Made in the USA guitars - Where are they?

[MrSandMan]

Hey guys, I'm doing some research for an article we're working on for Gear-Vault.com. With the latest Cort / Cor-Tek controversy (http://gear-monkey.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1147), I would like to help smaller 'Made In America" guitar manufactures / companies get press and recognition.

If you were looking to buy a Stratocaster and eying the higher Squier Strats for $350, wouldn't you rather save a few extra bucks towards buying a Treker Classic '57 Stratocaster (http://bunker-guitars.com/store/classic-57.html), which features David Bunker's state of the art Sustainium neck?

I know I would! In fact, I really want that guitar after looking over it's price and features :D

Okay, getting off topic here as I am drooling over that Treker. -- I'm looking for Made In America guitars only that sell for under $1,000. If you know of a company that builds/sells MIA guitars, post the link here. I'm going to post an article on Gear-Vault.com for hundreds of thousands to read... Lets keep jobs in America by helping the small companies.

Join us in the fight for jobs in America and post the link here. :w:

[MrSandMan]

Carvin guitars (!) They are some really nice axes!

[MrSandMan]

Wood, sound, craftsmanship, jobs, appreciation/depreciation, just to name a few things. A lot of MIJ are fine, but other stuff they make couldn't be sold as a toy.

[MrSandMan]

Has anyone heard of Heritage Guitar (http://www.heritageguitar.com/) out of Kalamazoo Michigan? Apparently they bought Gibson's machinery after they moved out of state.

From their website:

Heritage Guitar Inc. of 225 Parsons Street in Kalamazoo, Michigan was incorporated on April 1, 1985. The company is going on 25 years old, it has achieved the status of one of the premier guitar companies in the world today. It is, in many instances, the new guitar line handled by countless vintage shops throughout the world. This indicates it is thought of as the collectible guitar of tomorrow.

The idea to start Heritage Guitar began when the Gibson Guitar Corporation closed its Kalamazoo, Michigan factory in September of 1984 and moved all production to its other plant in Nashville, Tennessee (in operation since 1975). When this took place, some of the employees were asked to move to Nashville. However, since their families had spent many years in Kalamazoo, it made it difficult to uproot and move. Therefore 3 men, Jim Deurloo, Marvin Lamb, and JP Moats, decided to start a guitar manufacturing business. In 1985 when the company was incorporated, 2 other former Gibson Guitar Corporation employees, Bill Paige and Mike Korpak, joined as owners. Mike left the company in 1985.

The founders biggest resource is and was the group of craftsmen they could draw from to begin operations. The owners themselves each had in excess of 25 years of hands on experience in making guitars. To this day each of the owners is directly involved in the manufacturing of each instrument.

Heritage started operations in the oldest of five buildings formerly owned and operated by Gibson Guitar Corporation. That building was completed in 1917 and has been a center for guitar manufacturing ever since. Much of the machinery that Heritage uses today, was purchased from Gibson Guitar Corporation.

The first guitar Heritage introduced was the H-140 solid body single cutaway electric guitar. This model was shown at the NAMM show in June of 1985.

Since that time Heritage has added many instruments. Currently Heritage manufacturers Custom Carved Hollow Body Guitars, Semi Hollow Body Guitars, and Solid Body Guitars. This is to say nothing of the countless number of custom instruments made in each of the groups previously mentioned. Banjos, Mandolins, Flat Tops, and Basses, are no longer being produced because of the demand for the guitars mentioned in the above 3 categories.

Heritage is proud of its older employees’ with 25 years of average experience and what it has accomplished in 24 years. Heritage is also training younger luthiers to learn this fine art of craftsmanship.

[smorgdonkey]

I just buy Gibsons used. Win-win.

[speakerjones]

I'm a big fan of Hamer guitars, a small shop now owned by Fender. They don't sell much under the $1k mark anymore, but they are very undervalued on the used market. So you can get boutique build quality for around $1k, used, pretty easily.

Of course Fender offers their Special and Highway One series which fall under 1k.

And Gibson has some offerings under 1k too, I believe with their Junior/Melody Maker/Special types.

[MrSandMan]

Have you checked out the US and Canada guitar maker, Godin Guitars? I would love to check out one of their Redline Series (http://www.gear-vault.com/godin-redline-3-guitars/). Looks like a nice shredder.

[speakerjones]

I've only tried out a couple of Godins, but they seemed like a lot of guitar for the money. The ones I tried were more out of curiosity, and not really my style, but if I found one that I really bonded with, I'd definitely pick one up.

Is Seagull an arm of Godin, or a different company altogether? I used to have one (an S6, I think?) with a cedar top that sounded great.

[TheSoad25]

I like Fender guitars :)