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NGD: So I bought the 2016 Hummingbird Vintage


Old Neil

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Took this baby home today...

 

Hummingbird%201.jpg

 

 

 

It was a choice between this and a very nice 12 fret AJ. I took my wife along as a spare pair of ears as well as my trusty Martin HD-28V as a reference guitar. Besides myself I got three other people (including a visiting Fender Custom Shop demonstrator) to play both of them so I could listen from the front.

 

My wife described the AJ "as old and deep as the sea"; my Martin "as rich as the earth" and the Hummingbird Vintage "as airy and sweet as a young girl" - not the kind of guitar tone descriptions one usually hears around these parts...msp_biggrin.gif

 

 

I chose the 'bird as it will be the brightest and open sounding of my collection - EQ ready for rock/pop/commercial country. My J-45, Martin HD-28V and Larson Bros. Jumbo are either darker and/or more powerful with a little more headroom when pushed. The Hummingbird has a beautiful 'sweet spot' however when played moderately that just sounds radio friendly out of the box. It bodes well for recording.

 

I referred to the Hummingbird in another thread as being the 'major scale' as opposed to the darker, 'minor scale' of the J-45. They make a great pair. The hummingbird has a happy, pretty, airy sound. I have other guitars for darker or harder edged moods.

The 12 fret AJ will haunt me for sure. It had that Nick Drake 'Pink Moon' vibe and sound (even if he never used a Gibson to record that) - but entirely different to the Hummingbird.

 



So there you have it. Now I have to get back, put some flowers in my hair and get a strummin' and a pickin'…

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Way to go! Beautiful guitar.

 

 

Thanks Nick,

 

The phone cam with flash doesn't do it justice of course but you get the general idea. A nice touch with the aged patina is how it makes the 'Gibson' headstock logo look slightly gold/yellow. Very cool. I will try and get a pic of that tomorrow in some daylight.

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Very nice! Let's see........that's what......four Vintage models on the forum now? Jessie, Sal, myself and yourself. Pardon if I missed others......please correct me!

 

Is the pick guard the surface engraved, painted one or the one known as "flubber" with the artwork under plastic?

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Old Neil,

 

Beautiful guitar ! I like the descriptions as well. Add my name to the Hummingbird Vintage list, as well. I'm not real big on posting when I get a new guitar, but I'm excited about receiving this one. Enjoy your beautiful guitar, Neil !

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Very happy for you. And you really did your homework, trying it out among some fine guitars, including your Martin. What a personality that guitar has.

 

As FB pointed out- ". . . and the (velveteen) curtains match the sheets". Love the case, too.

 

Looking forward to those natural light photos.

 

Enjoy- maybe we'll get to hear it someday.

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Clean cut - what a guitar.

Including play4him I believe we have 6 burned Bird people here now - don't forget the now silent Birdman.

I personally won't join. Happy with the 2012 TV's - they get ahead very well.

 

 

Regards to your wife - I'm sure she nailed it.

 

 

And as said so often : Don't forget to post some sounds.

 

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Congratulations!

 

I think every forum member should own a bird! so, go for it everybody!

 

I played a 2016 vintage bird lately, and much to my relief, it wasn't all that great. At least it didn't make me want to sell my 2013 TV bird, yes, "they get ahead very well" [thumbup]

 

Maybe I just heard what I wanted to hear...

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Congratulations!

 

I think every forum member should own a bird! so, go for it everybody!

 

I played a 2016 vintage bird lately, and much to my relief, it wasn't all that great. At least it didn't make me want to sell my 2013 TV bird, yes, "they get ahead very well" [thumbup]

 

Maybe I just heard what I wanted to hear...

 

 

 

I don't think the Hummingbird Vintage will be to everyone's taste either. No guitar is after all. In this case it is probably because it does not immediately sound like a modern Hummingbird. It is more brash and projective (when shop new) with better note separation than any modern, new 'bird I have played. So no, it doesn't surprise me at all that it will not be to everyone's taste - particularly an owner of a (slightly) played-in modern variation. For me, it fills a tonal gap on the high, pretty, jangly end of the spectrum (although it also has deep bass, it is another kind of bass to my other guitars).

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Thank you everyone for your kind words and wishes. Secondly for the nerdier members of guitar minutia among us (I'm one of course msp_rolleyes.gif ) is a comparison of the Gibson logo on the headstock between a standard J-45 and the Hummingbird Vintage. To my eye (not sure if this translates as well through a camera phone) the 'bird logo is slightly yellower/golder than the silver pearl of the standard J-45. Probably something to do with the oil finish I suspect. See if you can tell:

 

Standard J-45 headstock logo: (yes, those are nickel Waverly butterbean tuners replacing the original one. I had my reasons. So sue me...msp_tongue.gif )

 

J-45%20Headstock.jpg

 

 

 

And now the Hummingbird Vintage logo:

 

Hummingbird%20headstock.jpg">

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Very nice! Let's see........that's what......four Vintage models on the forum now? Jessie, Sal, myself and yourself. Pardon if I missed others......please correct me! ...

 

 

Five (and counting?). I have a J-45 Vintage, 2016 model.

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Five (and counting?). I have a J-45 Vintage, 2016 model.

 

 

Four at present for me: J-45 standard, Hummingbird Vintage, Martin HD-28V and Larson Bros. Jumbo. Mind you, that 12 fret AJ is still calling my name (dammit!) msp_cool.gif

(EDIT: Maybe you meant 'Five and counting' Hummingbird Vintage models owned by members of this forum. Doh! blink.gif )

 

But hey, guitars are my one concession to materialistic joys. Living compactly in the centre of a city (kids grown up and gone out to take on the world) with great public transport and bicycle lanes means I don't need a car often (rent one when I do). That alone means the cost equivalent a running even a mediocre clunker mobile is about 2-3 top end acoustic guitars per year. And guitars don't pollute and they literally grow on trees! msp_smile.gif

 

That J-45 Vintage is a wonderful guitar. If my particular J-45 standard (chosen from 6 others including 2 signature models) didn't sound a lot like it anyway I would be all over it. Good choice.

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