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HERITAGE

The Gibson guitar company was founded in Kalamazoo in 1902. The young company continued to expand, and built production facilities at 225 Parsons Street (the first of a total of five buildings at that location) in 1917. In 1974, Gibson was acquired by the Norlin corporation, which also opened facilities the same year in Nashville, TN. However, financial troubles led Norlin to consider shutting down either the Kalamazoo or Nashville facilities in the early 1980s. Even though the Kalamazoo plant was Gibson's home since 1917, the decision was made in July of 1983 by Norlin to close the plant. The doors at 225 Parsons Street closed in the fall of 1984.
Heritage Guitar, Inc. opened in 1985 in the original Gibson building. Rather than uproot and move to Tennessee, Jim Deurloo, Marvin Lamb, and J.P. Moats elected to leave the Gibson company, and stay in Kalamazoo to start a new guitar company. Members of the original trio were later joined by Bill Paige and Mike Korpak (other long time Gibson workers). Korpack left the Heritage company in 1985.
Jim Deurloo began working at Gibson in 1958, and through his career was promoted from neck sander to pattern maker up to general foreman of the pattern shop, machine shop, and maintenance. Deurloo was the plant manager at Guild between 1969 to 1974, and had been involved with the opening and tooling up of the newer Nashville facility in 1974. During this time period, Deurloo was also the head of engineering, and was later promoted to assistant plant manager. In 1978 Deurloo was named plant manager at the Kalamazoo facility.
Marv Lamb was hired by Gibson in 1956 to do hand sanding and other jobs in the wood shop (Lamb was one of the workers on the '58 Korina Flying V and Explorer guitars). He was promoted through a series of positions to general foreman of finishing and final assembly, and finally to plant superintendent in 1974 (a position he held until Gibson closed the plant in 1984).
J.P. Moats was hired by Gibson in 1957 for sanding and final cleaning. Through promotions, Moats became head of quality control as well as the supervisor of inspectors, and later the wood inspector. While inspecting wood for Gibson, Moats was also in charge of repairs and custom orders.
Bill Paige, a graduate of the business school at Western Michigan University joined Gibson in 1975 as a cost accountant and other capacities in the accounting department.
Heritage operated under the ownership of Deurloo, Lamb, Moats, and Page until mid-2007. During the summer of 2007, Heritage halted all guitar production while the owners looked for a new owner of Heritage. Local attorney Vince Margol bought out Bill Paige's share of Heritage and became an equal partner with Deurloo, Lamb, and Moats. Margol also became the president and managing partner of Heritage while Paige accepted a position within the organization.
For more information, visit Heritage's website or contact them directly. Additional source: Kalamazoo Gazette.
Instruments currently built in Kalamazoo, MI since 1984. The company was incorporated on April 1, 1985. The Lasar Music Corporation, located in Brentwood, TN is the exclusive sales and marketing company for Heritage Guitars, Inc.

HERITAGE Electric Guitars Models

HERITAGE H-555 Image

HERITAGE H-555

- similar to H-535, except has bound f-holes, curly maple neck, ebony fingerboard with abalone/pearl diamond/arrow inlay with block after 17th fret, bound peghead with abalone/pearl diamond/arrow and logo inlay, gold hardware, available in...

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HERITAGE H-574 Image

HERITAGE H-574

- single round cutaway hollow style, bound curly maple top/back/sides, f-holes, white pickguard, mahogany neck, 20-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay, three-per-side tuners, tune-o-matic bridge/stop tailpiece, two humbucker pick...

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HERITAGE MILLENNIUM STANDARD ULTRA Image

HERITAGE MILLENNIUM STANDARD ULTRA

- single cutaway semi-hollow body, solid carved multiple white bound ultra curly maple top, single white bound, solid flat mahogany back and solid mahogany sides, f-holes, one piece mahogany neck, white bound ebony fingerboard, MOP block po...

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HERITAGE H-140CM SECOND VERSION Image

HERITAGE H-140CM SECOND VERSION

- single sharp cutaway mahogany body, bound curly maple top, mahogany neck, 22-fret single-ply cream bound rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay, three-per-side tuners, tune-o-matic bridge, stop tailpiece, two premium HRW Heritage humbu...

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HERITAGE JOHNNY SMITH (THE ROSE) Image

HERITAGE JOHNNY SMITH (THE ROSE)

- single round cutaway hollow style, solid spruce carved top, bound body, bound f-holes, bound curly maple pickguard, curly maple back/sides/neck, 20-fret ebony fingerboard with abalone block inlay, bound headstock with abalone/pearl rose i...

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HERITAGE PROSPECT STANDARD Image

HERITAGE PROSPECT STANDARD

- dual cutaway smaller 335-style, cream-bound curly maple laminate top/back f-holes, solid curly maple sides, mahogany neck, 20-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay, rollermatic bridge/stop tailpiece, three-per-side tuners,...

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HERITAGE ULTRA 2001 LIMITED EDITION Image

HERITAGE ULTRA 2001 LIMITED EDITION

- single cutaway semi-hollow body, multiple white bound solid carved ultra curly maple top, single white bound flat ultra curly maple back, solid sides, f-holes, no pickguard, 1-piece mahogany neck, 24.75 in. scale, white bound ebony finger...

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HERITAGE H-575MH Image

HERITAGE H-575MH

- similar to the H-575 except has a solid carved spruce top, solid carved mahogany back, mahogany rim and neck, cream-bound rosewood fingerboard, bound pickguard and peghead, one four point floating HRW pickup in top, gold hardware, amber k...

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HERITAGE SUPER EAGLE Image

HERITAGE SUPER EAGLE

- single round cutaway hollow style, solid spruce carved top, bound body and f-holes, bound maple pickguard, curly maple back/sides/neck, 20-fret bound ebony fingerboard with pearl split block inlay, bound peghead with pearl eagle on tree a...

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HERITAGE H-576 Image

HERITAGE H-576

- single rounded cutaway semi-hollow style with floating center block, cream-bound curly maple laminate top and back, solid curly maple sides, two f-holes, bound curly maple pickguard/peghead, mahogany neck, 20-fret rosewood fingerboard wit...

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HERITAGE SUPER KB Image

HERITAGE SUPER KB

- single sharp cutaway semi-hollow body, solid spruce carved top, multiple bound body, bound f-holes, bound curly maple pickguard, solid curly maple back/sides/neck, 20-fret ebony fingerboard with Heritage MOP block inlay, ebony bridge, fin...

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HERITAGE ROY CLARK MODEL Image

HERITAGE ROY CLARK MODEL

- single round cutaway, bound curly maple top/back/sides, two bound f-holes, bound maple pickguard, mahogany neck, 22-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with MOP split block inlay, bound headstock, three-per-side tuners, tune-o-matic roller br...

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HERITAGE H-147 Image

HERITAGE H-147

- similar to H-140CM, except has plain maple top, bound ebony fingerboard with pearl block inlay, bound peghead and gold hardware, mfg. 1989-1992.

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HERITAGE SWEET 16 Image

HERITAGE SWEET 16

- single sharp cutaway hollow style, solid spruce carved top, multiple bound body, bound f-holes, bound curly maple pickguard, curly maple back/sides/neck, 20-fret ebony fingerboard with pearl split block inlay, ebony bridge with pearl 16 i...

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HERITAGE KB GROOVE MASTER Image

HERITAGE KB GROOVE MASTER

- single cutaway full-depth archtop body, laminated curly maple top and back, solid curly maple sides, two f-holes, cream body binding, set mahogany neck, 20-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with pearl block inlay, bound headstock with Kenny...

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HERITAGE H-150CM Image

HERITAGE H-150CM

- single sharp cutaway mahogany body, bound carved curly maple top, white pickguard, mahogany neck, 22-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with pearl crown inlay, three-per-side tuners, tune-o-matic bridge, stop tailpiece, two covered humbucker...

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HERITAGE H-150CM Deluxe Image

HERITAGE H-150CM Deluxe

- similar to H-150CM, except has multiple-bound body, bound matching curly maple peghead, bound curly maple pickguard, gold hardware, and two Seymour Duncan pickups, available in Standard or Translucent finish, mfg. 1992-2007.

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HERITAGE H-150CM Ultra Image

HERITAGE H-150CM Ultra

- similar to H-150CM Deluxe, except has ultra top, gold hardware, and two HRW pickups, available in Standard or Translucent finish, mfg. 1992-2007.

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HERITAGE H-150 SPECIAL Image

HERITAGE H-150 SPECIAL

- single sharp cutaway poplar body, bound carved plain maple top, mahogany neck, 22-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay, three-per-side tuners, tune-o-matic bridge, stop tailpiece, two humbucker pickups, four knobs (two v,...

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HERITAGE H-150P Image

HERITAGE H-150P

- similar to H-150 Special, except has cream-bound solid poplar body, pearl dot fingerboard inlay, available in Blue, Red, or White finish, mfg. 1992-98.

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HERITAGE H-157 Image

HERITAGE H-157

- single sharp cutaway mahogany body, multiple white-bound carved solid maple top, mahogany neck, 22-fret bound ebony fingerboard with MOP block inlay, bound blackface peghead with pearl diamond/logo inlay, three-per-side tuners, tune-o-mat...

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HERITAGE H-170CM Image

HERITAGE H-170CM

- double cutaway mahogany body, cream-bound carved solid curly maple top, mahogany neck, 22-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay, three-per-side tuners, tune-o-matic bridge, stop tailpiece, two humbucker pickups, four knobs (two v...

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HERITAGE H-170CM SM Image

HERITAGE H-170CM SM

- similar to the H-170CM, except features 2 Seymour Duncan Stag Mag humbucker pickups, 2 push/pull (coil tap) volume controls, master tone control, mfg. 1998-2004.

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HERITAGE H-204DD Image

HERITAGE H-204DD

- single sharp cutaway mahogany body, carved curly maple top, cream body binding, set mahogany neck, 22-fret rosewood fingerboard with MOP dot inlays, black headstock overlay with "The Heritage" logo, six-on-one-side tuners, fully...

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HERITAGE H-207DD Image

HERITAGE H-207DD

- symmetrical double sharp cutaway mahogany body, carved curly maple top, cream body binding, set mahogany neck, 22-fret rosewood fingerboard with MOP dot inlays, black headstock overlay with "The Heritage" logo, six-on-one-side t...

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HERITAGE H-357 Image

HERITAGE H-357

- single round cutaway asymmetrical hourglass style mahogany body, white pickguard, through-body mahogany neck, 22-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay, tune-o-matic bridge/stop tailpiece, 6-on-a-side tuners, chrome hardware, 2 hu...

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HERITAGE ALEX SKOLNICK SIGNATURE H-150 Image

HERITAGE ALEX SKOLNICK SIGNATURE H-150

- single cutaway Les Paul-style solid mahogany body, carved curly maple top, cream body binding, set one-piece mahogany neck, 22-fret rosewood fingerboard with MOP trapezoid inlays and 12th fret "S" inlay, bound black headstock ov...

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