Is this the return of Stella? - Page 3

zuzu · #31 05-31-2023, 05:24 AM

Maybe...but why?

drive-south · #32 05-31-2023, 07:16 AM

Original Stella 12 string guitars like the one Leadbelly played have been known to sell for mid 5 figures ($50k+). If Heritage is making Stellas I would expect them to be based on the early Oscar Schmidt Stellas. That said Who knows what the market is. Unfortunately the name Oscar Schmidt has also been relegated to inexpensive imports so the legacy is pretty watered down.

And Heritage guitars has been on life support for years. A few years back they laid off most of their staff. Heritage has the potential to make fine instruments but there have been lots of misses in their history. And their headstocks are still fugly. In an effort to be different, they always seem to gum up their designs with weird inlays like the Eagle/Super Eagles.

Osage · #33 05-31-2023, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drive-south

And Heritage guitars has been on life support for years. A few years back they laid off most of their staff. Heritage has the potential to make fine instruments but there have been lots of misses in their history. And their headstocks are still fugly. In an effort to be different, they always seem to gum up their designs with weird inlays like the Eagle/Super Eagles.

It should be noted that Heritage didn't buy the Stella name, a company from Singapore called Bandlab did. Bandlab also owns Heritage, Harmony, Teisco and a few other names.

7NationArmy · #34 05-31-2023, 05:11 PM

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KarenB · #35 06-03-2023, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldrocker

If so I hope they aren't like the Stella I had as a kid in the 50's, purchased through a Sears Roebuck catalogue. Horrible tinny sound with string relief of about a quarter inch at the 5th fret with no adjustable fret rod. Its amazing I didn't switch to the trumpet.

Ha-Ha. I had a similar experience. OMG--the height of the action. It's amazing I didn't switch to a piccol!o.

Br1ck · #36 06-03-2023, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BWG

all the old harmony's need is a neck reset and they're great.
I have a 1948 patrician flat top that had a neck reset and x brace conversion and it kills my Taylors across the board.

You can do a California neck reset on these, also known as slipping the neck block. This is only worth your time if doing it as entertainment. Likely needs frets too. A great hobby project, but in the end, you have a Stella, the guitar bought for kids by cheap parents. Nice mojo though if you go in for faux flame maple paint jobs.

frankmcr · #37 06-03-2023, 02:07 PM

Didn't somebody make exact (or maybe exact-ish) copies of the Leadbelly 12 string Stella? Like 10-20 years ago?

They were meant to go for fairly big bucks as I recall.

Don't know if the project ever got off the ground.

drive-south · #38 06-10-2023, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankmcr

Didn't somebody make exact (or maybe exact-ish) copies of the Leadbelly 12 string Stella? Like 10-20 years ago?

They were meant to go for fairly big bucks as I recall.

Don't know if the project ever got off the ground.

Tod Cambio's Fraulini guitar company is one.
Del Arte is another. Michael Hauver,
Ralph Bown also has made some. I also ran across a Leadbelly homage made by Franklin Guitar Company (Nick Kucich).

drive-south · #39 06-10-2023, 05:55 PM

And Hans Brentrup made some as well.
Frank Ford has a Dell Arte that he modified on his sites at frets. com.

Silly Moustache · #40 07-07-2023, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankmcr

Didn't somebody make exact (or maybe exact-ish) copies of the Leadbelly 12 string Stella? Like 10-20 years ago?

They were meant to go for fairly big bucks as I recall.

Don't know if the project ever got off the ground.

Yes it was Del'Arte in Southern California I think.
There was one shipped to the UK, and I bought it. 26.5" scale and strung 14/14 to, I think 30/64 or some such.

It was , however a beast to tune, and Toby Walker has one which has had a lot of work done. He used mine when he came to my town.

I think mine eventually went to Norway ???

Silly Moustache · #41 07-07-2023, 06:01 PM

This was my third ever guitar. Loads of things wrong with it but I loved it :

i have two Harmonys now :

and

frankmcr · #42 07-07-2023, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silly Moustache

Yes it was Del'ArteIn Southern California I think.
There was one shipped to the UK, and I bought it. 26.5" scale and strung 14/14 to, I think 30/64 or some such.

It was , however a beast to tune, and a sometime blues player member of this forum has one which has had a lot of work done. Hi used mine when he came to my town.

I think mine eventually went to Norway ???

Thanks! I was wondering how that project worked out.

64, ouch.

cc132 · #43 07-07-2023, 06:14 PM

I think I'd only care about this if they hired Todd Cambio to run the operation and build real-deal, high quality guitars inspired by the early Oscar Schmidt Stellas. Anything else is just a cheap guitar with "Stella" slapped on the headstock. There are already plenty of cheap guitars on the market.

It's like a few years ago when some European bought the Larson Bros. name and put out some modern "Larsons." They didn't have anything to do with any instrument the Larsons ever put out.

Blackmore Fan · #44 07-07-2023, 09:38 PM

Name on the headstock has some value. Playability and sound has some value. The value on a consumer item is always a combination of the pluses and minuses.

mercy · #45 07-08-2023, 01:11 PM

I cant think of a reason to replicate an original Stella. I had one in the 50's and what a dog. I cut the nut and saddle down (common sense) but even at that young age I knew it sounded terrible. The next instrument was a Danelectro electric. It played great though the sound was "unique". It drove me to buy a Stratocaster, the king of guitars.