Buc McMaster Posted December 30, 2016 Share Posted December 30, 2016 Another guitar comparison video. This is the Hummingbird Vintage and the Dove Quilt, both 2016 models. Both strung within the last 30 minutes with Gibson Masterbuilt 80/20 lights, .012-.053. The Hummingbird has the factory bone nut & saddle, the Dove the factory Tusq nut & saddle, both with factory Tusq pins. Strummed with a Blue Chip TP50 pick and recorded with a Blue Yeti desktop USB microphone straight into iMovie on a MacBook Pro. No signal enhancement of any kind. Short scale mahogany v. long scale maple. Oh yeah, and no singing.......just short guitar strumming. What say ye? Two Gibsons Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted December 30, 2016 Share Posted December 30, 2016 Big sound difference. I like the HB. Deeper sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted December 30, 2016 Share Posted December 30, 2016 . Nice Allman action. . B) Agree . . . HB - fuller with that mellow bottom end. Mmmmmm . . . very nice. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted December 30, 2016 Share Posted December 30, 2016 I can see why the Dove sounds a bit thin after the warmth and depth of the Hummingbird. I suggest waiting 10 secs and then listening to the Dove and Id suggest it will sound a lot better. I personally like it a lot and cant help but think it would sounds superb plugged in. It has a real clean, fundamental tone that comes through great plugged in, but still with that Gibson attitude. If I were you Buc, I would use the Bird for the unplugged stuff and absolutely use the Dove for the live gigs. Its a killer combo. Im gonna get me either a Dove or maple Bird in 2017, thats the new years resolution ... I must admit, Ive fallen in love with this one .. http://www.ebay.com/itm/2010-Gibson-Hummingbird-Custom-Quilted-maple-/182401580593?hash=item2a77fb3e31:g:UpEAAOSw44BYXUlX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hojo199 Posted December 31, 2016 Share Posted December 31, 2016 Another guitar comparison video. This is the Hummingbird Vintage and the Dove Quilt, both 2016 models. Both strung within the last 30 minutes with Gibson Masterbuilt 80/20 lights, .012-.053. The Hummingbird has the factory bone nut & saddle, the Dove the factory Tusq nut & saddle, both with factory Tusq pins. Strummed with a Blue Chip TP50 pick and recorded with a Blue Yeti desktop USB microphone straight into iMovie on a MacBook Pro. No signal enhancement of any kind. Short scale mahogany v. long scale maple. Oh yeah, and no singing.......just short guitar strumming. What say ye? Two Gibsons I hear the (major) difference between maple and mahogany.... Great demo, by the way.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorrisrownSal Posted December 31, 2016 Share Posted December 31, 2016 The Bird sounds more throaty and warm; the Dove more in your face and bright. I prefer the Bird. And yes, even a simply strum song is taken to another level when done effortlessly and cleanly. You got it brother. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted December 31, 2016 Share Posted December 31, 2016 A good little A/B with a just as good chord sequence. Being both a Bird & Dove owner, I clearly recognize the differences. The short B is tighter, the long D is deeper projecting (roomier) all over. I honestly don't hear the B as warmer - darker perhaps and I'm almost sure the trebs in some positions sound thinner - correct if wrong. In my experience the maple syrup drips thicker than trumpet-flower nectar, which comes stronger across the older the strings are. Must say I prefer the Bird between my own, because the Dove gets so very maplish in the long run. Still it would be absurd to call one guitar better than the other. Won't happen here either. You got a splendid pair - but for how long can they live side by side without 1 slowly outshining the other. I sense you might be a bit in doubt, but that could be my over-interpretation. Maybe you just celebrate the double-couple and let yourself mesmerize daily by the intriguing nuances. Who can blame you ^ Salute Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorrisrownSal Posted December 31, 2016 Share Posted December 31, 2016 As I respect so greatly the perceptions and opinions of the minor seventh, I am back, and with my Bose headphones. The Bird is perhaps throaty... and to me warm. Textured. Like John Hiatt's voice. The Dove is powerful and loud... maybe not bright. Like a clean broadway singer's voice...like Leslie Odom Jr... how is this for dopey descriptors? Man, adjectives sometimes get in the way. But the Dove is definitely NOT thin. I still prefer the Bird's voice... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissouriPicker Posted December 31, 2016 Share Posted December 31, 2016 Another splendid video. No bull. No hype....Just "here they are......which one do you prefer"? First of all, I really like the burst on both of these guitars. Really good looking beasts. As far as sound goes, I'm more partial to the warmth of "the bird." Nice and warm, while the Dove has a bolder sound. That said, the suggestion to listen to the Dove a bit after the Hummingbird and not immediately after is a valid idea. I think my Dove is louder and brighter than my Hummingbird. Side by side, my Hummingbird's warm and somber tone are very attractive, BUT, at a gig the Dove is a real monster and it's sound/tone can be mellow or dominating. One is not superior to the other. Both are outstanding......Two excellent instruments you've got there, Buc. The Hummingbird can help you relax and the Dove can make sure you stay awake. Nice comparison, my friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted December 31, 2016 Share Posted December 31, 2016 The Dove is powerful and loud... Definitely is - by nature, , , but is uncle Buc beating one nail harder also. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnneS Posted December 31, 2016 Share Posted December 31, 2016 "The Hummingbird can help you relax and the Dove can make sure you stay awake. " Lots of descriptors used here so far, but this is a great way to differentiate things, I think. Cool comparison demo, Buc- thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buc McMaster Posted December 31, 2016 Author Share Posted December 31, 2016 Thanks for the listening and the comments, folks! The two are definitely different voices, aren't they? The maple has more definition in its' sound, an almost piano-like presence in the tone. The attack is much quicker with greater clarity. Perhaps it's the video but the Dove is not thin, with a quick, focused low end.......not the thump of the mahogany Hummingbird. Mahogany has a stronger mid-frequency response, tending to warm and darken it's tone. This in mind, perhaps this is a bit unfair to the Hummingbird, as it comes into its' own when the strings have lost that zing and shimmer. The Dove seems to prefer more frequent strings changes......the clarity of maple? I did originally buy the Dove with live use in mind as I prefer not to modify the Hummingbird in any way. The short set is long ago ready to go.........still searching for the intestinal fortitude to go do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorrisrownSal Posted December 31, 2016 Share Posted December 31, 2016 If I can sing and play in bars and restaurants, then you can do the same at the Beacon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
62burst Posted December 31, 2016 Share Posted December 31, 2016 Sold me on a Square in maple. In a J-45, the maple adds some nice presence, but that tight low end feature Buc mentions on the maple Dove can only do good things in keeping a long scale dread from going into the mud. It might take some time to make peace with the level of bling on the Dove; good thing Martin doesn’t have many maple D’s floating around. Not really hearing deeper on the Hummingbird. Wouldn’t the clarity of the maple combined with the scale length of the Dove allow it to propagate the bigger bass note (same note, same gauge string, slightly higher tension, maple clarity)? EA- yes, this demo also got me looking at the eBay (listed as a “2010”) Quilt ‘Bird with the screwed down pickguard, but the word “fundamental” usually gets assigned to the mahogany guitar, and Buc’s Bird seems to have it here. Listening to the last strum at t = :48 (Hbird), and t = 1:44 (Dove), the Dove’s waves are more distinguishable in their decay. Emin7 had me wondering if Uncle Buc was possibly playing the Dove with a tad more enthusiasm. . . Maybe it’s just the natural volume difference of a longer scale length and of maple itself. In the vid, it’s pretty easy to see how high the thumb rises up for each stroke- and the pick strikes never land anywhere near the rosette on the Dove portion, they’re closer to the bridge. So, if these two guitars have the same body dimensions, and join the neck at fret 14, does the bridge sit down deeper into the lower bout on the long scale Dove? OP Buc has had his second thoughts about the Dove at one time- it sounds great to these ears. Thanks for doing the demo, and for mentioning the fresh strings and recording chain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Neil Posted December 31, 2016 Share Posted December 31, 2016 Thanks for taking the time to do that demo - particularly under such well controlled conditions. The only thing I would add to what others have said already is that both guitars would perhaps be perceived as warmer if you strummed them both a little further forward towards the sound hole. Big rosewood dreads that are flat picked for single note runs benefit from picking behind the sound hole but warm, lush strumming tends to benefit from moving the strumming hand a little further forward - particularly with mahogany and maple guitars. Just a thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted December 31, 2016 Share Posted December 31, 2016 I think I like the Dove better. Man, it's really hard to say........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted December 31, 2016 Share Posted December 31, 2016 As I respect so greatly the perceptions and opinions of the minor seventh, I am back, and with my Bose headphones. The Bird is perhaps throaty... and to me warm. Textured. Like John Hiatt's voice. The Dove is powerful and loud... maybe not bright. Like a clean broadway singer's voice...like Leslie Odom Jr... how is this for dopey descriptors? Man, adjectives sometimes get in the way. But the Dove is definitely NOT thin. I still prefer the Bird's voice... Sal sums this up for me as well. Hearing the 'bird first, I thought "ah, that's what the hummingbird is all about." Then the dove came in, and I thought "holy crap, that thing's a bit of an untamed beast." Almost raw, and very much indicative of the difference between maple and mahogany. Mark (EA) is right, too. The sweet 'bird might get lost in the type of bar performances he does. The dove, amplified, could cut through the steady background hum, while giving a good sense of its acoustic power for those close to the stage and willing to listen. Both sound really good. I personally like the smoothness and warmth of the 'bird, particularly for this type of playing. But the dove is a powerhouse. It might even make a great bluegrass guitar for a good lead picker. By the way, I was just waiting for Buc to break in vocally. Buc's pipes would give Gregg Allman a real run for his money on this song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buc McMaster Posted December 31, 2016 Author Share Posted December 31, 2016 .......is that both guitars would perhaps be perceived as warmer if you strummed them both a little further forward towards the sound hole. That is very likely true, Neil. Most of my guitar playing life has been on electric guitars, Strats, Teles, Pauls, etc. and my left hand technique is a product of that. To at least some extent that, I believe, is why my pick attack is nearer the bridge when playing acoustics. I also feel I have better control of the pick nearer the bridge where the strings are not moving as much.........a more fixed target, if you will. And the geometry of where my forearm falls on the body places my left hand where it is also. So it's a combination of things that put the pick where it is when I play. On the Dove my pick attack appears to be further from the sound hole than with the Hummingbird......and it is. A machinists' rule shows that the front edge of the Dove bridge is 3.3" from the sound hole, while the Hummingbird bridge is 2.8" from the same point. That's a full half inch difference. So, relative to the bridge, my hand is in the same place on both guitars but farther from the sound hole when strumming the Dove. Without further thought, this bridge placement seems to account for most of the difference between a short and long scale guitar. Thanks again for the interest in this demo! You folks are alright! Happy New Year to all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JuanCarlosVejar Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 Call me crazy but to my ears the Dove Quilt MURDERED the Hbird TV. To me it sounded superior in every way (maybe because I hate new strings) The bird sounded muddy and restrained ...The dove was a beast with very nice separation in the notes. JC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerohead Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 Call me crazy but to my ears the Dove Quilt MURDERED the Hbird TV. To me it sounded superior in every way (maybe because I hate new strings) The bird sounded muddy and restrained ...The dove was a beast with very nice separation in the notes. JC I agree with JC's ears on this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 I see where Juan and aero are coming from I liked that dove before , when I first heard it. It sticks because I'm not a fan aesthetically. But , I did own a beautiful hd35 , which was most likely the most beautiful sounding guitar I've ever owned , but kicked it out because I couldn't fit with it , in my own head anyway , maybe I was wrong . If I was only a guitarist I probably would still have it , but I like to sing and play and sometimes the extra volume , or responsiveness isn't always what a persons after. It can be easier to dig in and get volume than it is to restrain yourself and be gentle while in the middle of a vocal. Depends on playing style and type of music. Getting your hands on a guitar that you don't have to think about playing and it 'fits' with the singer is what it's all about. All that glitters isn't gold In a guitar contest I'd have to vote for the dove. But that's not why buc buys guitars , I'm assuming here . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olie Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 Another vote for the Dove. It's not that there's anything wrong w/ the HB, I just prefer the sound of the Dove-on this recorded clip. Thanks for providing us with the opportunity to hear them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe M Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 OK, I'll jump on the Dove bandwagon also. Maybe the only reason I liked the Dove better is that I like guitars that have a lot of volume, and the Dove sure trumped the Bird in that respect... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldCowboy Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 I like both. Somehow, the Dove would probably get more playing time than the 'bird, as is the case between the two I own, but being without either would leave a real void. Differences are good, within the context of what (and how) a person wants to play at a given time. Between the two, speaking of aesthetics in a visual regard - their individual plumage strikes me as natural and appropriate to their avian designations, as does the unique character of their voices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buc McMaster Posted January 1, 2017 Author Share Posted January 1, 2017 True confession: in this clip I too prefer the sound of the Dove. Big and open with a nice fullness to it. At the same time, I say again that the Hummingbird sounds its' best with old strings and in this demo it's wearing a 20-minute-old set. Older, drier strings give this one a character that well suits mahogany, while the maple Dove sounds its' best with newish strings. And overall I'd say the Dove is a better open chord strummer than the Hummingbird. Generally speaking I think the long scale maple is better at ringing out big open strings like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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