There's a big drop off from being the best to having someone buy your name and producing a product that's light years inferior to the original.
I've played a real New Yorker and the current batch of D'Angelico guitars are an insult.
John D'Angelico must be spinning in his grave.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_D'Angelico
In the case of D'Angelico I agree 100% that badge engineering doesn't work. It can work very well though. Take the Japanese Gretsch line for example; compared with some of the woeful 50s and 60s examples I've seen they're in a different league altogether-flawlessly made with great attention to detail and very comfortable playability
Gretsch guitars from the 50's used horrible glues and the bindings just flaked off and broke apart.
Having said that, these guitars, with all their issues, were unique and iconic.
I had a 1955 Gretsch "Cadillac Green" Country Club that sounded superb but had binding issues and needed a neck reset in the worst way.
I bought that CC for $150.00 in the early 80's.
At that time, I didn't know anyone who did neck resets.
I parted with that guitar for a huge profit.
Brian Setzer (then removed from The Bloodless Pharaohs to the beginnings of The Stray Cats) contacted me after it was sold and was a bit disappointed.
Gretsch was bought by Baldwin in 1967.
Baldwin moved Gretsch to Ark. in 1970.
Baldwin Gretsch guitars were pretty bad.
The current line of Gretsch guitars appears to have the same charm as the originals but made more sturdy.
I currently have 3 of the current Duo Jet type guitars.
Gretsch is now being distributed by Fender.
My green sparkle 6129 is a pre - Fender distributed guitar.
I sold/traded off my Japanese Streamliner and one of those 6120 knock offs.
The current batch of Gretsch guitars can stand on their own merit as quality guitars.
The D'Angelico knockoffs do not take quality and sound in a new direction.
These D'Angelico knockoffs are souless cardboard sounding thuds that only resemble orchestral masterpieces of a long gone true master craftsman.
IMO, the current D'Angelico product is just a box with strings attached.
They don't sound good.
There's a big drop off from being the best to having someone buy your name and producing a product that's light years inferior to the original.
I've played a real New Yorker and the current batch of D'Angelico guitars are an insult.
John D'Angelico must be spinning in his grave.
...
The D'Angelico knockoffs do not take quality and sound in a new direction.
These D'Angelico knockoffs are souless cardboard sounding thuds that only resemble orchestral masterpieces of a long gone true master craftsman.
IMO, the current D'Angelico product is just a box with strings attached.
They don't sound good.
Why use the name D'Angelico on a S.Korean guitar?
Oh, yeah, it's called selling.
Heritage is currently ghost-building USA Pro models for D'Angelico - they should be good quality (though I have not played one yet).