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I can get a brand new one (not till mid 2017) sunburst with a thick carved top and a single SD 59 humbucker for $5K. JD is telling me to run the 50 yard dash. Present day quality is unknown with the new company also.
Still mad at Gibson but not mad enough if I can get a minty one. I was going to buy this really nice new L5 from Guitar Center. 2 employees promised to match the $6.5K price I got from TMZ. Even had a saved message stating this on my cell from GC. Get down there and it is $8K firm plus tax and rude to boot. Guitar Center Santa Clara, Ca. and Scott and Eric will lie to you. Not cool. Anyway thoughts on the Heritage. You know me.
I like new and shiney. Also my bad luck with UPS. Trying to buy local. Their is a Heritage dealer 25 miles from me. What do you guys think ?
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08-28-2016 11:17 PM
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Hi Vinny,
having bought a number of recent Heritages new - I'd go for it! The new company would be no concern of mine. It is still the same people who build the wonderful guitars. As Patrick probably would have said - they're not perfect, but they make a great guitar and they're very honest people who take pride in their work. If you specifiy precisely what you want, they'll make it. Don't be surprised by a hickup or a delay along the road - it'll get there - and it's worth it! No comparison to a guitar center experience ... Was at one today in the pacific nordwest - run away screaming ...
cheers,
Frank
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I think this will be a whole new world opening up for you Vinny. Heritage has always been as good as Gibson. And with out the games that Gibson plays. And more affordable to boot. Go on over to the dark side and see the light.
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Hey Vinny,
You talking about the old Guitar Center on Stevens Creek ?? Jeez man that place was always so damn loud. Being I spent some 29 years in that area I hope you don't mind me asking who the other Heritage dealer you referenced is ?? I would not hesitate to stand up for Heritage arch tops. I know you want the L5 tone, fat top, Wes thing. I am so in love with all my Heritage guitars I know you will be pleased. Yeah you need to do some serious driving around in a car and find one local to play (take your amp along). This bull you have experienced with UPS and inferior Gibsons has got to stop...
Bananas at Large in San Rafael is pretty good, I and a friend have dealt with Bananas At Large and they're a bit above par say compared to GC. Also worth calling is Blue Note in Beserkeley, Sylvan in Santa Cruz is good but a smallish shop - they've been around for ages. You might want to give a call to Guitar Showcase on Bascom also, I don't know if they are Heritage Dealers but they almost always had a couple that guys sold to them on their walls. Have a look at what the Heritage website claims is the dealers in Cali, make some phone calls, talk to some people.
I'm pulling for you man. You Deserve righteous arch top tone...
Big
Dealers - Heritage Guitar
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And one more bit of advice from the Big Man, if you're down there and you DO NOT go here, don't tell me you were there. This place is the shizzle.
Welcome to Falafel Drive in
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Vinny~My only advice is to trust that the new Heritage owners are MUCH more customer focused, and will do whatever it takes to build you your custom spec Golden Eagle. I watched the video of the latest "Parsons Street Pilgrimage" of Heritage guitar players and fans, and the one thing that struck me was the revitalized commitment of the new team, AND the huge amount of money being invested in the brand...as well as a total renovation of the old Gibson facility.
Contact Jay Wolfe of Wolfe's Guitars for his Heritage archtop expertise and factory clout.
The QC I've seen of late is even better than before. I own a '93 GE that is as good as it gets, in my view. However, if I were in the market for another one, I would not hesitate in ordering a brand new model built to my specs.
And just because I love this thing so much, here's a shot taken just yesterday of my old girl.
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Mr. Tim !! Mr. Tim !!! Oh My Goodness Sheriff !! That backside is to D I E for... wow. I see some pretty nice backsides go walking by my place on the way to the local gym but this one takes the cake !!
Big
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Gitfiddler, ANYBODY would be proud to own that one. Its beautiful.
JD
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Big, the dealer I am referring to is C.B. Perkins in San Jose, Ca. 4th generation luthier repair shop mostly but they are a Heritage dealer also. The only thing is this. I ordered 2 Heritage guitars from them. Heritage promised a 4-5 month wait. Both took over a year to get. I ended up selling both because they were carved too thin.
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Vinny
Ya know River Forest would be a short road trip to Kalamazoo. You got a nice furnished room with all the amenities waiting for you right here Bro. You want to fly into O'Hare, grab a rent a car, spend a night chilling here and we go up there and see what they got coming off the line and talk to them mano en mano... I'll bust out the old Descoware dutch oven and make some fresh pasta... Even raid the cabinet humidor if you are so inclined.
Just saying...
Big
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You are a good man Mike ! I am like working 3 angles right now. Hard to say the road I am going to travel. When I retire in a couple years I am going to travel around and meet all you guys for sure. Of course I will have the crazy red headed hot blooded Irish girl with me :-).....you've been warned......V
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Sounds like a plan to me Vinny.
Good luck in your search.
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Vinny,
Ordering a guitar is not too much different than buying on- line. Yeah - you will specify wood choice , color , top thickness, scale etc, but the bottom line - will you be happy when you get it in your hands. I've ordered many , many custom builds , from great builders such as - John Monteleone, Jim D'Aquisto , Campellone, Triggs , Benedetto, Buscarino , Heritage -etc. etc. and only a few met my expectations - not to say they were not great guitars - but not great for me.
Except for a few recent custom builds from Bryant Trenier - my best buys were in hand purchases , or from trusted friends who know my criteria.
You and I are very particular - and that's fine , but I believe you are better off visiting a high end Archtop shop and picking out a guitar that satisfies all your senses.
Just my opinion - I've been down this road many times.
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You are 100% correct Steve. Joe is telling me the same thing. Very sound advice.
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Vin,
The one guy on this site that deserves something good is you.
Make a deal on something here in the NJ/NY area and I will preview it for you.
You got a good one coming bro. I feel it in me bones!
JD
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JD....my man !
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Hello,
Even though I just joined this forum… I am freaking out with local (San Jose) references...
#1 - Guitar Center is MY goto place…when I want to be treated like crap
#2 - C.B. Perkins is MY goto place when I want to be treated with respect by a 3rd ten luthier.. and if you have a chance to talk to Kent he will tell you stories of the Heritage boys and the old Kalamazoo plant he got from his dad, They have a nice "Sweet 16" in there now from an estate sale…
#3 - Big Mike…I just went to Falafel Drive-In last week (been a customer since '78) and had a Falafel (a large with extra Tahini and hot sauce) it was THE SHIZNITZ!!!
Great to be aboard..
almost forgot… SWEET MAPLE BACKSIDE!!!!!
PapawoolyLast edited by Papawooly; 08-29-2016 at 09:24 PM.
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Papawooly, welcome aboard.
its a shame those people were rude to our guy Vinny. Not cool.
thanks Joe D
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I love Gibson, but my Heritage Golden Eagle, which I ended up selling, was a beloved guitar. It's the only guitar I've ever sold that I've literally dreamed about at night, wondering where it is, how it's being played. I had my name engraved on the truss rod cover, so at least the first buyer would have known who owned it before. I wish I'd gotten the serial number because I might just buy it back if I could.
Guitars that create that kind of emotional bond don't happen by accident. Those Heritage guys must kept back a bunch of Gibson fairy dust with them when Gibson left Kalamazoo...
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Originally Posted by vinnyv1k
Vinny I think you should find a Campellone to try, with the understanding that JD checks it out and posts his reports here
...........I'd love to talk to Marc - -especially after he said he'd cut his teeth on '30's L-7's !!!
......I mean -- after all the late model / new Gibson archtops we members here have been fortunate enough to either buy or at least try lately, I think it's pretty safe to say we all have a pretty good idea now of what a current generation Gibson is going to sound like.......bottom line, to me it seems whether amplified ( 1 or 2 humbuckers or BJB ) , or full on acoustic, it'll have 'that sound'.........and it'll only have that sound.......and then it's just a matter of color, or a model you don't have, etc, and of course getting one that's ' new ', with no issues..........so to me at least the sound surprise is gone, which is fine....' it's a Gibson, this is what you get, so ok'...
...then I'd find some way to get to play a Trenier.........those two builders sure seem to be worth a look !!
My 2 cents....and of course good luck Vinny --and thx JD.
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So guitars can be such a personal experience, especially acoustic or archtops. Always try before you buy first! No matter how great an instrument looks it doesn't always translate to the tone we have in our head or feel we like. If you have played a number of Heritage or Gibsons you'll have a better idea of what to expect, but still it's all in the individual build. I was extremely lucky in having a custom archtop made for me by Frans Elferink last year, that I absolutely LOVE! But I still had to have the neck reshaped locally to my liking. And luckily it was very large neck to begin with. And I like BIG necks,LOL!
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Dennis D, that's a good 2 cents. I'm sure with you on that. Hard to go wrong with either, or, all of the above. I play Campellone, Trenier, and vintage L-7. Love that sound. Marc gets it. The Trenier, it's fashioned in the D'Aquisto style. Light as a feather, loud, even, well balanced. Beautiful sound. My Heritage is not my go to guitar for acoustic playing, if that's what Vinny is after. It has a built-in PUP, and sounds great amplified, although it's not a Golden Eagle. I've played 2B's Heritage and I wish I'd have bought it. Originally Posted by Dennis D
Vinny I think you should find a Campellone to try, with the understanding that JD checks it out and posts his reports here...........I'd love to talk to Marc - -especially after he said he'd cut his teeth on '30's L-7's !!!
...then I'd find some way to get to play a Trenier.........those two builders sure seem to be worth a look !!
My 2 cents....and of course good luck Vinny --and thx JD.
Vinny, you're going to get a nice guitar if you get a Heritage Golden Eagle. No question.
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Here's the Campellone that's hard to resist, but with Vinny's luck it'll be toothpicks after trans-Atlantic shipping.
18" Electric Archtop Jazz Guitar 'Special Eighteen' by Mark Campellone 1993 | eBay
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If you're after an 18" acoustic Campy one might as well acquire the 18" Campy that's been available on reverb for 3 months...probably had at $3600...just sayin' Originally Posted by MaxTwang
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