guest mgoetting]

Did it go back to Heritage to be fixed?

 

 

No. It's not listed as a second either.

 

I know the dealer, who got a discount from Heritage for the mistake. The dealer kept it as his own player and says it's the best he's ever had.

 

So how could everything else turn out so well on a custom instrument while the stupid black point is off center?!

 

I kinda like it though. Maybe there should be a label on it, "This side down."

[barrymclark]

So how could everything else turn out so well on a custom instrument while the stupid black point is off center?!

 

I kinda like it though. Maybe there should be a label on it, "This side down."

HAHA. Yeah.

 

Well, this one got missed the same way Babe Ruth didn't have a home run every turn at bat: human hands and eyes.

[Thundersteel]

That's "handmade" craftsmanship for ya!

[tbonesullivan]

well? where's the rest of it? I'm dyin' over here.

[Guest mgoetting]

well? where's the rest of it? I'm dyin' over here.

 

 

Here's a couple of videos he did.

 

 

This one has his wife on bass. She's also an accomplished drummer.

 

[Patrick]

Man . . . . that's just inexcusable. Firstly, it's inexcusable that it would happen at all . . . that's not a small mistake . . . that's whopper!! Look at how far the black goes onto the side of the headstock on the left side. Secondly, I agree with the original post here . . . how could this go undetected?? Just imagine what some of these posts would be saying if this was the back of a Gibson L5.

[barrymclark]

Man . . . . that's just inexcusable. Firstly, it's inexcusable that it would happen at all . . . that's not a small mistake . . . that's whopper!! Look at how far the black goes onto the side of the headstock on the left side. Secondly, I agree with the original post here . . . how could this go undetected?? Just imagine what some of these posts would be saying if this was the back of a Gibson L5.

As big a miss as it is, to expect this to not happen is unreasonable. That is why there are warranties and a system of catches along the way. If the manufacturer doesn't catch it, then dealer should and report it to the manufacturer to be dealt with. If the dealer doesn't catch it, the end buyer should and report it to the dealer to be handled at the dealer level as he was the last person to miss it. If the buyer misses it, then it wasn't all that important to begin with. That isn't how it went down here. The dealer kept it with its flaw and got a discount. All was made right by the process by the one who kept it.

 

I used to think that I would get bent out of shape if, say, I bought a Heritage or a Gibson or anything and it had some major flaw. Then it occured to me, if they do right by me on it... not only am I then satisfied with the product when I get it corrected, but also end up with a positive experience not only with the manufacturer but also the dealer I worked with. If it is not corrected, well, then it is time to raise hell but at the appropriate person or company.

[Gitfiddler]

As poor a quality issue as the pictured off center stinger is, there is real irony here.

 

Back in the early days of Gibson, some of the original black stingers were painted on high end archtops to mask wood flaws or builder mistakes. There were even some black stingers painted on the heel of a few guitars that had some elelment of 'oops' that was covered up.

[Jazzpunk]

These threads always go the same way here, one camp finds this type of flaw to be inexcusable and the other finds it to be a charming part of the hand made experience.

 

Mistakes will happen but they should be caught at the factory imo.

[barrymclark]

These threads always go the same way here, one camp finds this type of flaw to be inexcusable and the other finds it to be a charming part of the hand made experience.

 

Mistakes will happen but they should be caught at the factory imo.

...and there is the third camp... the one I am in. Mistakes will happen, if it is made right. No harm, no foul. If isn't, harm and foul. I don't find flaws of this caliber charming. I would certainly report this back to the dealer for a fix and, based on what I have heard, the dealers and Heritage would make it right one way or another. That is why I go with Heritage and not G-brand and many others: I know it will get fixed.

 

Now, if I was, say, a Heritage endorsed player, and on the road and I got a guitar direct from them while on the road as I was in a tight situation and needed it THEN and it showed up with flaw that made it unplayable... I would be a bit put off as the urgency would have been communicated directly to them. If it was a flaw like this, I would just report it and play it until my corrected replacement arrives.

[Patrick]

As big a miss as it is, to expect this to not happen is unreasonable. That is why there are warranties and a system of catches along the way. If the manufacturer doesn't catch it, then dealer should and report it to the manufacturer to be dealt with. If the dealer doesn't catch it, the end buyer should and report it to the dealer to be handled at the dealer level as he was the last person to miss it. If the buyer misses it, then it wasn't all that important to begin with. That isn't how it went down here. The dealer kept it with its flaw and got a discount. All was made right by the process by the one who kept it.

 

I used to think that I would get bent out of shape if, say, I bought a Heritage or a Gibson or anything and it had some major flaw. Then it occured to me, if they do right by me on it... not only am I then satisfied with the product when I get it corrected, but also end up with a positive experience not only with the manufacturer but also the dealer I worked with. If it is not corrected, well, then it is time to raise hell but at the appropriate person or company.

 

 

Barry . . . I have to respectfully disagree with you on this one. Catching this mistake would have been as easy as turning this guitar over and looking at it. That is what a quality control or a quality assurance department or person is responsible for. I would accept your explanation if this was a product that came out of a very high volume automated electronics parts or automobile parts manufacturer, where the QC or QA department can only feasibly inspect one out of every 100 components made. We and others have often promoted this company as builders of the finest hand crafted guitars in the world. There is a responsibility of properly inspecting each and every one of their finished products that goes along with such a title or reputation. There are only a hand full of guitars that get boxed up and shipped out the door at Parsons Street on any given day. I have been there, just as I'm sure that you have, and seen the final inspection and boxing procedure. There is no way that this guitar should have ever been put in a box. While this Golden Eagle may not have been a $25,000 Benedetto . . . . it's still a $6,600 hand crafted instrument. If I was running that company, somebody's ass would get a good reaming and that entire neck would have been refinished before I would have let that guitar get put in a box. What about the guy at the wheel that is buffing them out?? I'm SURE he had to see that. Did he bring it to anyone's attention?? If so, did they just blow him off and say . . just buff it out and shut up. Did he decide to keep it to himself?? Regardless of what the answer to any of those questions is . . . this problem points to a larger and probable systemic flaw in Heritage's quality control. Barry, it's about more than just an off center stinger.

[barrymclark]

Barry . . . I have to respectfully disagree with you on this one. Catching this mistake would have been as easy as turning this guitar over and looking at it. That is what a quality control or a quality assurance department or person is responsible for. I would accept your explanation if this was a product that came out of a very high volume automated electronics parts or automobile parts manufacturer, where the QC or QA department can only feasibly inspect one out of every 100 components made. We and others have often promoted this company as builders of the finest hand crafted guitars in the world. There is a responsibility of properly inspecting each and every one of their finished products that goes along with such a title or reputation. There are only a hand full of guitars that get boxed up and shipped out the door at Parsons Street on any given day. I have been there, just as I'm sure that you have, and seen the final inspection and boxing procedure. There is no way that this guitar should have ever been put in a box. While this Golden Eagle may not have been a $25,000 Benedetto . . . . it's still a $6,600 hand crafted instrument. If I was running that company, somebody's ass would get a good reaming and that entire neck would have been refinished before I would have let that guitar get put in a box. What about the guy at the wheel that is buffing them out?? I'm SURE he had to see that. Did he bring it to anyone's attention?? If so, did they just blow him off and say . . just buff it out and shut up. Did he decide to keep it to himself?? Regardless of what the answer to any of those questions is . . . this problem points to a larger and probable systemic flaw in Heritage's quality control. Barry, it's about more than just an off center stinger.

I get where you are coming from...

 

...yet, how is this systemic? It may be the result of something systemic to be sure, but it would appear to be an anomaly to me as this wasn't built yesterday and this is the first of this type of miss I have ever heard of.

 

...and again, it was made by Heritage to the involved parties.

 

Even the best of systems for QC or QA, something can slip through. It happens. The difference is, I know Heritage DOES care about their instruments. Others *cough* do not. That is why I shy away from getting one of their instruments as I don't believe they will stand behind their guitars or basses like Heritage will.

 

Moreover, we are talking from two different perspectives: manufacturer and consumer. If we are talking from a manufacturer's perspective, I would agree that something would have to be done to insure that this was only an anomaly. Furthermore, are you so sure that such a review of practices didn't happen in this case? Even if this issue did come up in the past year, it may have very well been addressed. Who knows, maybe even someone got canned over the whole thing.

 

I think this issue is likely being blown out of proportion due to none of us knowing the situation surrounding this issue, what Heritage may have done internally regarding this matter and how many times this or something like it, has happened. Until we know that, we can hardly come to any real conclusion.

[Guest mgoetting]

Barry . . . I have to respectfully disagree with you on this one. Catching this mistake would have been as easy as turning this guitar over and looking at it. That is what a quality control or a quality assurance department or person is responsible for. I would accept your explanation if this was a product that came out of a very high volume automated electronics parts or automobile parts manufacturer, where the QC or QA department can only feasibly inspect one out of every 100 components made. We and others have often promoted this company as builders of the finest hand crafted guitars in the world. There is a responsibility of properly inspecting each and every one of their finished products that goes along with such a title or reputation. There are only a hand full of guitars that get boxed up and shipped out the door at Parsons Street on any given day. I have been there, just as I'm sure that you have, and seen the final inspection and boxing procedure. There is no way that this guitar should have ever been put in a box. While this Golden Eagle may not have been a $25,000 Benedetto . . . . it's still a $6,600 hand crafted instrument. If I was running that company, somebody's ass would get a good reaming and that entire neck would have been refinished before I would have let that guitar get put in a box. What about the guy at the wheel that is buffing them out?? I'm SURE he had to see that. Did he bring it to anyone's attention?? If so, did they just blow him off and say . . just buff it out and shut up. Did he decide to keep it to himself?? Regardless of what the answer to any of those questions is . . . this problem points to a larger and probable systemic flaw in Heritage's quality control. Barry, it's about more than just an off center stinger.

 

 

The fact that it got through makes it collectable to me. Or at least it's endearing.

 

Maybe the customer ordered the "taper to the left" custom option.

 

According to the dealer it's an otherwise fantastic guitar.

 

Really, there are at least a few people who should have picked this up. But probably it was easier not to rat on a coworker, do the piece work, and move on.

 

Humans- you can't live with them and with all this CSI stuff it's getting harder to kill 'em.

[barrymclark]

The fact that it got through makes it collectable to me. Or at least it's endearing.

 

Maybe the customer ordered the "taper to the left" custom option.

...and here it is! There is always someone who doesn't care about that mistake. It isn't as though we are guaranteed a great guitar free of flaws in life. You, being Patrick, may have a guitar I find plenty wrong with and you'd think I am crazy. The thing is, you and I can pass that guitar up and mgoetting here gets his dream guitar at a discount with the bent stinger he likes and all.

 

I am pretty well with mgoetting here, sort of.

 

I like to buy guitars that a WAY flawed. Unplayable flawed even. I look them over, and see if I can fix them. Reasons: I can't really afford the 'upper' brands otherwise and it is a good experience. AND... when the dust settles, I have made the guitar my own. That is a separate story.

 

For evey bit of garbage out there, there is a collectory. I am one of the bottom feeder types. Mgoetting I think aims a bit higher.

 

Send me you unplayable Heritage's! haha.

[Patrick]

...and here it is! There is always someone who doesn't care about that mistake. It isn't as though we are guaranteed a great guitar free of flaws in life. You, being Patrick, may have a guitar I find plenty wrong with and you'd think I am crazy. The thing is, you and I can pass that guitar up and mgoetting here gets his dream guitar at a discount with the bent stinger he likes and all.

 

I am pretty well with mgoetting here, sort of.

 

I like to buy guitars that a WAY flawed. Unplayable flawed even. I look them over, and see if I can fix them. Reasons: I can't really afford the 'upper' brands otherwise and it is a good experience. AND... when the dust settles, I have made the guitar my own. That is a separate story.

 

For evey bit of garbage out there, there is a collectory. I am one of the bottom feeder types. Mgoetting I think aims a bit higher.

 

Send me you unplayable Heritage's! haha.

 

 

Sometimes . . I just gotta lighten up. I was never anything less than intense to begin with. That was heightened by a stint as a U S Marine Recon . . . you know . . . there's the right way . . . the wrong way . . .and the Marine Corps way. That certainly didn't help things. Then I spent 3 years working for a Swiss multi-millionaire. If I wasn't an ass-hole before that . . . I certainly am one now. Hans' constant quest for perfection has caused irreperable damage to me. Anything short of perfection drives me crazy. Especially when I am passionate about it as I am with the Heritage guitars. I guess sometime being just good enough, is... good enough . .. I guess . . . but then again . . . nahhh . . not really. There's no hope for me. Anyway, you make a good point. Maybe Heritage did put corrective procedures in place so that nothing this obvious ever slips by again . . . EVER!!!

[fxdx99]

This is the back of a custom ordered Golden Eagle as it arrived at a dealer. Oops.

 

How could that be missed? Unreal.

 

From the photo, kinda looks like the stinger is pretty much where it should be - that is that the stinger is centered to the neck. Maybe slightly off, but really looks like the layers of the neck itself are offset making it visually look like the stinger is off. An aesthetic oddity... ?

[teamshakenbake]

I am guessing that was the first guitar on a Monday morning or the last guitar Friday night... still if it plays well it would be hard to pass up especially if there is a discount involved.

[Guest mgoetting]

Sometimes . . I just gotta lighten up. I was never anything less than intense to begin with. That was heightened by a stint as a U S Marine Recon . . . you know . . . there's the right way . . . the wrong way . . .and the Marine Corps way. That certainly didn't help things. Then I spent 3 years working for a Swiss multi-millionaire. If I wasn't an ass-hole before that . . . I certainly am one now. Hans' constant quest for perfection has caused irreperable damage to me. Anything short of perfection drives me crazy. Especially when I am passionate about it as I am with the Heritage guitars. I guess sometime being just good enough, is... good enough . .. I guess . . . but then again . . . nahhh . . not really. There's no hope for me. Anyway, you make a good point. Maybe Heritage did put corrective procedures in place so that nothing this obvious ever slips by again . . . EVER!!!

 

 

I smell a lawsuit. First Hans then the USMC.

[FredZepp]

Maybe the customer ordered the "taper to the left" custom option.

 

The taper to the left comment cracked me up...

[Guido]

Did anybody consider that the stinger is maybe on purpose offset to the left?

The purpose of a stinger is to hide wood flaws or other flaws right?

And maybe that's the reason why the stinger is offset.

Just guessing. But the fact that they dealer got a discount from Heritage for the guitar, shows me that

Heritage knew about the offset stinger. So I guess there must be a reason for it.

 

Guido

[Guest mgoetting]

Did anybody consider that the stinger is maybe on purpose offset to the left?

The purpose of a stinger is to hide wood flaws or other flaws right?

And maybe that's the reason why the stinger is offset.

Just guessing. But the fact that they dealer got a discount from Heritage for the guitar, shows me that

Heritage knew about the offset stinger. So I guess there must be a reason for it.

 

Guido

 

 

The dealer found the oddity and brought it to Heritage's attention. That's how he got a discount. If Heritage knew it was shipping a guitar with a flaw, the guitar would have been stamped a second and the dealer would have been notified prior to shipment. This was a custom order.

 

Anyway, the guitar in en route to me. It is set up just like I'd want a GE. Normally I would never even think of the stinger. Now I'll have a little story. Besides, it's on the back of the guitar. Only the player should see it. And anyone who doesn't like how it looks can close his eyes!

[Guido]

If Heritage knew it was shipping a guitar with a flaw, the guitar would have been stamped a second and the dealer would have been notified prior to shipment.

 

Sorry I did read it wrong. Thought the dealer got the discount right away.

But I should have considered the "second" labeling. You're absolutely right about that.

 

But let's forget about the stinger and congrats to a great Heritage!!!

[FredZepp]

The dealer found the oddity and brought it to Heritage's attention. That's how he got a discount. If Heritage knew it was shipping a guitar with a flaw, the guitar would have been stamped a second and the dealer would have been notified prior to shipment. This was a custom order.

 

Anyway, the guitar in en route to me. It is set up just like I'd want a GE. Normally I would never even think of the stinger. Now I'll have a little story. Besides, it's on the back of the guitar. Only the player should see it. And anyone who doesn't like how it looks can close his eyes!

Wow , that is a beauty... Congrats on a great find.

 

The stinger doesn't bother me one bit... and I do like discounts... so I approve.

(I've never seen that issue on any other guitar...too bad that they missed it though)

 

The pics show that to be an extrordinary Golden Eagle.... Verrrrry Nice.