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this is the actual address where your Night Hawk lives

 

"https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/839/28232552757_5f24d6128a_b.jpg"

 

28232552757_5f24d6128a_b.jpg

 

 

 

BTW mihcmac, my 'NIGHTHAWK' just had a complete Neck over-haul. I dragged that Guitar half-way around the world and back. Played it every day from 2003 to 2016 until it was un-playable. Never put a dime into it and it served me well.I did the frets myself once and was able to make it playable, but I am no Professional Luthier. The Hard-Shell Case got so abused, but it still worked, I threw it out. So I had to decide whether to destroy it, pull a Pete Townsend act on it, or give it a second life. Since the 'NIGHTHAWK' is 'out-of-production' I decided to repair it after I found an original 'NIGHTHAWK' Hard-Shell Case in 'like new' condition last December, 2017.

 

I shipped it to SWEETWATER Guitar Repair Facility in Indiana. The entire Neck of the Guitar was re-done, Fret-Board was Sanded, re-planed, re-slotted, 22 new Frets installed & PLEK'd, new BONE NUT cut and installed, all new Abalone In-Lays and new Bass & Treble Neck Bindings were installed. The back of the Neck's paint was 'BLED' and then waxed and buffed until like new (even though wear marks are still visible, the neck is smooth as silk!), tuner machines tightened and lubed. The amount of work done took 60 Man-hours, all billable (OWCH!) and the neck is as if new now, and that is from being un-playable. The Luthier's @ SWEETWATER did a great job on it, and it cost enough to where they should have. Only one thing is not perfect: the 12TH Fret IN-Lays are slightly not as colourful as the rest, as you may be able to see in the pic. The Electronics are all original and now the Guitar is 100% Mechanically perfect, as if it were new, but with a few dings, and one small scratch on the Maple Cap.

 

It will now probably go 'into the Vault' for 10 years, at least, until a few die-off and the Guitar becomes more of a rarity. I repaired this Guitar as I thought that since it is a discontinued GIBSON model and the NIGHTHAWK series has some real fans out there that were sorry to see the series go 'out-of-production' that one day down the road someone will really appreciate what it is. It is unlike the 1970's 'Marauder', that everyone hated.

I played my 'NIGHTHAWK' the other day and I must say I was impressed by it, sounded Razor-Sharp and is reasonably heavy sounding.Surprisingly, It is also a heavier Guitar than my 'SG' Standard by about half a pound.Thanks for posting the picture for me, I tried for months !!!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Updated images of my BluesHawks..

EXDCmyN.jpg

and my hard case of choice for them the Chainsaw Case...

JERWz17.jpg

 

Hello mihcmac, is the Black BLUES-HAWK the one that is considered the 'Li'L Lucille' ?......but if it is the Semi-Hollow Blues-Hawk P-90 model,the regukar 'Lucille' hd no 'F' holes, so IDK if 'Li'l Lucille' did not have 'em too ? it was manufactured WHEN ? it is also not a STANDARD but a 'Special' or which model, to be exact ? That is one of the Guitars I have searched for and had problems finding. If you are interested in selling/trading it....it could be of use to me.

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@WildBill, Little Lucille's said "Little Lucille" on the body above the neck where the Blueshawk has "Blueshawk".

They also had a TP6 bridge and the Varitone switch.

Much different sound than the string through standard BH

I can't post a pic but here's a link.

https://reverb-res.cloudinary.com/image/upload/s--ryB84lr2--/a_exif,c_limit,e_unsharp_mask:80,f_auto,fl_progressive,g_south,h_620,q_90,w_620/v1377018302/akcwcmuavleqbjnav8gc.jpg

 

D

Edited by dReit1
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Hello mihcmac, is the Black BLUES-HAWK the one that is considered the 'Li'L Lucille' ?......but if it is the Semi-Hollow Blues-Hawk P-90 model,the regukar 'Lucille' hd no 'F' holes, so IDK if 'Li'l Lucille' did not have 'em too ? it was manufactured WHEN ? it is also not a STANDARD but a 'Special' or which model, to be exact ? That is one of the Guitars I have searched for and had problems finding. If you are interested in selling/trading it....it could be of use to me.

 

@WildBill, Little Lucille's said "Little Lucille" on the body above the neck where the Blueshawk has "Blueshawk".

They also had a TP6 bridge and the Varitone switch.

Much different sound than the string through standard BH

I can't post a pic but here's a link.

https://reverb-res.c...leqbjnav8gc.jpg

 

D

The Little Lucille was a unique product line that seemed to parallel Gibson's Blues Hawk on years of production 1996 to 2006. Available only in Black, BB style, the Little Lucille is said to be a variant but is much harder to find than a Blues Hawk and brings a much higher price...

1200px-Gibson_Little_Lucille.jpg

Seen above resting very nicely in what I believe to be a Gibson Deluxe SG Hard Case. The Gibson designated Hard Case, which will fit any Hawk design quite well, but keep in mind that the SG is a longer guitar and it will leave some excess room in the headstock area. I also have this exact same case.

 

In addition I have the Epiphone Deluxe SG Hard Case that the body area is way too loose to protect the Hawk guitars very well.

 

I really do like the fit my LP Chainsaw case. But lately I have found that a standard LP Hard Case also works, even though its not an exact profile match....

 

My main concern, with the Hard Cases, is that the bolsters hold the Hawk securely keeping it from sliding back and forth and getting damaged......

Edited by mihcmac
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The Little Lucille was a unique product line that seemed to parallel Gibson's Blues Hawk on years of production 1996 to 2006. Available only in Black, BB style, the Little Lucille is said to be a variant but is much harder to find than a Blues Hawk and brings a much higher price...

1200px-Gibson_Little_Lucille.jpg

Seen above resting very nicely in what I believe to be a Gibson Deluxe SG Hard Case. The Gibson designated Hard Case, which will fit any Hawk design quite well, but keep in mind that the SG is a longer guitar and it will leave some excess room in the headstock area. I also have this exact same case.

 

In addition I have the Epiphone Deluxe SG Hard Case that the body area is way too loose to protect the Hawk guitars very well.

 

I really do like the fit my LP Chainsaw case. But lately I have found that a standard LP Hard Case also works, even though its not an exact profile match....

 

My main concern, with the Hard Cases, is that the bolsters hold the Hawk securely keeping it from sliding back and forth and getting damaged......

 

HELLO mihcmac, I appreciate the reply. U know, one of the hardest things for me to find was a case for my NIGHTHAWK, after the original got so beat up it was falling apart and almost useless. It took 5 years to actually find an original Hard-Shell NIGHTHAWK case w/Inerterior Shroud and Lock...BUT I GOT ONE.

 

I called GIBSON USA in 2013 and they put me in touch w/their manufacturer in Canada (Cross Creek Case's ??) and they wanted $500 for a new Custom made NH Case, I passed....and then one day on Craigslist back in December 2017, there it was.....in MINT CONDITION,an actual Hard Shell NIGHTHAWK STANDARD Case w/Interior Shroud and Lock......ICFBI, 5 years after I started the search...there it was! so I got on it and paid $145 and my NIGHTHAWK rest's easy in it now.

 

 

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@WildBill, Little Lucille's said "Little Lucille" on the body above the neck where the Blueshawk has "Blueshawk".

They also had a TP6 bridge and the Varitone switch.

Much different sound than the string through standard BH

I can't post a pic but here's a link.

https://reverb-res.c...leqbjnav8gc.jpg

 

D

 

Isn't it kind of in-correct to have a 'Lil Lucille' that has 'F' Holes ? From what I remember, after B.B. King had his Signature Guitar made for him by GIBSON 'MEMPHIS' he had no 'F' Holes in 'Lucille'. I am sure that the Guitars Mr. King was playing from the 1930's until GIBSON made his signarure models had 'F' Holes in them, especially the one he dragged out of the burning night-club, but the 'LUCILLE's GIBSON 'MEMPHIS' made were made to Mr. King's specs, w/no 'F' Holes. I'm sure U C my point.

 

TNX, I know what you mean about posting pics on this website. It's a project, rather than a simple file- upload.

Edited by Wild Bill 212
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Isn't it kind of in-correct to have a 'Lil Lucille' that has 'F' Holes ? From what I remember, after B.B. King had his Signature Guitar made for him by GIBSON 'MEMPHIS' he had no 'F' Holes in 'Lucille'. I am sure that the Guitars Mr. King was playing from the 1930's until GIBSON made his signarure models had 'F' Holes in them, especially the one he dragged out of the burning night-club, but the 'LUCILLE's GIBSON 'MEMPHIS' made were made to Mr. King's specs, w/no 'F' Holes. I'm sure U C my point.

 

TNX, I know what you mean about posting pics on this website. It's a project, rather than a simple file- upload.

Gibson did have cases for the Hawk line for a while but they are very hard to find now.. you got lucky..

The Gibson B.B. King Little Lucille.. I never saw him play one but BB signed off on it..

big_s-l1600.jpg

 

In BB's Lucille F holes were not included to help eliminate feedback.. The Blues Hawk and Little Lucille don't feedback..

Edited by mihcmac
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Isn't it kind of in-correct to have a 'Lil Lucille' that has 'F' Holes ? From what I remember, after B.B. King had his Signature Guitar made for him by GIBSON 'MEMPHIS' he had no 'F' Holes in 'Lucille'. I am sure that the Guitars Mr. King was playing from the 1930's until GIBSON made his signarure models had 'F' Holes in them, especially the one he dragged out of the burning night-club, but the 'LUCILLE's GIBSON 'MEMPHIS' made were made to Mr. King's specs, w/no 'F' Holes. I'm sure U C my point.

 

TNX, I know what you mean about posting pics on this website. It's a project, rather than a simple file- upload.

 

It could be in-correct. I don't know about that. I only stated what little I know about the guitar. Most of which concerned the differences between the 1st run of Blueshawks and the Little Lucille version. I assume that BB & Gibson discussed it and decided what was or wasn't correct. As you say they were made to Mr. King's specs.

 

D

Edited by dReit1
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Aside form the Blueshawks and the infamous Little Lucille - which dreit convinced me earlier that it wasn't "all that" becuase it was not a string-through body which I highly prefer about the Hawks - the 90's Nighthawks are just absolutely awesome - hence my screen name. This is my weapon of choice and boy is it a wonderful piece of work. I personally prefer the 3-pickup version hands down. I have a couple Les Pauls, a Strat, and a Telecaster, but my Nighthawks are my favorite to play. I don't care for the Epi-Hawks too much for various reasons, but I did have an Epi-hawk for many years until I traded it recently for an American Stratocaster. Have't regretted it ever since. Nonetheless, I cannot vouch for the Epi-Blueshawk - and I am not saying the Epi-Hawk is a bad guitar... Just saying the big G is definitely an improvement, and there was no need for me to have an Epi-hawk after I had my hands on a "real" Nighthawk.

I have never owned but played a NightHawk in a music store. Its not likely that I will own one because I only use P-90's, but the Gibson NightHawk I played was pretty hot, I just do not like humbuckers any more, I am more into tone. I got into the BluesHawk because it makes the most advanced use of P-90's I have found so far and I don't have to live in the retro world anymore.

 

The Gibson B.B. King Little Lucille shares a lot of components with the BluesHawk but has the bridge setup and a few other parts common to BB's Lucille. The Little Lucille was in limited production for 10 years.

 

I own a conglomeration of Epi's and Gib's, the guitars shown below I am actively playing.

0aCKrlC.jpg

I have done mods to a few of them since the time I put this photo menagerie together..

Edited by mihcmac
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Aside form the Blueshawks and the infamous Little Lucille - which dreit convinced me earlier that it wasn't "all that" becuase it was not a string-through body which I highly prefer about the Hawks - the 90's Nighthawks are just absolutely awesome - hence my screen name. This is my weapon of choice and boy is it a wonderful piece of work. I personally prefer the 3-pickup version hands down. I have a couple Les Pauls, a Strat, and a Telecaster, but my Nighthawks are my favorite to play. I don't care for the Epi-Hawks too much for various reasons, but I did have an Epi-hawk for many years until I traded it recently for an American Stratocaster. Have't regretted it ever since. Nonetheless, I cannot vouch for the Epi-Blueshawk - and I am not saying the Epi-Hawk is a bad guitar... Just saying the big G is definitely an improvement, and there was no need for me to have an Epi-hawk after I had my hands on a "real" Nighthawk.

 

Yes, you are correct Sir, about the 1990's NIGHTHAWK's. I happened on a 1994 STANDARD 3 P-Up model in 2003, like new, and I had never heard of them but I picked it up and BANG !! I bought it on the spot. It was my #1 until 2015 when it had such dented frets it was un-playable. It took such a beating that it was either going to get a Townsend act put on it, or I was going to redo the Frets/In-Lays/Bindings/Nut and basically a complete Neck over-haul. The deciding factor was that I was able to find an original NIGHTHAWK case in MINT condition, so after I got that I had the NECK redone and my NIGHTHAWK is back to being as BAD-A$$ as the day I got it ! There is a picture of it above, in this thread....

 

I haven't played it much lately but I broke it out the other day and it really is a BAD-A$$ li'l axe, One of, if not the, best of my Guitars for playing Leads. I remembered why I loved it so much. In a way I'm glad GIBSON stopped making them, coz mine is like new mechanically, and it just might go in the vault for 10-15 years...... and then see what its worth then ! Unlike the 1970's Marauder's, there are some real NIGHTHAWK Fans out there...

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I have never owned but played a NightHawk in a music store. Its not likely that I will own one because I only use P-90's, but the Gibson NightHawk I played was pretty hot, I just do not like humbuckers any more, I am more into tone. I got into the BluesHawk because it makes the most advanced use of P-90's I have found so far and I don't have to live in the retro world anymore.

 

 

I own a conglomeration of Epi's and Gib's, the guitars shown below I am actively playing.

0aCKrlC.jpg

I have done mods to a few of them since the time I put this photo menagerie together..

 

Nice rack dude! But to be honest, Gibson's Bh doesn't really have P90s.(Blues90) But I think the Epiphone does.

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Nice to know here are some enthusiasts of the NH. I haven't cared much for the reissues or basically the redesigns of this guitar before the 2013 year. And I don't know why Gibson doesn't remake the 90s style (exactly as it should be with perhaps different finishes) instead of their other ridiculous - for lack of better terms - models. I mean I have to think that a new NH will sell MUCH better than their modern "Star Trek" V guitar. All I can ask is not to make a neon NH!!! That will be just so stupid IMHO. Whatever it's a pipe dream and Gibson claims to be innovative with quality and such but that's a bunch of BS. well at least they had some years between 93-98 they did some things right. What happened to them afterwards??? Anyhow thanks for the feedback. Much appreciated!

 

The NIGHTHAWK did not sell well and it is why it was discontinued, which is understandable, I guess. IDK, as far as I can see with the NIGHTHAWK, all it really needed was a better Bridge Pick-Up. That aside, the one I have is a BAD-A$ li'l guitar, people say its too small but it is actually heavier than my 'SG' Standard. One thing I have heard from some player's is that if someone wanted a Fender or Ibanez sounding Guitar, they would buy a Fender or an Ibanez. Personally, I do not like the tones of Fender or Ibanez guitars and I never use the single coil P-Up on my NIGHTHAWK, and never use the Bridge P-Up by itself. I pretty much use the Mini-Hummer P-Up on the Neck and sometimes with the Bridge P-Up added for some umph, but then...... only with the Tone turned way down.

 

When I think about it, the NIGHTHAWK should have been a winner, instead of an also ran. From my experience, GIBSON could screw up anything, for no good reason.......and they do, a lot. I've learned to stay away from some things that GIBSON does. I just wait, and when a Guitar comes along with what I want on it, like the 2017 SG STANDARD (57's, Angel Wing Pickguard, Rolled Binding).......I grab it, as I now know it may not come back next year and with GIBSON he who hesitates is lost.....an example: in 2018 GIBSON changed the P-Up's on the 'SG' STANDARD to the too HOT ,IMO, '61 Re-issue's, and ruined the 'SG' Special w/Mini-Hummer's..........all with a 22% price increase......unbelievable.

Edited by Wild Bill 212
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Nice rack dude! But to be honest, Gibson's Bh doesn't really have P90s.(Blues90) But I think the Epiphone does.

I use the term P-90 loosely as its kind of a generic term for this style of fat single coil pickup, like P-100's and P-94's. The Blues 90 is very similar to the basic P-90 except that it doesn't have adjustable pole screws, the poles are magnets in a fixed position.

 

Very impressive collection sir! I dig ��

I think the entire Hawk line from the Hawk to the Night Hawk and the Blues Hawk were all highly underrated killer guitars, possibly overshadowed by the popularity of LP's even though Hawks are more comfortable and easier to play even with a 25.5" scale neck. All of my guitars play like silk all the way to the 22nd fret, but if Halema'uma'u starts spitting lava at me and I only had time to grab one, it would be my Blueshawk.

 

Below one of the variations a 97 Gibson "The Hawk"...

big%20gibson%20hawkDSCN3779.jpg

Edited by mihcmac
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I get you. And thanks for not letting me drag us into that conversation. After I posted I started worrying that I might have opened that can of worms again. There were some pretty heated arguments over that setup. I think that in the end everyone almost agreed that adding a dummy coil makes the Blues90 a HB no matter how you slant it. But most agreed that it worked well in the BH.

D

Agreed.. The G BH dummy coil makes the Blues90 act like a HB while still having a bit of the desired growl and getting a more bluesy sound kind of strat like. In my comparison with E Bh having the P-90 Pro has more growl that you would expect from a 50's style P-90. One note about the BH/Bh's is that the dummy coil is only in the circuit when the switch is in single pickup position, when the switch is in mid position the main pickups both on they are wired to act as an HB.

 

Top is E Bh component wiring, bottom is G BH component wiring..

 

LZ1pXCS.jpg

Not your average wiring. The 3-way switch is the most complex, enabling and disabling the dummy coil, I have examined both G and E under high magnification and found their layout of components and wiring to be almost identical. The rotary switches are different types, mechanical function the same, both 12 position limited to 6 with an IC providing an array of dampening or bypass.

Edited by mihcmac
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In those Blueshawks' internal circuitry, those "IC"s are actually capacitor arrays. The function is to provide different capacitances on the tone end which will affect the frequency response of the pickup that is ultimately sent to the output jack to an amplifier.

Yes that is correct.. But once multiple components and functions are combined into one device, it becomes a circuit or integrated circuit.. [thumbup]

Edited by mihcmac
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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 6 months later...

Here's my Nighthawks. Left to right:

  • 1993 Vintage Sunburst SP3
  • 1997 Fireburst ST3 w/ Schaller (Floyd) Tremolo
  • 1996 Fireburst CST3
  • 1994 Fireburst CST3

CXfEdUz.jpg

I really like the one with the Floyd style tremolo...

Edited by mihcmac
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I really like the one with the Floyd style tremolo...

 

Thanks mihcmac! I just happened to run into that one a couple years ago at a music store in Lansing MI (Elderly Instruments) and I couldn't refuse it... It looks real nice even with a more plain-like top as compared with the CST3's. My personal favorite is the 1996 CST3 and this picture doesn't do the top justice. The red looks like a blur always on the camera under the light in my music room, but up close, it is a beaut! Anyhow, I never thought I'd run into another NH with a Floyd tremolo, so I picked it up the day I saw it.

 

EDIT: Here's a pic of the top - which is my avatar on this forum at the moment. Trying to do this guitar some justice here...

Tvv3WKd.jpg

 

Edited by NighthawkChris
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I got my Blueshawk maybe a dozen years ago. It was gigged and it's not in any shape that a cork sniffer would touch, but that's what I like about it. The varitone is the best I have tried. Others like the 345 and 137 custom really need a volume pedal to use much past the bypass setting but the Blueshawk volume drop is vastly different and negligible.

 

 

post-48589-004632800 1551277885_thumb.jpg

 

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I got my Blueshawk maybe a dozen years ago. It was gigged and it's not in any shape that a cork sniffer would touch, but that's what I like about it. The varitone is the best I have tried. Others like the 345 and 137 custom really need a volume pedal to use much past the bypass setting but the Blueshawk volume drop is vastly different and negligible.

 

 

post-48589-004632800 1551277885_thumb.jpg

 

Extreme varitone ,specialy, on 5 and 6 when the tone pot is set to zero, produces sounds you normally can't get without a wah pedal. [thumbup]

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  • 4 weeks later...

I just recently upgraded my Epi Blueshawk with a Duesenberg Tremola Short (similar to a B5 tremolo). Had to modify the bridge plate to allow the strings to pass over the top and out the back to reach the tremolo.

 

Because of the Blueshawk's minimal neck angle of its 25.5" scale neck, I could not find a decent replacement bridge that could go down low enough for the 13/32" string height (less than 7/16"). Only a few replacement bridges start at a minimum height of 1/2" minimum where most common are 5/8"and up.. I was considering grinding down the bottom of a TOM bridge so it would go lower..

 

I drilled below the saddle screw holes and moved the saddle screws down to the new hole causing the saddles to be at more of an angle.

biAzMFu.jpg

I may do the same thing to my 97 Gibson Blues Hawk after refining the process on my Epi. One issue is the Epi bridge plate is beefier giving you more material to work with than the Gibson bridge plate, I'm sure it can be carefully done.

 

Note: This is the same bridge used on the Night Hawk and a few others. My Gibson Blues Hawk bridge below...

CmCyDBr.jpg

Edited by mihcmac
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  • 4 months later...

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