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'Bird fancying


Johnt

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Aborted trip to France today means time to look through local and trade papers etc.

 

Bad news fell over a "late 1960s" Humming bird Cherry sunburst at a reasonable price, will arrange a viewing later.

 

Pardon my ignorance as HBs have never appealed much until listening to you lot rave abouit them

 

What are the woods?

 

Any known dodgy bits?

 

Guys says guitar is 1967 ..70, awaiting serial number

 

Thanks

 

John

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HB is mahogany and spruce. Late sixties would have adjustable bridge. These are the classic square shoulder Gibson; famously pictured in Stones' "High Tides......" album. The early ('62-65) ones are desirable, later somewhat less so. They can be great. There is a good classic guitar site, forget the name but you can Google, has a lot of data and values for vintage Gibson, Martin.

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Yes, mahogany back and sides with a sitka spruce top. The neck is mahogany as well with a rosewood bridge and fingerboard. Frets are usually medium to jumbo so they wear well and sound nice and fat. The overall tone of mine is very smooth (It is a 1977) and it has a fixed bone saddle - not an adjustable as someone else had eluded to for earlier models.

 

I find it to be a more versatile guitar than most dreadnoughts, especially the fact that its clean voice works well with fingerstyle. I am no expert player, but I have a sample of this guitar posted if you want to have a listen, but bear in mind that versions of the 'bird older or newer than mine are quite different in tone. The new Hummingbird Artist (much less decorated) is an amazing guitar I would love to own, but I am out of spaces to hang them on the wall and out of cash.

 

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=oPlyIyBKe18

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Thanks guys

 

I have this feeling that the bird song is going to be similar to my SS J45.

 

But you say the bird has got a hog rather than maple neck?

 

Will look at it later, it's just, as you say on your sample BC such a pretty guitar. This particular one is a 1969. There's a 68 on evilbay as well.

 

And thanks RW I will dig out my copy of High Tide Green Grass nothing like a record rather than a CD!

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The H'bird has a great sound. I have grown partial to round shouldered dreds but I realize that should be secondary to what comes out of the soundhole. While checking out the link, I made the mistake of checking out the other videos on the right and listetened to Tommy Emmanuel playing a Kalamazoo and then got "stuck" on his stuff for a while. It really inspired me, yeah, inspired my to cut off one of my hands!! Sheesh, the guy is irritating!! lol Anyway, Johnt, don't lose sight of your REAL goal that rhymes with Ess Jay Three-Hundred! Just think, Tommy Emmanuel could have been English, got out in the nick of time! You could have been neighbors, Johnt. Cheerio.

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I've been looking pretty seriously at a 'Bird too. I played a custom yesterday that was quilted maple...sigh. I am not a big fan of maple, but that guitar sounded incredible. I really want to stick to mahogany though, so the search continues. I know the right one will turn up :)/

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Anyway' date=' Johnt, don't lose sight of your REAL goal that rhymes with Ess Jay Three-Hundred! Just think, Tommy Emmanuel could have been English, got out in the nick of time! You could have been neighbors, Johnt. Cheerio.[/size']

 

You and my wife seem to be in agreement here which is not a nice feeling!

 

Sharon's saying Buy one in Bozeman so are you

 

There's a blond 300 on Ebay at the momoent from the same guy I chickened out of buying a sunburst from a month ago. He also says he can get me another 'burst. It's just so tempting.

 

 

My own thoughts at the moment are turning back to J200 I have mahogony and RW perhaps a maple body would be nice. Sorry Skipm!

 

Hell the rebel in me says buy a Steve Vai 7 string Ibanez in shocking lime green of course but if I did My son would snaffle that from me in seconds.

 

Sticking to my plan, any further GAS attacks from me should result in me being banned from the forum.

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Johnt - if you are serious about a J-200, don't ignore the J-185's. I had a mid-fifties natural way back in the seventies, and I regret passing it on. They were less popular than the J-200, I got mine off a folkie who upgraded to the 200. I liked it 'cause it was a tad smaller, looked the part (abalone block markers, little cross inlays on the bridge) and played a treat (rosewood on mahogany neck). No idea what they fetch these days, but it was a gem of a guitar.

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I have this feeling that the bird song is going to be similar to my SS J45.

 

Hi Johnt,

 

From my experience, the Bird sound a little bit darket (not as bright) as the J45. I tend to say that it sound right between my D28 and the j45...

 

Good luck with your GAS!

 

Kind regards,

 

AL

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Think cunk was looking for an amp.

 

Its a bit more in his price range than mine!

 

thanks, JT and nice to meet you, nik! thanks for stopping by my myspace page to view my plight of reaching a new level of anonimity!

JT - i was in the amp market but i found one i absolutely love here in town - the orange rocker30 w/12" celestion cab. heavenly saturation. aaaaahhh....i put the guitar down, went in the kitchen, had a bite and when i came back it was still aaaaaaaaaaahhh....

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d54UU-fPIsY

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Aborted trip to France today means time to look through local and trade papers etc.

 

Bad news fell over a "late 1960s" Humming bird Cherry sunburst at a reasonable price' date=' will arrange a viewing later.

 

Pardon my ignorance as HBs have never appealed much until listening to you lot rave abouit them

 

What are the woods?

 

Any known dodgy bits?

 

Guys says guitar is 1967 ..70, awaiting serial number

 

Thanks

 

John[/quote']

 

Spruce top, 'hog back and sides. Tone that will, if you aren't prepared for it, make you wet yourself. IF you consider that a dodgy bit.

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