Jump to content
Gibson Brands Forums

J 45 vintage , Hbird vintage, 60's J 45 review


JuanCarlosVejar

Recommended Posts

All three are awesome instruments. Really sweet. Of the two J45s, I tend to lean more to the last one he played. Love the looks of the first one more, but the last one seems to sound a bit warmer to my ears, and warmth is what I hear in my own J45. Maybe I'm also hearing more of what to me is that Gibson resonance. I could live with any of these three guitars.....Hey, why not live with all three? That would be pretty damn cool. [thumbup] One more thing------Listening to "the bird" is just another example to me that the Hummingbird name is mis-leading. He's strumming this thing lightly and you can almost feel the vibrations of the guitars (at least I can...lol). When needed, this guitar is like Rodan. Remember it? It's the equal and quite likely the superior of most dreads.....I enjoyed watching that. Thanks, JaunCarlos. Good catch.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow, a 1967 J-45 re-issue with a skinny neck, thick pickguard and adjustable bridge? Surprised to see that. Guess we have to go to Japan to get one? I don't see it on GIbson's site and a quick Google search didn't turn anything up.

 

Interesting... to me it sounded pretty much like other contemporary Gibsons. Didn't sound much like my real 1965 J-50. Actually glad they didn't introduce this one last year, I might have gotten it and never found the real 1965 J-50! :)

 

Just to nitpick a little… I wouldn't really call that a "review". More like a sales pitch. But there's nothing wrong with that. [wink]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sometimes I wonder if Gibson acoustics are more popular in Japan than they are here. They go crazy for them. I think the first Hummingbird Vintage models actually ended up in Japan from what I could tell. Mine was supposedly the first one in the US, but they had them in Japan before I had mine!

 

Jeremy did the Hummingbird Vintage proud. Wow. I swear they are about the best sounding guitars. I thought maybe they were the best sounding just to me, but I have changed my mind and think they are basically the best. :) I agree that people think of it as a soft and warm guitar, but it has such richness and resonance. I don't know if it has the cut of my D-18, or the same ceiling, but it doesn't really need it with that richness. In fact, I am shipping both my D-28 and D-18 off Monday... I have an M-36 I'll never sell for the Martin fix, and a 7-28, and the Hummingbird is just sort of the dread to rule all dreads for me. I still don't know about playing bluegrass on it (not that I play bluegrass), but for everything I do... And anyway, I think I could play bluegrass on my M-36 if I needed to. :)

 

Interesting about the '60s J-45 is the neck angle. I have to wonder if that's why it sounds so warm. Seemed to me like it brought it closer to the Hummingbird in terms of warmth but still carried that particular J-45 kind of midrange thing.

 

It was nice to hear Jeremy sing at the end. One great feature of Gibson guitars is how great that are for vocal accompaniment (the Hummingbird in particular). I bet the Japanese folks went crazy for it.

 

Thanks for posting this!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Me too raise a flag for this test - and you posting it, JCV.

 

All 3 are magnificent - have to say the torrefied 45 got me hardest in the first run (will take a few more).

 

 

Jesse - if you ever feel like trading your vintage cream tulips for the a set of greens known from the 'normal' TV's, please call.

 

 

 

Thanx again Fellows ^

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Me too raise a flag for this test - and you posting it, JCV.

 

All 3 are magnificent - have to say the torrefied 45 got me hardest in the first run (will take a few more).

 

 

Jesse - if you ever feel like trading your vintage cream tulips for the a set of greens known from the 'normal' TV's, please call.

 

 

 

Thanx again Fellows ^

 

I might actually think about that! I am not totally sure what I think of the tuners. And I like green an awful lot. I will ask the guitar what it thinks and wait for an answer. I think if Waverly made appropriate green tulip tuners or something to that effect, even the nickel tulips, I'd be curious to try them, but I don't think Waverly makes anything like that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What a great demo and song just goes to show that you really can't better a Gibson for the singer songwriter . Must admit I loved the Hummingbird and the first 45 . Also as I have discovered Gibson acoustics seem to come alive with a nail and thumbpick combination , At first I played mine with nails only then I ordered a couple of Fred Kelly slick picks and it has opened the tone and response from the guitar all for £1.50 . Seems that Gibsons suit the thumbpick yet some guitar don't , strange old world Happy Pickin msp_thumbup.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What a great demo and song just goes to show that you really can't better a Gibson for the singer songwriter . Must admit I loved the Hummingbird and the first 45 . Also as I have discovered Gibson acoustics seem to come alive with a nail and thumbpick combination , At first I played mine with nails only then I ordered a couple of Fred Kelly slick picks and it has opened the tone and response from the guitar all for £1.50 . Seems that Gibsons suit the thumbpick yet some guitar don't , strange old world Happy Pickin msp_thumbup.gif

 

Yep, they do sound great with a thumbpick! I think it's something to do with the Gibson thump/bass. One of my favorite examples:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lK5zYI86wIw

 

I've tried playing with a thumbpick and can't seem to get it. Luckily my big thick calluses sound okay too even though they're repugnant. :) I would love to be able to play with a thumbpick so that I could transition back and forth between fingerpicking and flatpicking, but it seems like I can only manage either fingerpicking with bare fingers, or flatpicking with a flatpick.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1440822955[/url]' post='1689133']

Yep, they do sound great with a thumbpick! I think it's something to do with the Gibson thump/bass. One of my favorite examples:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lK5zYI86wIw

 

I've tried playing with a thumbpick and can't seem to get it. Luckily my big thick calluses sound okay too even though they're repugnant. :) I would love to be able to play with a thumbpick so that I could transition back and forth between fingerpicking and flatpicking, but it seems like I can only manage either fingerpicking with bare fingers, or flatpicking with a flatpick.

 

Yes it's a problem , I tried for years to live with a thumbpick just couldn't hack it , always played country guitar with the hybrid picking , pick and fingers , but missed the use of the first finger . When I play the acoustic guitar ( nearly 100% of the time now ) I never strum with a pick but I use my fingers and thumb bit like James Taylor would . I tried the Herco pick like a plectrum with a thumbpick wrap , still no joy . Then i was watching a clip of Doyle Dykes and discovered the Fred Kelly Speed Pick , bingo I put it on and was strict with myself now I'm used to it just , but the tone improvement is worth the effort . Found the Fred Kellly Slick Pick light gauge has a softer sound , perfect for my kind of music . I once read that if you do something different for a week it can become habit forming . Yes I did walk round the house wearing it , even had it on whilst watching the TV to my wife's amusement msp_smile.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've tried playing with a thumbpick and can't seem to get it.

 

Took me awhile. I also used the Fred Kelly speed picks for awhile but finally ended up with the old fahioned National picks. The Fred Kelly picks are cool but just don't give you that heavy bass Lightnin' sound.

 

You could try this though. Listen to one of Lightnin's songs in E and only play the low E string along with it using a thumb pick. That eventually got me going in the right direction.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Took me awhile. I also used the Fred Kelly speed picks for awhile but finally ended up with the old fahioned National picks. The Fred Kelly picks are cool but just don't give you that heavy bass Lightnin' sound.

 

You could try this though. Listen to one of Lightnin's songs in E and only play the low E string along with it using a thumb pick. That eventually got me going in the right direction.

 

I'll have to give it a shot. One thing I just can't seem to do is how he mutes the bass strings but not the trebles.

 

It would definitely be handy to be able to use a thumbpick unless I discover I can't strum with one or flat pick with one!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'll have to give it a shot. One thing I just can't seem to do is how he mutes the bass strings but not the trebles.

 

It would definitely be handy to be able to use a thumbpick unless I discover I can't strum with one or flat pick with one!

 

 

Not that I can do it , but he's just resting his right hand on the top strings lightly

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not that I can do it , but he's just resting his right hand on the top strings lightly

 

I can do it with a flatpick, but for some reason the act of picking with my fingers renders me utterly unable. Have tried off and on for years. I must hold my hand goofy when I fingerpick or something.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I use the Fred Kelly Speed Pick and the Slick Pick. Both are very comfortable and fit my style of hacking. There really is something about the raspy thump you can get out of a Gibson and the right thumb pick really enhances that sound.......I'd like to see a demo of these three guitars where each guitar's sound is changed abruptly to the next guitar. That way you get an immediate change for your ears to notice. Do it over and over and you start to get an idea of which tone you favor the most.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I use the Fred Kelly Speed Pick and the Slick Pick. Both are very comfortable and fit my style of hacking. There really is something about the raspy thump you can get out of a Gibson and the right thumb pick really enhances that sound.......I'd like to see a demo of these three guitars where each guitar's sound is changed abruptly to the next guitar. That way you get an immediate change for your ears to notice. Do it over and over and you start to get an idea of which tone you favor the most.

 

I agree. That is the way to do it. Makes for more editing is the thing, so people usually don't go the extra mile. I have had a lot of guitars in my life and always meant to do these types of comparisons, but I never do! (Okay, I haven't had that many, but I could have done a D-18 vs D-28 which would have really been apples to apples since the bracing was the same on both... Hummingbird vs. D-18 (definitely apples to oranges there)...)

 

It's handy to have these things on the internet when you want them and are looking for them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Some tasty vocals there from Jeremy .... but why are you putting 80/20's on mahogany Gibsons, lord oh lord ...

 

Pls put some PB's and do it again, way too bright !

 

Well, they do ship with 80/20s, to be fair...! I am not a PB fan at all, but I'd like to try some PBs on my Hummingbird.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Pls put some PB's and do it again, way too bright !

 

I also thought those guitars sounded very bright in the video. Like the sound of brand new strings that weren't broken in yet, and I never cared for that. But really, I have a hard time drawing any conclusions about the sound of a guitar from a recording even though I've got fairly decent Mackie studio monitors connected to a USB interface on my computer.

 

Have never bought a guitar that I didn't try first in person. Doubt that I ever will either. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They shouldnt, thats my point.

 

Because they're too bright? Usually I hear people say they shouldn't ship with them because they go dead too fast.

 

I agree with Boyd that they just sounded like brand new strings, and personally I find brand new PB strings to be some of the most strident, obnoxious tones in existence, and even JP Pure Nickels sound a tad bright when fresh.

 

Other people like the sound of fresh strings... Icky.

 

Anyway, I think Gibson likes to capitalize on their vintage tone, which to me says 80/20 or pure nickel or something along those lines. PB strings were invented in the '70s, I believe, as a way to keep strings from dying so quickly. (I'm sure you know this; just putting it out there anyway :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm curious if anyone can tell what type of strings are used on a professional LP? Can you listen to a Bob Dylan or Neil Young or Ray Lamontagne album and hear whether they're using 80/20 or PB strings? I know my hearing is crap. (I'm nearly completely deaf in my right ear and I have no high end in my left ear.) But can those variations be heard on a record/CD/download?

 

As I've asked before, I'd like to know the specific set-up used by Neil Young on side one of Rust Never Sleeps.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...