pappy Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 On my want list, this past year was to purchase a Hummingbird. Unfortunately, with the medical bills, the real thing is out of the question for the immediate future. So here is what I am thinking, I have enough to purchase the Epi hummingbird. It is going to be a while before I build up my discretionary funds, and have GAS real bad. Just throw your thoughts or opinions at me. Am I making a poor choice, should I hold out for the next year or so? Let me hear from you folk. Thanks Pappy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surfpup Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 Generally speaking, when I have "settled" for something I end up unhappy. My 2 cents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 The Epiphone will give you a decent version, to play on, while you're saving for the Gibson! Especially, if you feel like it may be "awhile" before those Gibson funds are available. Seems like a "win win" situation. But, it's really up to you. As always, with ANY acoustic, play as many of the Epi versions, as you can, prior to your purchase, to get the best one possible. Also, it will depend on what your G.A.S. really is...more of an Impulse, or a real immediate need, for a decent acoustic guitar! If it's just a impulse, wait! If it's a real need, go for it! Good Luck, CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 . Do you have an acoustic guitar? . If so, I say wait. Especially since what you want is a Gibson Hummingbird. While the Epi is a great value buy, it's may disappoint. You'll be tying money up in the Epi and if you follow through with your plan to acquire a Gibson Hummingbird, I'm guessing you'll eventually have to sell off the Epi. OTOH, if you don't have an acoustic guitar, then go for the Epi - it should work fine for you while you build up your funds. . B) . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChanMan Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 If you buy the Epi, how long will it set you back on the Gibson? If it's not but a few months, get the Epi. Why choose if you don't have to? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 I agree, buy as good a Martin as you can. [laugh] [laugh] rct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldCowboy Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 The Epi 'bird is a nice guitar for the money. It resembles the Gibson visually. It isn't a Gibson Hummingbird by any imaginative stretch. Whatever you decide, and for whatever reasons, if you remember those things you'll be OK☺ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparquelito Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 Hold out for the real thing. I knew a guy who was in love with a girl, and this was a long time ago, okay? The girl went out with him a few times, and in the meantime, the girl's older sister hung around and made moon-eyes at him. At some point, he got drunk and had sex with the older sister. And then so, of course, she got pregnant. So the guy marries the also-ran, (this was the social norms of the time) and spends many years in a miserable marriage to somebody he never even really liked. And when the divorce finally happened, he lost his shirt. Literally, he lost every shirt he had ever owned. Along with everything else. Don't buy a compromise, good friend. Hold out for the real thing. That is my advice. :unsure: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted January 2, 2017 Share Posted January 2, 2017 Well, the Epi is laminate, but same shape pretty much. The AE version offers more options than an all-acoustic IF you're going to use it that way in various gigs. I'd go back to my old comments that a lot of what makes a guitar more or less appropriate isn't so much the instrument but the player. What's the guitar for in terms of music and how does the picker pick it. I think it's apples and oranges to compare the two other than on general looks. One is a fine instrument, the other is a workmanlike excellent quality working tool. Me, I'd get an AE Epi for playing "out" if that were my intent; it's too big a box for me to use in almost anything I've done with guitar the past 15 years, so I'd be unlikely to buy, or use, either version. Frankly, though, I'd personally be far more likely to use the Epi bird in AE format. Then again, I tend to look at things I own for their utility, not brand name or even "fine quality." The Epi AE for me would have had far greater utility than an all acoustic Gibson or Martin or whatever in that general size/shape/looks. --- <grin> As for the older sister... she was already married but likely would have been a better choice were she not. So I had the younger sister and that lasted less than a year because of various incompatibilities. One might make the case she was all-acoustic and not at all appropriate for what I was doing at the time in music or life. Then again, so was the older sister just with a different look and shape. For what it's worth, within a year or so of that lady fiasco, I had two of the early Ovation AEs, one steel string and one nylon, and the steel string especially worked well miked to back up fiddlers on stage or amped in a saloon house band. For the money I s'pose at the time I could have gotten a Gibson or Martin, but neither at the time had an AE version that would work well for what I needed at the time. Ditto my still-lovely wife of 40+ years as a good fit for who and what I am. Kinda the same thing with guitars, IMHO. And I question that a Strad would make much difference n a country band compared to a half decent import fiddle. Besides, tell me you wouldn't worry all the time about the Strad - whether literally or in some sort of metaphor. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quapman Posted January 2, 2017 Share Posted January 2, 2017 Generally speaking, when I have "settled" for something I end up unhappy. My 2 cents. That right there! Ditto. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StRanger7032 Posted January 2, 2017 Share Posted January 2, 2017 Buy the Epi Hummingbird used in good condition so it won't depreciate much more. Play it while you save for the Gibson, then sell it and get most of your money back when you're ready for the Gibson. January is a good month to pick up used gear cheap, since that's when peoples' holiday bills start coming due and they need cash quick to pay them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cs orange widow Posted January 2, 2017 Share Posted January 2, 2017 If you already have something to play then hold out for sure, you'll be glad you did.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merciful-evans Posted January 2, 2017 Share Posted January 2, 2017 Just out of curiosity, are you wanting to play out or just at home? Are you committed to a hummingbird or open to other models? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pappy Posted January 2, 2017 Author Share Posted January 2, 2017 Just out of curiosity, are you wanting to play out or just at home? Are you committed to a hummingbird or open to other models? I have played the bird a few times, and it just seemed a fit. Liked the feel, the sound, was easy for me to play. All that said at this point in my life I am open to suggestions, will not be jumping, just looking for an acoustic AE that I can easily tote around and play with or without amp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveFord Posted January 2, 2017 Share Posted January 2, 2017 I'd play what you have and wait until you can get the real thing. I haven't checked recently but used Martin D-18s were selling for around $1100 a few years back over on the AGF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted January 2, 2017 Share Posted January 2, 2017 IMHO we're back to a combination of planned use and utility. If the need is for an AE, the Epi Humingbird Pro AE would work quite well at a decent price point and can easily be plugged into an amp or board - or, it can be played without a mike in an acoustic jam venue, or... The Gibson AE bird runs close to $3,000 more than an Epi HB AE and hard case. The Epi has a solid top, too. It's short scale just like the Gibson. That's important to many. I've noted before that my Epi PR5e, a perfect physical size for me and played fingerpicking with a non-standard set of Elixir 9-42 acoustic strings has been run through a board and pro videographers said it sounded as "professional" as any guitar. I'd have preferred the 24 3/4 scale and, until my stroke, strongly considered buying an Epi acoustic with the shorter scale and having a luthier reinstall the shorter onto the PR5e. Yeah, that adds significant cost, but we're talking utility. The shape of the sound run AE will be determined largely by the amplification chain. Heavy strings and heavy flatpick strumming will give an obviously different sort of "sound" regardless what one's doing, and I'd wager that in a venue suitable for an acoustic-only non-miked jam, the Gibson with strings appropriate to such heavy strumming likely would at least be perceived at sounding better. But I can't forget that nobody much complained about the much narrower sound spectrum from Mother Maybelle's old archtop. Given that the OP stated he wants an instrument to fulfill home pickin' acoustic, but also "playing out" with a small amp (I assume like my older but perfect for the purpose Kustom 30-watt AE amp), the Epi makes perfect sense. Figure new with choice of strings, hard case, etc., roughly $500. Same quality of materials and construction, heck no. But again, I've never known a fiddler to take a Strad to a jam or even a big gig. Or who's owned one. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted January 2, 2017 Share Posted January 2, 2017 Hmmm............ I'm going to join the minority and echo what StRanger said here; Buy the Epi Hummingbird used in good condition so it won't depreciate much more. Play it while you save for the Gibson, then sell it and get most of your money back... Have you tried out the Epi version? If not please do so and see how well/poorly it matches up to your Gibson 'bird experience. FWIW pt. 1; A couple of years ago I was looking for something to leave at my in-law's house in France and found a mint-condition NOS 2012 Epi 'bird going for roughly $110 and found it to be perfectly adequate for my holidaying requirements. Whilst it's not going to be up there with a Gibson it genuinely sounds good and actually plays very well indeed. If I were in your position and if the outlay of that sum can get you through to the time whereby you can comfortably purchase the Gibson then I'd certainly consider the prospect. As mentioned previously; the Epi - if found for around about that price - will hardly depreciate by much and might even be used as a part-ex when the time comes to move up. FWIW pt. 2; For a time I had a s/h Epi Les Paul Standard which I bought to tide me over until I bought 'my' Les Paul and when the latter was eventually found in a back-to-back comparison I considered the Epi version to be able to fare pretty decently against the R0. Not as good by a fair margin but if we consider that the Epi was roughly 1/15th the price of the R0... Good luck whatever you decide to do. Pip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted January 2, 2017 Share Posted January 2, 2017 You must play them both. In a music store, for about half-an-hour each. If it sounds good there it'll sound great at home. I have played neither. The Gibson will of course sound far, far better in the long run as the Epi is 'budget'.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RevDavidLee Posted January 2, 2017 Share Posted January 2, 2017 https://reverb.com/item/3602736-epiphone-hummingbird-pro-2016-aged-cherry-sunburst :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted January 2, 2017 Share Posted January 2, 2017 RE: "play both in a music store for half an hour." It's a good idea, but... I'll add this caveat: if both don't have "your" strings, and even the option for playing through an amp similar to yours, it's not a fair showing for either guitar. Buying "mail order" cancels either option, although if you're willing and able to spend over $3,000 for a Gibson, it's likely worth the overnight trip it would "cost" me to do; in fact, more likely two overnights to get to a place to test. I'd almost have to head for Gibson Montana as about as close as I could get to that opportunity. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveFord Posted January 2, 2017 Share Posted January 2, 2017 That like RevDavidLee posted is a good one. Grab that and then spend some time poking around when you've got the cash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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