I lived in Kalamazoo, MI from 1969 - 2016 and am very familiar with Gibson’s old Parsons St building. I was really unhappy about Gibson leaving Kalamazoo but delighted when Heritage started up. As far as Gibson moving to Nashville because the Kalamazoo building was too big, the company could have leased unneeded space to other business. That’s what happened with Heritage as the building was used as a business incubator. Gibson had already opened a small Nashville plant in 1974 to produce only one model. When business slumped, the Norlin Corporation decided to consolidate in Nashville rather than move its smaller Nashville operation back to Kalamazoo. It was a typical Norlin decision that disrupted the lives of a lot of their employees. When I reached the point that I could afford a really nice acoustic guitar, I bought a Martin - feeling no loyalty to the former home-town company. I now own three Martins. No regrets. Ironically, After the infamous Norlin years, Gibson eventually moved their acoustic guitar manufacturing to Bozeman, MT where the climate was more suitable for acoustic instrument production.
As someone who has owned all brand of guitars. Heritage blows me away every time I played one. I now own 2 H-535's and 1 H-150 and they are staying with me forever! Would pick a Heritage up before a Big G guitar.
I own two of these. A H150 Standard limited factory run in Oxblood and a Custom Shop H150 Gold Top. Both are really amazing instruments, beautifully made.
That H-530 has such a sweet sound! Wow. Loved it and I love your video's guys. You are both so well versed and clearly well seasoned journeymen in the guitar world. I'm loving your channel.
I just "happened into" ownership of an H-535 and I am quite impressed. Always owned Gibsons, and love them, but was always looking for an excuse to try a Heritage out and see what it/they had to offer. I'm still getting familiar with it but as I tweak and play it's getting to be more and more a go-to guitar. I have a beautiful Yamaha SA2200 to compare it to and it really holds its own against that bad boy which is saying a lot. My dream Gibson ES-335 guitar might have to wait a couple more years. Or, I may never need. What a beautiful guitar. Great playing, per usual Cooper.
I'm sorry but the factory being "too large" was NOT the reason Gibson moved. The real reason, which was stated during the time, was an "inner globalization" meaning outsourcing. Southern labor was cheaper and most importantly un-unionized. Living in Dallas at the time papers were full of articles of factories in the northeast closing but moving south and west for the cheaper labor.
I bought a lemon flame top limited edition H-150 and it beats my Gibson LP's on every level. It looks and plays better than anything else I've got. I live in the UK and 2 of my friends have 535's and they are amazing too.
For anyone looking for another opinion... Give Heritage a try if you like Gibson. I own a custom core H150 that is impeccable. I also have an H535 with Seth Lovers that more than earns the "burst killer" title. I love Gibson, but heritage seems to be the one who earns my dollar. I still go to Gibson for SGs though. I dont think Heritage will ever make one of those, sadly.
Great review as usual guys, Heritage build really great guitars , so good that the G brand tried to stop them . The usual guff about copyright etc . As for the factory being too big ? Nah , labour costs less in the South and troublesome unions were out of the picture. There are times when I wonder why the hell I keep buying Gibson ! Anyway. Heritage are spot on, Well done for you stocking them . Hoorah!
I got a Kalamazoo Gibson LP I call it the log because it weighs a ton strap locks were the first thing I did because the weight destroyed straps it’s like it wanted to be on the floor? I got a 2020 iced tea Gibson LP and the two are different animals.
My local " Mom and Pop" store got the onlt Heritsge dealershipof heritage. I have to sya I like them all. The Lollar pickups in the H530 are great. Heritage have had the guts to use OEM pickups from probably the best and made in an old Gibson . I think Ill be getting the H 530 soon.Certainly WAY better than modern Epiphone Casinos.
I think the wood chips from Gibson 335s come from making the f holes after the guitar is put together. I saw that in a recent factory tour video. Still most brands would probably clean that out before finishing it. I recently looked at 2 335s straight out of the shipping box and both of them had a lot of wood chips in the case.
Gibson still owns the original press for the ES-335 that has been used on every es-335 built. That comes from Gibson themselves. -edited in Not trying to start a fight lol Jim DeCola said that.
Gibson moved to Nashville to Bust the Union !!.... those are the facts.... they could have leased the space they weren't using if that was the Real reason. Not to mention the expense of moving the equipment.....
Funny because I thought "You've got Heritage, why keep Gibson?" There's absolutely a 535 in my future, or a 575, or both :-D I make bespoke instruments and know what an instrument made for the love of it is, and I'd rather buy a guitar made for love than for the money. Seeing where - and more importantly, HOW - these are, the only thing keeping them from being a vintage killer is the intage collectors' market.
I heard something about some of the models coming with real small fret sizes, don't know how accurate that is and maybe only of custom models? Also... do the 150's also come with the long neck tenons? For me, the headtocks are kinda meh along with the pick guards too and mostly because I'm so use to seeing the Gibson open book style too.
Yes they have long tenons and they also come with medium jumbo frets. I actually like the pick guard better than Gibson and the headstock has grown on me, I think it’s off putting at first just because we are so used to the Gibson one.
@@jameswhite1450 I didn’t say the Gibsons aren’t decent guitars, simply that the Heritage instruments are better, as one might expect from a good boutique maker. I notice that yours was built by Gibson’s custom shop. Would you expect those coming off Gibson’s standard production line be as good as your custom? You paid for extra quality.
I want a Porsche "BUT" ill spend the same money on a heritage... Not happening. Maybe I'll give you 600... Otherwise I'm buying the Real Daddy, GIBSON.... I do like you guys and nice try but its laughable man. Good show.
I literally bought this exact guitar yesterday at Alamo and I also played a custom shop R9 sitting right next to it at over $7k. Other than the nice flamey top of the R9 (gorgeous), the Heritage blew it out of the water in playability and tone. It was remarkably better to me. So I bought it. In my hands, this is the best LP I’ve ever played.
