Heritage now offering the H-575 as part of their Core Collection Series

[Hammertone]

Long, boring response to come in the next day or so. Maybe I'll start another thread for it.

[2bornot2bop]

OTOH, at least someone is producing American arch tops other than custom builders.

[Marty Grass]

That is not dispositive. Roger Bory's and Steven Holst's laminate guitars have seams on the backs.

Heritage thus far has not done that.

[Marty Grass]

In the beginning Heritage quality seemed excellent. But the plant owners did most of the work. This followed with years in which some less than perfect slipped out. I've seen a couple of neck twists and ones with the pickup cutouts not lined up, one of which I had my luthier address to get the bridge pickup centered under the strings. Another fairly common thing was not having the tuners lined up properly. I've had a couple with overspray, which is also minor.

The last decade, maybe longer, things have tightened up greatly. The factory appears more disciplined with better employee retention.

I've had the same experience with Gibson semi-hollows from around 2015. Out of five I bought, two were returned with flaws my luthier couldn't correct, and he was the Gibson warranty repairman at the time.

That's my experience.

[Cunamara]

Now they're competing with companys with far lower labor costs in a time where american manufacturing is at its lowest ebb ever. Labor costs have skyrocketed in the U.S. and our "skilled labor" base has nearly disappeared.

Hmmm. By the data, US manufacturing is not at it's lowest ebb ever, nor is it at its peak; "skyrocketing" labor costs = families making more money and benefits; skilled labor, if it is indeed disappearing, is doing so due to unrelenting attacks on American education in the misguided belief that an educated workforce is politically disadvantageous to one party.

None of those things are the reason Heritage might have trouble competing. Challenges are that they have limited output capacity, a small workforce, an outdated manufacturing facility (or at least they did, perhaps they have updated) and a limited number of models which are aimed at the high end of the guitar market. Heritage is not closely competing with Ibanez (except for a few MIJ models), Epiphone, Harley Benton, Squire, Fender, etc. Nor are they closely competing with Campellone, Monteleone, Comins, Benedetto, etc. They are competing with Gibson- which is operating in the same economic conditions- and even there it's not head-to-head competition, except for the Les Paul style guitars (also some competition from PRS in that arena, another company building its similarly priced guitars in the US).

[Flat]

I got an email this week from Heritage about a spruce-topped Core Collection H-575. It didn't mention the price, but included a link to inquire. I also asked about the differences between the standard H-575 (I have an older one) and this special Core Collection guitar that they emailed me about. Here's the response I received, promptly and politely. Just in case anyone is interested:

----

Thanks for considering our new Heritage Custom Shop Factory Special Core Collection H-575 Spruce Top in Natural. The price is $6499. If you'd like to order one we ask for a 50% deposit with the remainder due when it's ready to ship. The ETA is about two months, though we do our best to fulfill orders as soon as possible.

The Standard H-575 is an all-maple construction with a solid carved maple top and back and a solid rim. They are priced at $4499.

Please let us know if you have any questions.

Full Specifications

• Body Material: Premium Carved Solid Spruce Top with Carved Solid Curly Maple Back
• Body Color: Natural
• Body Finish: Nitrocellulose with Vintage Gloss, Artisan Aged Available
• Rim Wood: Solid Curly Maple
• Fretboard Material: Bound Rosewood
• Fretboard Radius: 12”
• Fret Size: Jescar Medium Jumbo
• Nut Material: Bone
• Headstock: Holly veneer, ‘Heritage’ logo with Twin Arrow Inlay
• Neck Profile: Standard C
• Neck Wood: Mahogany
• Scale Length: 24-3/4”
• No. of Frets: 20
• Fretboard Inlays: Small Blocks
• Pickups: Heritage Custom Shop 225 Classic Archtop Humbuckers (Neck & Bridge)
• Controls: 2 x Volume, 2 x Tone, 3-way Toggle
• Electronics: CTS 500K Potentiometers, Orange Drop .022uF Capacitors, Switchcraft Toggle Switch and Input Jack
• Bridge: Rosewood Adjustable Bridge
• Tailpiece: Vintage Style Tailpiece
• Pickguard: Multi-ply Tortoise
• Strings: Elixir 11-52
• Tuning Machines: Heritage Custom Shop Tuners
• Hardware Finish: Gold
• Control Knobs: Black Top Hat
• Switch Tip: Black
• Case: Custom Shop Case and Case Candies

[lawson-stone]

I’ve been here for 15 years. And for that entire time, and it probably proceeded my arrival, the beat the horse dead Heritage headstock. Formula: Mention any Heritage guitar, and someone will belittle the entire guitar because of its headstock.

And honestly, in my view, it is not nearly as bizarre and (to me) unsightly, not to mention damage prone, as the "D'angelico" style. I have a Peerless Monarch with that style headstock and I always worry that little thing in the middle of the notch will get bumped and busted off. I'm totally good with the Heritage style.

[andrew]

Interesting information indeed! I saw that email too and was curious about the price. So that means they're charging a $500 upcharge for the spruce top (compared to the 'regular' custom core H575 at $5999). I'm sure the limited nature might have something to do with it too.

From what I can tell, the upgrades on the custom shop H575s compared to the standard H575 are different pickups, block inlays, headstock inlays, neck and headstock binding, different pickguard and truss rod cover material, different case, and the bridge looks like its carved differently (at least in the stock photos). The spec sheet also says "Heritage Custom Shop tuners" but they look the same to me.

As far as the headstock shape, I will say that I think it looks a lot better when it is bound. And some fancy inlays help too. My Super Eagles have great looking headstocks, but I think the plain ones do look a little odd.

[jumpnblues]

I like the headstock just fine.

[Marty Grass]

What I do know is that Heritage tends to not build customer requested one-offs currently. They used to do that all the time. They explained that things like x-bracing in an instrument that usually gets parallel and different inlays creates more work and risk. It is tagged as a custom all the way through. Usually they do batches, which is more efficient.

I have a Golden Eagle with a 1 3/4" nut. They made a couple of those at once, and they were preordered that way. Most commonly they put out 8-10 of the same guitars.

Here are two guitars that have not sold in large numbers and require very different build efforts. These won't keep the lights on. Further, being artist models, a chunk of money goes to the endorser.

Quality metrics appear better now. Years ago there were issues. For example I had a custom Super Eagle with P-90s, a cut switch, and a 3 1/4" depth. The pickup cutouts were slightly off center. Fortunately I got that corrected with no cosmetic compromise. That was among their most expensive builds. Two were made. Whoever lined up the pickups cutouts that day got it wrong on mine, likely an hourly employee who had little seniority.

It makes sense that Heritage, a relatively small company, focuses on a limited number of models with an occasional special run.

[andrew]

I just noticed this for sale on Rich Severson's website. A new 2025 H575 with P90s (also a spruce top). Yet another new variation; one that is really up my alley. From what Pete Farmer told me recently, the neck-meets-body angle is slightly shallower on these P90 models so that the pickups don't require big spacers underneath them.

https://guitarcollege.com/forsale#section-8yaWa4VMAH

[Hammertone]

My guess is that the H-575 is over-represented in this shot from Jimmy Webster Guitars. None of them are Core Collection.

[Rickco]

"Hmmm. By the data, US manufacturing is not at it's lowest ebb ever, nor is it at its peak; "skyrocketing" labor costs = families making more money and benefits; skilled labor, if it is indeed disappearing, is doing so due to unrelenting attacks on American education in the misguided belief that an educated workforce is politically disadvantageous to one party."
That "data" is about as reliable as AI. Ive been in manufacturing for over 50yrs in the U.S. sold a business recently and am in touch with business operators daily. In the U.S. Labor is the problem according to virtually every manager I speak with, skilled labor "if it is indeed disappearing" has disappeared. When I ask what the biggest challenge is the answer is always labor, the good news is for the small operator whos hands on has become more in demand. In the guitar world most of the independent luthiers are very busy. In the last 10 yrs we aggressively tried to staff with skilled and semi skilled workers offering living wages and training spending $1ks with recruiters and ads almost no takers. If Heritage can stay afloat in todays "work culture?" they should be congratulated.

[Mick-7]

In the U.S. Labor is the problem according to virtually every manager I speak with, skilled labor "if it is indeed disappearing" has disappeared. When I ask what the biggest challenge is the answer is always labor, the good news is for the small operator whose hands on has become more in demand.

I think it's common knowledge that the U.S. has been a service based economy for a long time now, and our educational system, such as it is, has been geared towards training people for such jobs.

[Cunamara]

An issue facing our economy is that there are more jobs open than there are workers to fill them. The nativist push to raise birth rates in America won't work because it's got about a 20 year lag time. Many business owners would be retired by the time those workers are available. We need immigrant workers to fill those jobs, but America is now officially as well as unofficially hostile to people coming from other parts of the world to be gainfully employed here.

The push to "reshore" high-tech jobs via tariffs and trade wars will fail because we do not have enough high tech skilled employees available to do those tasks. Hostility towards education K-12 and college has resulted in a dearth of skilled workers in the pool of potential employees. An undereducated workforce is an ineffective workforce, but one political party remains intransigently opposed to educating people to preserve its own political power- the ultimate in cynicism. We also would have to build high tech facilities from scratch which will take years. With nearly 75% of American adults being overweight or obese, too many of us are physically incapable of fulfilling the kind of jobs that would need to be done to bring those industries back to America. Eliminating federal funding for fundamental scientific research and development will hamstring our economy competitively for generations to come. If there is something that can be done wrong, our current government is achieving it.

Interesting numbers: Access Denied

[Mick-7]

An issue facing our economy is that there are more jobs open than there are workers to fill them. The nativist push to raise birth rates in America won't work because it's got about a 20 year lag time. Many business owners would be retired by the time those workers are available. We need immigrant workers to fill those jobs, but America is now officially as well as unofficially hostile to people coming from other parts of the world to be gainfully employed here.

The push to "reshore" high-tech jobs via tariffs and trade wars will fail because we do not have enough high tech skilled employees available to do those tasks. Hostility towards education K-12 and college has resulted in a dearth of skilled workers in the pool of potential employees. An undereducated workforce is an ineffective workforce, but one political party remains intransigently opposed to educating people to preserve its own political power- the ultimate in cynicism. We also would have to build high tech facilities from scratch which will take years. With nearly 75% of American adults being overweight or obese, too many of us are physically incapable of fulfilling the kind of jobs that would need to be done to bring those industries back to America. Eliminating federal funding for fundamental scientific research and development will hamstring our economy competitively for generations to come. If there is something that can be done wrong, our current government is achieving it.

For sure.... I was trying not to introduce politics into this discussion but the current administrations policies are, as you explained, the epitome of economic stupidity. For example, studies have shown that over half of all agricultural workers in California are undocumented immigrants, if you think food prices will not go up when you deport them, you are delusional.

[Tal_175]

Replacement fertility rate is 2.1. More and more countries falling below the replacement rate every year. Victor Orban threw the kitchen sink at the Hungarian fertility rate with the most aggressive financial incentives and cultural messaging for the past 10 years because they don't like immigrants, the birth rate fell to 1.38 in 2024 (the lowest in their recorded history I think).

The core reasons of the declining fertility rate aren't financial. Poorer regions of these countries have higher birth rates than richer demographics. Like it or not, the truth seems to be that, humans have a lot better options in the modern societies than to spend their time and money raising children. Moreover, the expectations for parental standards have increased dramatically. A working mom today spends more time with their children than stay home moms did 30 years ago according to studies. It's a lot more work to raise children today than in any time in human evolution. Parents are under a lot of pressure to meet these new cultural standards. Also there are also a lot more attractive options as to what one can do with their time and money more than any other time in human evolution. These reasons won't go away. I think most countries are still burying their heads in the sand instead of making realistic long term planning that's compatible with this fact.