Questions about a '68 Hummingbird

[albatross5791]

Hello all,

I just recently purchased a '68 Hummingbird and have some questions about it. I

absolutely love the guitar - but am a newbie at vintage acoustics so I apologize

if these questions seem silly.

 

1. I know that the neck is very very thin. Does anyone have any tips about how

to get the guitar setup for finger picking? This may seem like a bad question

I am not planning on using it solely for finger picking, but I just want to make

it a little more accessible for that.

2. Any suggestions for palm muting? I seem to be unable to palm mute with the

screws on the bridge.

3. Any care tips? Oiling, cleaning, humidifying specific for vintage Gibsons?

4. Is this a bad guitar to tour with? Germany, Italy, USA, etc? Will I have

more or less problems with it than a "newer" guitar.

5. How will I know if the neck has to be reset? Any tests I can do?

 

I know these are a bunch of questions, but if you can answer just one I would be

super appreciative as I am new to the vintage guitar world.

 

Thanks so much and pictures are coming soon,

-Alba

[albatross5791]

Here are some pictures. I forgot to attach to the original comment. sorry.

alba

[Del Nilppeznaf]

Congrats on your vintage Bird'

 

not sure I can answer your questions...regarding care ect'..I'd just treat it like any other high end guitar..with a lot of love and more playing :)

 

Re neck resets.... i dont know about those adjustable saddles...but it does seem you dont have much to play with left on it.. how is the action at present ( and for those in the know... does the actuall saddle raise on these bridges? )

 

best way to check is place a flat edge along the frets...like use a 1m ruler..in the center of the neck..and move the rule to the bridge..the bottom of the rule should be level or very close..to the top of the bridge.

 

Or

 

you should have about 1/2 an inch between the top of the guitar and the bottom of the low E string...anything below 3/8ths and there is a problem. here is a link to frets.com

 

http://www.frets.com.../neckangle.html

[albatross5791]

Thanks so much! I am looking into it right now. The unfortunate truth is that the bridge is

very low and the action is high... So might this mean a reset? Basically I have to decide

whether to keep the guitar to tour with and have some serious work done aka 500-600$ or to

flip it to someone who does not mind the action and plays only chords in the first position.

Because a thin neck with high action is my worst nightmare as I am all over the fretboard and

do play finger style interspersed throughout the set. What would you value a '68 HBird at if

it is in good shape?

 

Thanks again!

alba

[Del Nilppeznaf]

Well it sounds like this is not the guitar for you.. I believe the Bird's in the late 60's went to the thinner neck style for a while ? and that just wont do for finger picking i feel.

 

In any case..it looks like a definite neck re-set is needed from the photos of the action at present and the bridge and saddle

 

I would flip it

 

not sure about value..someone will prob chip in here...or just take a look at what they are going for on ebay ect.. good luck

[Del Nilppeznaf]

Looks like it has had some kind of work done on it already....? refret or such..the binding looks kinda shoddy...

 

and is it just me..or do those frets look really low profile... is this normal ?

[zombywoof]

Gibson went to the skinny neck in 1960. The necks felt even skimpier in 1965 when Gibson adopted the 1 9/16" nut.

 

With regard to fingerpicking you are not talking as much about neck profile as you are about string spacing. I am not sure what it is on a '68 HB. A friend of mine has a 1960 J-45 though (which has a 1 11/16" nut) and I believe the string spacing on it is 2 1/8" which is pretty standard. Many folks who play with their fingers, however, prefer a wider 2 1/4" spacing.

[cunningham26]

I have the same thin neck on my '68 j45, and if you're not used to or don't like thin necks...this one's a chore. When i first got it i wanted to flip it almost immediately because my big ol mitts weren't gelling with it, but over time i've adjusted to it and like it. I play some fingerstyle stuff, but it has taken a really long time to get used to (i've had it about 9 months) and every time i play something with a wider nut it's definitely more comfortable playing. BUT my take is that a narrow nut will make your playing more precise, and it's working for me. YMMV

[albatross5791]

Thanks for all of the input. I really appreciate it. I know that the neck was reset about 10 years ago - but it might need

another. Which would be a bummer - I am considering getting a custom nut made because the original had some work done on it

to actually make it more narrow! So a custom nut should take advantage of the necks space. I am not sure if the neck reset

might have been a bad one. It might have to be done again - which would suck. What do you think I should ask for if I have

to flip it? With and without the neck reset?

[albatross5791]

also, what would be a price I should expect to pay for a neck reset?

 

alba

[Hall]

1 - 5 - I dunno. But, that is a nice looking Bird.

 

Steve

[E-minor7]

Normally a '68 would have returned to the 11/16 nut width, but yours seems to still have the 9/16 used between 1965 and 67. Correct if wrong.

I had the string spacing widened by the nut on my '66 C&W (same guitar, but with no flora-fauna) and it helped a bit.

Not enough though and the whole neck later got replaced.

 

Regarding the adjustable saddle screws, I wonder if you have checked the actual height of the wood/bone insert (the saddle).

In case it's resting directly on the top, you could remove the irritating screws and let it stand alone.

 

Other options would be -

 

1 - To remove screws and place a right-sized shim underneath the insert.

 

2 - Get a new screwless insert made in the right height.

 

3 - To get used to the screws.

 

. . . . . . . . . . .

 

Btw. I strongly recommend experimenting with those bridge inserts.

 

I have them in

 

ceramic

 

bone

 

ivory

 

rosewood

 

rosewood w. ordinary sized bone saddle

 

rosewood w. combined ordinary sized wood and bone saddle

 

tusq

 

It's all very good fun to zoom in and find the exact right flavor.

 

And maybe even change from mood to mood musical task to task, phase to phase.

 

Enjoy

[zombywoof]

I am considering getting a custom nut made because the original had some work done on it

to actually make it more narrow! So a custom nut should take advantage of the necks space.

 

You can also have a saddle re-slotted. But there is just so much real estate you can grab up.

[E-minor7]

If the bone saddle is loose in the wooden insert, of course you could remove the screws, bring the insert to top-contact and slip down a new saddle in the right height.

[EuroAussie]

The combinaton of super narrow nut width and what seems a need for a neck reset would be a major concern for me .... that action is unplayably high.

[j45nick]

Looks like it has had some kind of work done on it already....? refret or such..the binding looks kinda shoddy...

 

and is it just me..or do those frets look really low profile... is this normal ?

 

 

I don't think it's a re-fret. The binding nibs are still there. I have a '68 ES 335-12 with exactly the same frets, and the '68 frets on my '48 J-45 are similar, but not quite so flat and low.

[j45nick]

also, what would be a price I should expect to pay for a neck reset?

 

alba

 

 

In the US, about $400-$600.

[Kleinroq]

I've never seen bridge pins like that. Seem like a fancy addition. I am sure you could replace those and gain a bit more comfortable place for your palm.

[albatross5791]

I think that replacing those pins would probably help tremendously haha. So here is the main question - what is the value of that

guitar do you think after I get the neck reset? The only reason I ask is I don't want to go under water on this guitar and then

realize I will never get the value back. Does that make sense? I got it for a good deal - a great deal actually - but I have to

figure out where to draw the line and flip it or spend the extra money get it fixed up and keep it... I will have all the work

completed at a 5 star Gibson Dealer and they will surely make it amazing - but should I do it? Or is that guitar really not worth

it and flip it?

 

Thanks so much for all of the help.

[Denis57]

Here are some pictures. I forgot to attach to the original comment. sorry.

alba

 

 

Congrats on getting this beauty.

 

Blonde vintage HBird...

 

[albatross5791]

Going to have to sell this beauty. I will post a link if you are interested in it - it will be an unbeatable price.

 

Cheers,

Alba