the other side

Does anyone actually know what is used on the finish of this guitar? The specs just say "Aged Cherry Sunburst Gloss". Is it a Nitrocellulose Lacquer finish or a Polyurethane or something else? Thanks!

That's the text one must read between the pages.

My recommendation is to take your guitar with you and play it through some of the acoustic guitar amps. I personally have a Fender Acoustic Junior 100 watt ( without rechargeable battery, the GO version) and I am very pleased with it. My Hummingbird sounds like my Hummingbird when it comes out of that amp, which is the sound I was looking for. I also recommend putting a new battery in your guitar first before you try any amp. Good luck!

Welcome to another side of the fence. I hope that Gibson gives you many years of enjoyment as mine has. As far as the swirls, I cannot answer that or suggest anything except, I caution you more than likely that bird has a glossy nitrocellulose finish on it. If you are not familiar with the nitrocellulose finish, I highly recommend you learn all you can about that type of finish, cause things can really go wrong with some products. As for my Hummingbird, I have only used Gibson pump polish on the finish. If the Gibson pump polish won't remove it ( like pick scratches or swirls) it stays like that. That's what I do. Others who chime in here may have some suggestions. Congratulations on owning your first Gibson.

Thx so much!

I have a 2012 Epiphone Hummingbird the original cherry sunburst, without electronics. It's just the regular Ole standard one that was about 299.00 back then. Does anyone actually know the original string guage that came on that guitar 🤔? Thx.

Congratulations!!!!! Hope it brings you many happy moments in time. As a bird owner, I'm with you on the mystical things with dreadnought, especially the sound of the "Hummingbird" that seems to me, fills in any blanks. Enjoy!

Thanks! 👍

I guess you call em icons or like the trophies. It's the lower right hand corner like the shaded heart area.

What they mean, where and how do you access the symbols on the lower right hand corner of posts?

Yes, mine is off on my hummingbird about 1/4". I never thought about looking 'til you mentioned it. It's off to the right like yours. Mine is not as noticeable because the way the mahogany grain is. Doesn't bother me in the least. I also noticed the binding appears to start and stop about center of the heel of the neck ( had to really look for that), no biggie. As long as everything stays in place, doesn't come apart and plays and sounds excellent, it's okay. I like to attribute the cosmetic things like that as reference signs in case someone steals the guitar and resurfaces somewhere (cheap insurance).

Excellent! 👍👍👍👍👍

Hey man, give that Epi a play! Don't forget there's amp it has to go through, that's gonna have a lot to do with it too! You can take that thing anywhere with you and not have to look over your shoulder all the time and not worry about the environmental factors, cold, heat, humidity, where mosquitos grow, bug repellents etc..... and not to speak of theives if your in that environment. Too people don't care what brand of guitar you play, he'll, they don't know anything about a guitar anyway unless your a musician and we don't care! But what the people do care about, is the songs you play they can relate to. Those folks wanna hear you sing/play something! Personally, I had a used Gibson 335 in the early 80's once and never cared for the sound of it anyway because of the hummbucker pick ups on it and could never get a clean crisp sound out of like a fender. I didn't know much of anything about guitars back then either. Last, if you don't give it a try, you'll always wonder about it! Try it through different amps too. Personally I don't care for Pevey amps at all unless that's all that's availeable or in the $$$$ range. I'm more of an acoustic man anyway.

I'm actually changing about every 6 weeks instead of 1 month using JP 12's and Dr Sunbeams 12's both PBs. When I catch myself starting to hit the strings harder for more sound or they start sounding a little muddy on my Gibson Bird. Another factor is when the low E is starting to really go off like a canon (mainly JP's) plugged in to the acoustic amp. I recently just put a new set of Gibson coated 12's PB's on to give the old digits a break. First time I've tried the coated since they changed their strings a few years back cause my main go to were the masterbuilt. I'll see how long they'll go. I have Elixir 12's on an Epi Bird now (which normally I'd change about every 6 months with regular PBs on it).

Bonus Question : Do we all get a free set of strings for answering that one ?😎

Of all the possibilities, I may be waaaay outside of the fence about that piece of rubber. I'm curious if it was put there to try and control something with the sound of the guitar by absorbing too much of some harmonics or tones.

I think I'd find a different place to eat for a while.

You may wanna check with the "Underground" first.

There is/was a guy here, Jesse Dylan, who bought a TV Hummingbird and had same issue very soon afterwards. They sent him a new pickguard that doesn't wear off. My 2013 Modern Classic Hummingbird came with one that didn't wear off and developed a bubble in it and Don Ruffatto sent me a new one. I think the ones that don't wear off have some form of acrylic that's poured on top of them. I believe the kind you have are what they call "Etched".

As some mentioned, wiping down with naptha 1st. As Murph said, the binding will have a very slight yellowish in it anyway, I figured it was from the nitro. If you find something that has a lemon scent, I'd put it in the soundhole (without touching any wood) and leave it in the case overnight and see if that helps.

I'm assuming from the above, the different preferences of people. I don't know when Gibson started putting strap buttons on or if on select models. I never remember seeing Gibson installing strap buttons on any model when I was shopping for a new guitar 2012/2013. I'm glad mine did not come with one on it! I didn't decide to put a strap button on until around 2021 and I bought my Bird new in 2013. I don't wonder anymore why, how or when Gibson do things like that. It's like bridge pins, saddles and strings. I am aware of some people who get a new guitar, automatically gets a different case for theirs and some locations of strap buttons or end pin jack accessory interfere with the case and will not work without modifying one or both, case and guitar.

I have my Hummingbird at position 4. It hangs level. It doesn't roll in/out, tilt or shift in any ways unless you purposely do it. I'm glad I put mine at 4 because I decided to install Schaller strap locks a few years after the fact. The other positions were not practical for the strap locks. I also have an El Cheapo epiphone that came with the strap button at number 5 and couldn't strap lock it, so I left it in number 5 and installed at number 4 and works perfect. https://imgur.com/a/p2FzTvq

Paula, glad your returning to music. I hope this didn't get to you too late. The teachers price for that is way to high! That Epiphone was made Nov 13, 2013 and the production number is 11085 made in Indonesia. Epiphones do not go up in value. I have a 2013 Epiphone Hummingbird without the on board electronics and when Guitar center put those out, they were about 349.00. Nowdays they are about 450 to 475.00 brand new at Guitar Center. Those guitars only sound good when they're amplified. If I had to dovit over again, I would look at Yamahas or Alvarez. Hope this helps! Keep playing!

I have a nephew I bought for at her age. The first thing I considered was which hand, left or right. I started him on an acoustic from guitar center, a Yamaha F335TB ( Tobacco sunburst). It's a sound, easy to fret right out of the box and has an excellent sound. He wound up being a lefty. I flipped it and it was still great sounding, no intonation problems. He took lessons with it in school. He stayed with it and his grandparents got him an electric when he got into high school. I bought for my grandson (12 yrs old now) a squire strat mustang bullit( he didn't stay with it. Maybe one day he might pick it up again). The main thing I had to consider was the weight factor of the electric because they are gonna want to stand up and play like their idols! Anything uncomfortable to them is a big deterrent. The biggest hurdle with anyone young or old is the finger pain as you well know. Hope she stays with it!

WOW! I'm wondering how this "Fairy Tale" would be without a tag?🤔 Maybe just maybe, Gibson might know?