Cool Guitar Alert - Heritage Ascent+ H-137

[santellavision]

Just picked this up on a whim. The Heritage Ascent+ H-137.

I have to say, this is one amazing (affordable) axe. Just a solid, rocking guitar. Played beautiful, right out of the box. Feels really nice, does not feel anything like a $450 guitar should. I mean that. I've played new Gibsons that didn't feel/play as well. Shocked actually.

All mahogany body & set neck. Does NOT have a scarf neck joint, like most imports do. Bound Rosewood board, Nice tummy cut and contoured neck heel. Nice tight tuners, quality GraphTech TUSQ XL nut. Compound radius 12"-16" with Jumbo frets.

The P90's sound excellent too. I was just playing it on the neck PU for about 1/2 hour, its sweet sounding. If I had any qualms, it would be the wraptail could be replaced with a better one. That's it! (And, yeah, yeah, lots of you all, HATE the headstock shape, we know - haha)

The overall fit and finish is letter perfect. Light at 7lbs, 2oz (not chambered). Looks great in gloss trans red. (It also comes in green) If I was blind-folded and handed this guitar, I would say $2k. The bound neck feels that good. Note: there is also a way cheaper Ascent (not the Plus) that is completely different instrument. 
I read about these a while back. Saw some good reviews on YouTube, but they were impossible to find. I finally found one at Manny's music. They must be partnered with Heritage as it was shipped right from the Heritage factory in Kalamazoo, MI. 

$449 shipped. (I found a coupon for $50 off, but, it isn't working now, maybe message Heritage directly for a new coupon) I have to say, if you need a nice P90 guitar, here ya go. You'll thank me.

https://deals.bandlab.com/mannys/products/heritage-guitars/ascent-plus-collection-h-137-electric-guitar-cherry

[kizanski]

Perfect.

[Victor (Fret Friend)]

$449? 😮😮😮

[santellavision]

10 minutes ago, Victor (Fret Friend) said:

$449? 😮😮😮

Yepper, I paid $449 with free shipping and no tax.
But, $499 now, the coupon (WELCOME50) for $50 off is over. It's still worth messaging Heritage about any new coupons. I bet they have something for Black Friday.

Edited November 11, 2025 by santellavision

[Jim85IROC]

That's a sweet guitar. At $500 it competes directly with the Epi LP Special (which is on sale at GC for $400 currently).  It's going to be tough for Heritage to compete with that, even if their guitar is better.

[django49]

Very tempting!

[Camstone]

5 hours ago, santellavision said:

Just picked this up on a whim. The Heritage Ascent+ H-137.

I have to say, this is one amazing (affordable) axe. Just a solid, rocking guitar. Played beautiful, right out of the box. Feels really nice, does not feel anything like a $450 guitar should. I mean that. I've played new Gibsons that didn't feel/play as well. Shocked actually.

All mahogany body & set neck. Does NOT have a scarf neck joint, like most imports do. Bound Rosewood board, Nice tummy cut and contoured neck heel. Nice tight tuners, quality GraphTech TUSQ XL nut. Compound radius 12"-16" with Jumbo frets.

The P90's sound excellent too. I was just playing it on the neck PU for about 1/2 hour, its sweet sounding. If I had any qualms, it would be the wraptail could be replaced with a better one. That's it! (And, yeah, yeah, lots of you all, HATE the headstock shape, we know - haha)

The overall fit and finish is letter perfect. Light at 7lbs, 2oz (not chambered). Looks great in gloss trans red. (It also comes in green) If I was blind-folded and handed this guitar, I would say $2k. The bound neck feels that good. Note: there is also a way cheaper Ascent (not the Plus) that is completely different instrument. 
I read about these a while back. Saw some good reviews on YouTube, but they were impossible to find. I finally found one at Manny's music. They must be partnered with Heritage as it was shipped right from the Heritage factory in Kalamazoo, MI. 

$449 shipped. (I found a coupon for $50 off, but, it isn't working now, maybe message Heritage directly for a new coupon) I have to say, if you need a nice P90 guitar, here ya go. You'll thank me.

https://deals.bandlab.com/mannys/products/heritage-guitars/ascent-plus-collection-h-137-electric-guitar-cherry

Is this guitar why you sold me your SG Junior two weeks ago?  

[Joe G]

I just checked and the WELCOME50 discount is alive:

 

No more green:

Edited November 12, 2025 by Joe G

[Feynman]

No.

[Tortious]

6 hours ago, santellavision said:

 Manny's music. They must be partnered with Heritage as it was shipped right from the Heritage factory in Kalamazoo, MI.
 

All owned by the same conglomerate.

At https://ascent.heritageguitars.com/ you'll find:

Vista Musical Instruments LLC

225 Parsons St, Kalamazoo, MI 49007

A division of Caldecott Music Group
 

At 'Manny's': https://mannys.com/

Manny's is part of Vista Musical Instruments, home of the world's most admired music brands.

 

Here: https://guitar.com/reviews/electric-guitar/the-big-review-heritage-ascent-plus-h-150/

Editor’s note: Heritage Guitars and Guitar.com are both part of the Caldecott Music Group.

 

And finally: https://bandlabtechnologies.com/brands/bandlab/

BANDLAB TECHNOLOGIES A PART OF CALDECOTT MUSIC GROUP

 

So it's all really one company, with a bunch of names/brands. They are doing good making it appear to be pollinating across the internets.

But the guitars look cool. Of course, I like Tyler and original Dean headstocks. 👽

[crunchee]

I haven't heard about this 'Ascent' line before, looks like it's been around for about six months or so.  I need to get out more (obviously ), but I did find this article about them:

Heritage Ascent+ H-150 review: a lot of guitar for the money

[santellavision]

12 hours ago, Jim85IROC said:

That's a sweet guitar. At $500 it competes directly with the Epi LP Special (which is on sale at GC for $400 currently).  It's going to be tough for Heritage to compete with that, even if their guitar is better.

There's still the stigma out there of the dreaded 'Epiphone' name on the headstock. I think PRS SE's are big competition. I've just had great experience with Heritage guitars over the years and this one is super nice.

 

[mrjamiam]

15 minutes ago, santellavision said:

There's still the stigma out there of the dreaded 'Epiphone' name on the headstock.

And thank goodness for that.  What other brand name do you want on the case when you take your nice guitars out of the house, to keep thieves' interest unstimulated?

[Jim85IROC]

4 minutes ago, santellavision said:

There's still the stigma out there of the dreaded 'Epiphone' name on the headstock. I think PRS SE's are big competition. I've just had great experience with Heritage guitars over the years and this one is super nice.

 

I'm not disputing the quality of this guitar or the US Heritage guitars.  Unfortunately I haven't had the chance to try out either, but I hope to.  My comment was strictly on whether this price point positions it well in the market.  Sure there's a stigma against Epi, but I suspect that those who hold that opinion probably don't think much more highly of other guitars in that same price range either.  Love Epi or hate them, they're a juggernaut in the budget market, and Heritage is coming in as a relatively unknown brand (at least in that segment) and they're putting out a guitar line that at least on paper appears to be identical to the Epis, for the same money as the epi, with no real reputation to back it up.  This price range is a crowded market and on paper it doesn't look like Heritage is bringing anything above and beyond what other brands already bring.  Higher quality is obviously a big plus, but it will take time for the market to identify that.  I guess I'm just skeptical because I don't want to see the Heritage import line end up with the same fate as the Hamer line. 

[Jimbilly]

for low price imports, you're probably getting Cort if it's from Indonesia, and IYV if it's Vietnam?, who knows if it's from China? so the brand name isn't all that important (with the exception of PRS, which from the Philip McKnight video has it's own shop/building at Cort).

 Based on my experience with two from Amazon (an Eart and a IYV) I would lean towards trying an IYV off Amazon, those are just crazy cheap (Leo Jaymz get similar reviews at that stupid cheap price point, but I haven't tried any of those). I read someplace that IYV makes Harley Benton, I had one of those last spring (HSS, ss frets, decent bridge, locking tuners) I liked it.  I actually like and play the <$300 fan fret headless IYV 5 string bass I bought a few months ago, I've showed it to a couple of other local solid players and they agreed that it is actually kind of good.  Keep the packaging and send it back if you get a bad one.  

[ZR]

I looked at a close-up of the back of the headstock on a heritage h150 ascent Plus and it was from China

[Hbom]

Golly! I'm so old I can remember when I could find USA made Hamers for $4-500.00.

Glad I kept 'em. Don't need no silly Heritage imitations.

 

PS. I admit that if they were making a junior like that, I might be tempted.

[santellavision]

Just a little update. 

After the honeymoon period, I still love this axe. Plays so nice and I seem to grab it when I want to just have some fun. 
I did swap out the pickups with some Tone Hatch Handwound Hawgmawlin' P90s (GREAT pickups by-the-way for $100/set) and some better pots/wiring. I also ordered a better wrap-tail for it. I'll put that on next, when I get it.

P.S. The 10% off deal is back at Manny's
https://mannys.com/

 

Edited December 9, 2025 by santellavision

[RobB]

So, Ernie, your $500 guitar is now an $900 guitar?🤣