The Heritage H-535 was first introduced in 1987. The Heritage Guitars company was founded in 1985 by ex-employees of the Gibson guitar factory in Parsons Street, Kalamazoo, Michigan. The Heritage took over the old Gibson factory including the machines originally used to make the Gibson guitars. The H-535 is a reinterpretation of the Gibson ES-335, although slightly thinner.

HERITAGE made the first H-535 20th Anniversary in 2005

Production of the H-535 Custom began in 1991 and ended in 1992

The Heritage H-555 is an ES-335 style thinline semi-hollow body first introduced in 1989. The H-555 is a fancier version of the Heritage H-535, with ebony fingerboard, fancier fingerboard inlays, curly maple neck (mahogany neck from 2008 onwards), usually better figured woods, gold plated hardware and binding. It has a 17 degree peghead pitch; one-piece curly maple neck; single white bound mother of pearl and abalone inlaid head veneer. The 22 fret ebony fingerboard has a scale length 24.75", single ply white binding and distinctive mother of pearl and abalone inlays

HERITAGE manufactured the H-574 between 1989 and 1991