BoSoxBiker

I'm curious to understand the "quaky" descriptor. Do you mean to say that the sound didn't hold together when riding it a little more aggressively? Do you think that 1960 Reissue and it's caramel color would be a lot more appealing if you got the sound/feel you were after? It might be worth it to go try that 1960 as it's been mentioned by others here as being unlike any others they've tried. That said, you've dug the Sheryl Crow CW. but don't have it because of the lack of red flair. Obviously an important aspect. I understand the concept. A red SJ-200? I'm sure you do this already, but back in the day when I got to test drive, I brought a small sampling of picks with me.

That sounds like a good plan to me, I'm looking forward to hearing where you land and you impressions of them comped.

Oh wow, that is short after all. Keeps your scale lengths the same. Be careful of the verbiage of "Vintage" on the 2016. It might be a standard with the "Vintage Cherry Sunburst" color and not the actual "True Vintage(TV)" with the baked top. Mine is a 2018 Hummingbird Standard with the Vintage Cherry Sunburst(bright red sunburst) and I love it. It's not got so much of that broken in loose low end like I've heard in videos for the 1960 Fixed Bridge. Mine has a bit more chirp in it, so to speak.

I think so. Advanced is what it says. I don't know if that's different from forward nor what it does to tone aside from volume/projection.

I searched the tube over in search of a sound sample and could not find one.

There's another '05 for sale down yonder here in cackilacky. Close enough to maybe take a drive to check it out. It's a Gibson CS and has rosewood back & sides. At lest I think it's RW. https://lowevintage.com/item/guitars-gibson/j-185-custom-shop/

As expensive as these things are, an hour train ride to try out one of your options sounds like a good thing. The Hummingbird and the Sheryl Crow CW have different bracing. I have no personal experience comparing these two guitars with this bracing difference. Perhaps someone who has will share their insights.

Yes, that SC CW pickup system sounds awful in that video. I can't believe Gibson isn't begging for a re-shoot. 🙂 I've still not decided one way or another if I like that brownish hue to it like that or not. My wife has, but in fairness, she likes my HB Standard and my Love Dove the best. (both bright cherry burst)

That's not just Taylor making big deals out of string spacing. Seems like it's everywhere. I even read/watched someone saying that the trend was 1-3/4, but is starting to shift more towards 1-23/32. Similar can be said for the bridge/saddle spacing. Folks have their preferences. It takes me a couple songs every time I break my Martin (1.75") out after I've had my Gibsons (1.72") out for a while. FWIW, changing from scale length to scale length takes the same minimal amount of time. I've often had my Taylor and my Hummingbird out together. As long as I've played both recently, i can switch from on to the other without making anything more than a sub-conscience adjustment. As far as neck thicknesses, I've got one guitar - a Tele - that I use for any open-G Keith Richards style playing because of Arthritis. Measuring from 1st fret and 12th fret - I can play for an hour at .96" - 1.02". I can play a couple songs at .94" to 1.02" before I have to stop due to intense arthritis pain. I tried one lower at .92" to 1.00" and I could not even finish Gimme Shelter one time. I've got a trigger point in my left thumb that flares up big time. Hurt just thinking about it.

I found several videos when I was poking around over the past couple of months, but nothing directly comparing the 1960 CS HC Hummingbird and the SC CW. I did find one that compares a HB Original and a SC CW. If you've listened to enough "Original vs 1960", you might be able to get a feeling for where the 1960 might slot within the test. I also put two videos below it from the same company in the same room, mics,, but different players. One's with the 1960 and one's with the SC CW. Not easy in the terms of direct compare at all. The HB Original vs SC CW compare... And the two individual test drives

Any chance it could be seller error on the scale length?

Could you link to some pics? I you might be looking at a one-off. Does it have a quilted maple back & sides? edit - Here's an example, though it's not the bright red like they did a year or two before. Hummingbird CS Quilted

And never mind. I goofed and mis read something on a store's website. My bad.

Welcome to the forum. Not many of us here like Hummingbirds at all, or even remember sometimes that they exist. Just kidding! 🙂 One of the differences in the Country Western and the '60's Historic Collection is advanced bracing on the CW. I've seen a couple comparison videos on the CW and HB Standard, but not the historic Collection HB. There's a thread I'm sure you've found by now that started off as another which pick on a hummingbird discussion, but turned into mini bird-fest.

Could also be factors of Sitka vs Adirondack spruce tops.

I think of the Country Western as played & tracked on that video to be some sort of souped up Hummingbird. Timing is good that during this little sidebar thread I've got my HB Standard and my J-45 Banner Historic beside me on my rack. Obviously not the same as the guitars discussed of in the videos, but still a nice sloped vs squared shoulder style comparison - even if they are one-holed freak of nature guitars.

I've been a day late twice. Both were 2014's.

Indeed - I found the comp I was looking for, but it's two different videos. Same player, room, mic. No idea on pic, strings, mood, astronomy indicators, etc.

The surprising answer to me - not much. I thought there was more. Slope vs square. I had thought there was more differences in the specs. http://aws2.gibson.com/Products/Acoustic-Instruments/Round-Shoulder/Gibson-Acoustic/Sheryl-Crow-Southern-Jumbo-Special-Edition.aspx

I might be in a minority, but I like the idea of limited run variations that come out. I've only got one of them if you don't count the HC/TV types. I'll pass on most like most folks do, but if that special one comes up again - eg - I'm hopeful we see a Cheryl Crow SJ come back out someday.

An early congratulations, then! Looking forward to the pics and your thoughts on it. I'm not sure if they ever released a number-to-be-made on the Historic Collection. I know they did with the Artist Series' Love Dove because I almost missed out. Two new ones plus a demo left online when I ordered mine.

I fart in your general direction, you tiny-brained food-trough wiper. Your Mother was a Hamster, and your Father smelled of elderberries! Now go away, or I will taunt you a second time! 🙂 edit: It's the little things ...... might be the last forum online where many might remember where I got the above from.

It'd be great if someone here posted some sound clips and/or video of some real world playing. 😎

They got their Martin necks reset? JUST KIDDING!!!!!!! Take it easy! Put down the g.......

A little update - that Bourgeois sound sample did do it for me. It sounded like a really nice guitar, but wasn't really the same as what I played in town. Further investigation reveal two things. The baked Adi top on m J45 and on that Bourgeois were both on the bright side of the spectrum. Second, the one I played had extra scalloping one the Soundboard as they were making a Banjo Killer minus the back bracing, long scale, etc. The actual Banjo Killer itself, fwiw, is not something I would want based on the majority of the sound samples I've heard. There are some before and after examples online of a D-18 getting it's braces scalloped. The "after" has a looser bottom end in the tone that's fairly obvious. Not sure I can post here. That sound difference is what would be ideal for me in a slope, personal preference-wise. Online examples of a Collings CJ-45 T or a Santa Cruz VJ Custom show that depth and looser bottom end sound. That's some serious high rent district that's out of my ballpark on a few fronts. Something to look at when/if the guitar world gets back to normal. I know what would happen, though. I'd miss the bark of my J-45 baked adi for what it is. Plus this J-45 will open up more and more.