Jalex Posted August 16, 2016 Share Posted August 16, 2016 Got to play this at my local shop this morning. It sounded great and played very nicely. I'm tempted to get it but I'm not knowledgeable enough about vintage models to know if this is a fair deal or not. The guitars is in solid shape, it has some wear and a couple of repaired cracks. The one at the end of the fretboard has moved the pickguard over slightly so there is a slight gap between the guard and neck binding. Comes with a Martin case also which I guess is not a big deal I realize it's a players guitar. So what do you guys think? here's the reverb listing http://rvrb.io/1963-hummingbird-ap8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted August 16, 2016 Share Posted August 16, 2016 If this guitar plays good and sounds the way you like a Hummingbird to sound, I'd say you have a deal. The upper bout scar is nothing and as long as there's no loose braces and the truss rod works, I'd press the button. (do check the bridge-plate too.) A Martin case, , , and so what, , , no MOP dots on that new bridge, , , , a detail not worth noticing. I look forward to see what happens here, , , and perhaps eventually hear the flier. Stay focused and informative Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldCowboy Posted August 16, 2016 Share Posted August 16, 2016 Appears to be an excellent player-grade vintage 'bird at a reasonable price for today's market. The rest depends mostly on you, and I can't speak to that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smurfbird Posted August 16, 2016 Share Posted August 16, 2016 If you don't buy this guitar, I might. So, please, for my sake, buy it. I already have a '67 or so Bird, a 64 J45, B25, a '66 LG0, LG1, and '61 LG3. Let me know what you decide! (Phenix City! Recently watched a B-Movie about the sinful town! Sounded good to me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyearspickn Posted August 16, 2016 Share Posted August 16, 2016 It looks really clean to me. Probably owned by a little old lady that only played it on Sundays. I'd go for it. I wasn't aware of Kalamazoo using plastic bridges on H'birds back then. I had an LG1 that had one - but I thought they used real wood on their top rung guitars. Regardless - this '63 looks like it's more than 'a player'. It's got mojo. Scoop it up, or you'll have non-buyer's remorse for the rest of your life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldCowboy Posted August 17, 2016 Share Posted August 17, 2016 It looks really clean to me. Probably owned by a little old lady that only played it on Sundays. I'd go for it. I wasn't aware of Kalamazoo using plastic bridges on H'birds back then. I had an LG1 that had one - but I thought they used real wood on their top rung guitars. Regardless - this '63 looks like it's more than 'a player'. It's got mojo. Scoop it up, or you'll have non-buyer's remorse for the rest of your life. Plastic bridges were inflicted, intermittently, on everything 'cept the Dove and J-200. Some got wood (that sounds wrong...) and others didn't. Don't know if it was a batch-to-batch thing, but I'd suspect so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jalex Posted August 17, 2016 Author Share Posted August 17, 2016 Thanks for the replys guys. I will head down there tomorrow and play it again, (assuming it's still there) and make a decision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duluthdan Posted August 17, 2016 Share Posted August 17, 2016 Thanks for the replys guys. I will head down there tomorrow and play it again, (assuming it's still there) and make a decision. Observe whether or not there is finger divot wear on the fretboard that needs to be tended to, and the condition of those first few frets, they may need replacing ? Also, try and find out if the neck was reset at the same time the new bridge (and bridge plate?) were replaced. My guess is that even if you were to need a neck reset, all new frets, and the fingerboard planned, you might be looking at an extra $1,500. So $2,900 + $1,500 = $4,400. Not outrageous for a good playing '63 bird, but its a bit harder to swallow than that $2,900 sale price. I notre that the sale price was reduced from $3,750. I wonder why? Perhaps a few of the items I mentioned above need tending to ? Good luck ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smurfbird Posted August 17, 2016 Share Posted August 17, 2016 Not necessarily, Dan. Sometimes a shop tries a higher price and when the offers come in much lower and/or there's no more action, they'll consider a serious reduction. I recently grabbed a '64 B25 for $1200 that had been listed around $1850, which was high but not nearly as high as some other B25s for sale. Someone here suggested that B25s shouldn't go for more than $900. That may have been true a few years ago-- and you may find an anxious seller-- but even LG1s are coming in over 1K. Many buyers on Reverb are looking for DEEP discounts. Many sellers are shooting for the moon. Finding that unhappy medium where both buyers and sellers felt they gave away too much takes a lot of patience. That said, I hope Jalex gives that guitar a good looking over and negotiates a good price for himself. Either buy it or report here why I shouldn't!! Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jalex Posted August 17, 2016 Author Share Posted August 17, 2016 Good points duluthdan, there was some fret wear on the first 3 frets. The neck was straight as an arrow and it played great all the way up the neck. It's easy to get excited and overlook the details which I probably did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimt Posted August 17, 2016 Share Posted August 17, 2016 I notice a repair along side the fingerboard on the Top... also a few touch ups.. I would check on the repairs and see how well they have been done.. just so you don't have to spend more after buying.. Btw.. I kinda of view appearance in every aspect when paying top dollar.. it should be fairly Clean.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldCowboy Posted August 17, 2016 Share Posted August 17, 2016 Just remember - the guitar is 53 years old and didn't spend its life as a wallflower. It's easy to get detail-oriented paranoia. Judge her fairly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted August 17, 2016 Share Posted August 17, 2016 Man, if that guitar is sound structurally and plays / sounds the way it should i would absolutely jump at it - $2,900 for a 63' Bird is a steal ...these guitars normally go in the $6-7k range. Thats cheaper than a new Hummingbird Vintage. or wanna be 60's Bird - you can have the real deal. All that in mind ... it does make me wonder why the price is so massively low.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lars68 Posted August 17, 2016 Share Posted August 17, 2016 Man, if that guitar is sound structurally and plays / sounds the way it should i would absolutely jump at it - $2,900 for a 63' Bird is a steal ...these guitars normally go in the $6-7k range. Thats cheaper than a new Hummingbird Vintage. or wanna be 60's Bird - you can have the real deal. All that in mind ... it does make me wonder why the price is so massively low.... I agree EA, it kind of looks too good to be true, but with that said, I bought a 1942 J-45 online (from Guitar Center of all places) that was also priced surprisingly low. That guitar turned out great, so strange pricing does happen... Good luck! Lars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smurfbird Posted August 17, 2016 Share Posted August 17, 2016 I contacted the seller and was told the guitar sold today. Jalex had said he was passing on it. Second thoughts? Anyone here buy it? I'm glad someone did. I really wasn't in a position to buy ANOTHER guitar. Not until my J200 sells. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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