The Heritage Guitar Company

**Marty Grass** · 04-05-2016, 01:48 PM

Heritage is under new ownership.

Here's a link about the news. Please check out the video. This shows you how very old school Heritage is with guitar building. Note the humble environment of the factory. No masks are used in the spray room. I'm actually a little surprised they are using hearing protection. That may be just for the cameras.

New owners to take over Heritage Guitar in old Gibson Guitar factory | MLive.com

**mr. beaumont** · 04-05-2016, 01:55 PM

I feel that old school vibe every time I pick up my 575. It's like I'm part of a little club. It's cool to be a member.

**Greentone** · 04-05-2016, 01:59 PM

Great to see Duerloo, Page and Lamb still at work. Those guys all signed my SE.

**Jim Soloway** · 04-05-2016, 02:10 PM

Really exciting stuff. I've probably never been happier with a guitar than I am with my Heritage so it's great to see them taking the steps they need to keep it going into the future.

**lammie200** · 04-05-2016, 02:17 PM

I toured the same building about 15 years ago during a visit with my mother who lives close by. From the pics it doesn't look like anything has changed. I don't recall them having formalized tours but they let me in and I spoke with them for about 30 minutes while looking at their latest solid bodies. I am not sure that they were producing many hollows back then.

**ESCC** · 04-05-2016, 03:54 PM

Improved site and some new models I wasn't aware of. I wish them much success!

**lawson-stone** · 04-05-2016, 04:09 PM

I like the sound of the company being bought by local investors committed to revitalizing and sustaining local businesses. That's clearly (IMO) better than some mega-corporation simply buying them out for who knows what purpose.

**Max405** · 04-05-2016, 04:13 PM

The extraordinary talent at the Heritage Guitar Company built the guitar that always ends up in my hands, the Heritage D'Angelico New Yorker. As much as my D'Angelico Excel is my pride and joy, the HDA is the guitar I play the most often. When the brilliant luthiers at Heritage made guitars, they made them to be played. There is a warmth in Every Heritage I've played. When I read the above comments about Heritage Guitars from people I respect very highly, I know that I am not dreaming this up.
The folks at Heritage created magical guitars. I am glad its not over. I hope the investors keep the magic in the guitars, however it happens.
Joe D

**wintermoon** · 04-05-2016, 06:07 PM

I can't believe those guys are spraying w/no respirator mask.

**odel** · 04-05-2016, 06:41 PM

Great video -- agree on the respirator but those fingers were getting pretty close to the sawblades too...still, everyone seemed to have their digits in place! Love the vibe and the history but I may be the only guy in the world who did not love his Heritage - my mid-90s 575 was about the only guitar I couldn't get to sing no matter what I did to the set up so traded it on. It just never sounded right to me. Still, the guitar world is richer for these guys continuing. Good luck to them.

**neatomic** · 04-05-2016, 07:03 PM

Originally Posted by odel

Great video -- agree on the respirator but those fingers were getting pretty close to the sawblades too...still, everyone seemed to have their digits in place!

well not quite!!

The Heritage Guitar Company-0fc32972e01490b6-jpg

spraying without a respirator!! shades of jimmy d'aquisto..not a good idea!!!...that factory be closed in 15 seconds in state of CA

cheers

**RonD** · 04-05-2016, 11:46 PM

Hey guys,
At 4:10 on the video... which model is that?? I'm in love!!

**Flat** · 04-06-2016, 12:33 AM

The Heritage Guitar Company-heritage-410-jpg

I dunno, maybe a Sweet Sixteen?

**Frank67** · 04-06-2016, 12:41 AM

Is the H tailpiece back or is that an old video?

seriously, it looks all good with the new owners and I hope that the company has a good future. Love their guitars and the sweet, lovely, genuine old school people who work there. Hope to be back there sometime when the stars align right.

**Marty Grass** · 04-06-2016, 09:41 AM

Originally Posted by Flat

I dunno, maybe a Sweet Sixteen?

Yep.

**medblues** · 04-06-2016, 05:31 PM

"Archie Leech" is one of the owners as rumored in HOC. I don't know if it is a real person or a "John Doe" like anonymization.

**B3l5tele** · 04-06-2016, 05:45 PM

My $.02: Use this opportunity to announce a commitment to continue with the high quality that the Heritage brand has established by designing a new aesthetically pleasing headstock design and use it on all the archtops.

**Jim Soloway** · 04-06-2016, 06:16 PM

Originally Posted by B3l5tele

My $.02: Use this opportunity to announce a commitment to continue with the high quality that the Heritage brand has established by designing a new aesthetically pleasing headstock design and use it on all the archtops.

The design of their peghead has absolutely no relevance to "the high quality that the Heritage brand has established". That quality is a function of their build methods, excellence in carving abilities, an ability to adapt their designs to almost any custom specifications, and skills in the paint booth that are equal to or superior to any one else in the industry. While not everyone's favorite design, their peghead is, in my opinion, functionally superior to the traditional Gibson design. Its aesthetics have absolutely no impact on my enjoyment of my Heritage guitar or on its functional value as a musical instrument. My Heritage is probably the best playing and sounding instrument I have ever owned and as far as I'm concerned, those are the only criteria they need to maintain moving forward.

**petermelton** · 04-06-2016, 07:43 PM

Originally Posted by Jim Soloway

The design of their peghead has absolutely no relevance to "the high quality that the Heritage brand has established". That quality is a function of their build methods, excellence in carving abilities, an ability to adapt their designs to almost any custom specifications, and skills in the paint booth that are equal to or superior to any one else in the industry. While not everyone's favorite design, their peghead is, in my opinion, functionally superior to the traditional Gibson design. Its aesthetics have absolutely no impact on my enjoyment of my Heritage guitar or on its functional value as a musical instrument. My Heritage is probably the best playing and sounding instrument I have ever owned and as far as I'm concerned, those are the only criteria they need to maintain moving forward.

Could not agree more. I love my Golden Eagle and am trying to find away to make a 535 happen in the near future. I hope the new owners don't try and cut cost and change their quality finish, wood, and hardware choices to save some money.

**2bornot2bop** · 04-06-2016, 08:11 PM

Best "jazz" sounding archtop I ever owned was from a Super Eagle...that's after owning a Super 400, a WesMo, and several L5CES'...headstock? Meh.

Good luck to the new owners...what about the building though? Is it true that property has been up for sell for several years?

**Marty Grass** · 04-06-2016, 08:47 PM

Here's another video.

Tradition set to continue at old Gibson guitar factory | Fox17

**neatomic** · 04-06-2016, 09:06 PM

from heritage guitar inc of kalamazoo fb

Geo Sindelar- Hope the quality will remain a priority over profit
Yesterday at 1:11pm

Heritage Guitar Inc. of Kalamazoo- It sure will!
Yesterday at 1:53pm

hopefully this transaction will make some people aware ..i see its getting press in various state news outlets...

ties in with the whole detroit/flint need for rebirth story as well...all good

cheers

**B3l5tele** · 04-07-2016, 12:37 AM

Originally Posted by Jim Soloway

The design of their peghead has absolutely no relevance to "the high quality that the Heritage brand has established". That quality is a function of their build methods, excellence in carving abilities, an ability to adapt their designs to almost any custom specifications, and skills in the paint booth that are equal to or superior to any one else in the industry. While not everyone's favorite design, their peghead is, in my opinion, functionally superior to the traditional Gibson design. Its aesthetics have absolutely no impact on my enjoyment of my Heritage guitar or on its functional value as a musical instrument. My Heritage is probably the best playing and sounding instrument I have ever owned and as far as I'm concerned, those are the only criteria they need to maintain moving forward.

I have owned several Heritage guitars and have a great one now. However, I do not like the headstock design. But, the guitar plays and sounds great, the quality is excellent and the price was fair so I keep it anyway. What I am suggesting is that if they had a headstock design that I found to be graceful and aesthetically pleasing they would, in my opinion, have the whole package. What's wrong with that? I am glad you and others find the headstock to your liking. I just do not.

**Max405** · 04-07-2016, 08:54 AM

MG,
Very cool.
We will see what happens in the years to come, but I am very happy that the tradition will continue. I'm hoping that just enough magic is left in Jim and Bill to bleed into the next generation of owners who are inhabiting those hallowed grounds.
To your knowledge, are there any younger upcoming guys still with the company who can carry the torch? I cant imagine only Marv, JP, Jim, Bill, Maudie, and Aaron were the only folks there with there hands on the product. People like; Craig Spink, Ray Noud, Mike Korpak, Patrick Whalen, Ted Beville, and of course the legendary Ren Wall (who's lineage supercedes all of them..), were also responsible for many things that made the guitars great.

Also, are they still sourcing the wood from the same spots? Spruce for the tops from Tebb and Sons in Washington State. And the curly maple from various sources in the Great Lakes area.

Its the combination of many ingredients that make the end result great. I hope this all stays intact. I hope the new owners are listening..

Joe D.

**Jim Soloway** · 04-07-2016, 10:24 AM

Originally Posted by B3l5tele

I have owned several Heritage guitars and have a great one now. However, I do not like the headstock design. But, the guitar plays and sounds great, the quality is excellent and the price was fair so I keep it anyway. What I am suggesting is that if they had a headstock design that I found to be graceful and aesthetically pleasing they would, in my opinion, have the whole package. What's wrong with that? I am glad you and others find the headstock to your liking. I just do not.

There's nothing wrong with that but it is not, as you suggested in your previous post, an indication of a commitment to quality. A change in the design of the peghead might be more pleasing to you (and obviously many others) but the quality of a guitar is not reflected by a cosmetic design change any more than it is by a change in its color.