uncle fester Posted December 12, 2017 Author Share Posted December 12, 2017 Whatever you're up to just don't remove the guard on any 1960's Bird. 1 - You'll get a severe tan-line 2 - It would be sacrilege 3 - The first-wave guards are precious, cühl and beautiful noted and agreed - don't mess with anything vintage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle fester Posted December 12, 2017 Author Share Posted December 12, 2017 Fantastic trip, on your way back east after Portland add a stop in Bozeman Mt (close to Yellowstone must see) check out where the wood is turned into guitars and Music Villa great shop lots a good wood there. Gibson is doing custom orders again so order it your way and pick it up yourself...... Happy hunting!! Yeah - of course, don't know how i missed that one, and now i've got a reason to stop in Montana. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle fester Posted December 12, 2017 Author Share Posted December 12, 2017 If you think so then go ahead - but be prepared for a minimal sonic change. I'm not the one who thinks too much about future sales, but if you purchase a TV, remember the guard is hand-painted and therefor will fade. In case you want to pass it on further down the line, a clean untouched guard will be attractive for the new owner. Even if he/she must re-glue it with own hands. Most important factor however is your feeling when you grab and get behind the guitar. The closer, the better. 1 to 1 (wildlife or not) is worth goin' for if it's within reach. Look forward to follow your hunt - Good Luck Thank you - the sonic change is what i'm concerned with. If i'm lucky enough to get one of these - i will definitely keep it as is for awhile (year or so) then if i decide I love the sound but it's still too flashy for me - i might do something. Knowing i have the option is what makes going this direction easier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle fester Posted December 12, 2017 Author Share Posted December 12, 2017 0- Funny but I have never had to go out looking for guitars. I have lived in six states and no matter where I am they just tend to show up. I have lived here in Ohio now for four months and I have already received emails and pics of a 1951 Gibson J-50, 1959 Epi Frontier (the prototype of the Hummingbird), a blockie Harmony 1203 Sovereign, and a Dearmond 210 pickup still in its box with original sales literature all up for grabs. I will say that Frontier was in particular mighty tempting. I think this type of problem occurs after you've already made your choice and taken the plunge, but it is a good problem to have. PS - I have a feeling that '59 Epi is calling your name - probably should jump on it :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmokeyGhost Posted December 13, 2017 Share Posted December 13, 2017 That's the thing which really put me off getting a 'Bird. The pickguard. Dislike so much. Yet if I did have one I'd be loath to remove it as, for some reason, I feel it's integral to the guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyearspickn Posted December 13, 2017 Share Posted December 13, 2017 That's the thing which really put me off getting a 'Bird. The pickguard. Dislike so much. Yet if I did have one I'd be loath to remove it as, for some reason, I feel it's integral to the guitar. As Lars pointed out in comment #3 - the Gibson model offered to solve your dilemma is the Country Western. Hopefully they're available in your neck of the woods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle fester Posted December 13, 2017 Author Share Posted December 13, 2017 As Lars pointed out in comment #3 - the Gibson model offered to solve your dilemma is the Country Western. Hopefully they're available in your neck of the woods. Unfortunately coming from Boston, i just can't purchase a model of anything called 'Country Western' (not that there's anything wrong with it ;). I like the idea of getting an H Bird one with the original pick guard, swap out the original guard for a plain one right now, and store the original for a later date when I either mature and want the h bird guard back on there, or i look to trade in the axe and want to include the original pickguard for the new buyer. Best of all worlds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuestionMark Posted December 13, 2017 Share Posted December 13, 2017 Unfortunately coming from Boston, i just can't purchase a model of anything called 'Country Western' (not that there's anything wrong with it ;). I like the idea of getting an H Bird one with the original pick guard, swap out the original guard for a plain one right now, and store the original for a later date when I either mature and want the h bird guard back on there, or i look to trade in the axe and want to include the original pickguard for the new buyer. Best of all worlds. Why not, then, just buy the GC square shouldered Hummingbird Pro which does not have the iconic and Hummingbird identifying pick-guard, but still has the Hummingbird name in it? QM aka Jazzman Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyearspickn Posted December 13, 2017 Share Posted December 13, 2017 And we've finally come full circle. I think I'll go watch "Groundhog Day". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted December 13, 2017 Share Posted December 13, 2017 And we've finally come full circle. I think I'll go watch "Groundhog Day". Good movie that You could also buy a j45 with the appropriate burst , (horny burst? Tea burst ?) And put the wrong pick guard on that ... World is your oyster !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuestionMark Posted December 13, 2017 Share Posted December 13, 2017 The j-45 isn’t square shouldered like the Hummingbird. The Hummingbird Pro is. QM aka Jazzman Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted December 13, 2017 Share Posted December 13, 2017 The j-45 isn’t square shouldered like the Hummingbird. The Hummingbird Pro is. QM aka Jazzman Jeff Yeah that’s true. Just thought I’d add another ingredient to the soup Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle fester Posted December 13, 2017 Author Share Posted December 13, 2017 Why not, then, just buy the GC square shouldered Hummingbird Pro which does not have the iconic and Hummingbird identifying pick-guard, but still has the Hummingbird name in it? QM aka Jazzman Jeff I thought the H bird Pro was similar to an H bird - but still a little different. I don't know, i'm going to take up the accordion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted December 13, 2017 Share Posted December 13, 2017 I thought the H bird Pro was similar to an H bird - but still a little different. I don't know, i'm going to take up the accordion. Are you telling us you haven't compared the Hummingbird and the Hummingbird Pro specs so close to take-off. . . !?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle fester Posted December 13, 2017 Author Share Posted December 13, 2017 Are you telling us you haven't compared the Hummingbird and the Hummingbird Pro specs so close to take-off. . . !?! Lol - before I entered this forum, I didn't even know there was a Pro vs a Hummingbird. With the education I've gained in the last couple weeks, I feel (this audience excluded) I could give a masterclass on the subject of options out there, what to look for, where to look, things to be cautious about... but my two big take-aways are (1) Get something that will retain it's value (and if it's a classic - don't mess with it) (2) Play it, and make sure it feels, sounds, plays right to you But unfortunately no - i have not compared specs yet, i guess that's tonights lesson! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle fester Posted December 13, 2017 Author Share Posted December 13, 2017 ...and as I think of it more and more - the most important thing is to buy something that will retain it's value (and take care of it) just in case you need to flip it. I'm doing all this twisting and turning, hoping I make the right choice - when in reality all I'm doing is delaying getting a Gibby in my hands. I know i'm not good enough to know I'll be dissatisfied right off the bat. As long as I'm in the ballpark to matching the guitar to the type of sound I want, and it's well built and solid, it will take me a year or two to decide it's not for me. Then if in a year or two, I do want to sell it and get something else - I know I'll have something to re-enter the market with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted December 13, 2017 Share Posted December 13, 2017 ...and as I think of it more and more - the most important thing is to buy something that will retain it's value (and take care of it) just in case you need to flip it. I'm doing all this twisting and turning, hoping I make the right choice - when in reality all I'm doing is delaying getting a Gibby in my hands. I know i'm not good enough to know I'll be dissatisfied right off the bat. As long as I'm in the ballpark to matching the guitar to the type of sound I want, and it's well built and solid, it will take me a year or two to decide it's not for me. Then if in a year or two, I do want to sell it and get something else - I know I'll have something to re-enter the market with. Don’t take this the wrong way but you can’t decide which guitar you want because of what it’s worth if you sell it Pick a guitar that you like the sound of and looks of and enjoy it You’ll read loads of nonsense about buying guitars and it being an investment etc. You might get lucky and sell at the right time but 9 out of 10 times you have to take a loss . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted December 13, 2017 Share Posted December 13, 2017 ...and as I think of it more and more - the most important thing is to buy something that will retain it's value (and take care of it) just in case you need to flip it. With few exceptions, new guitars depreciate in the first few years of ownership. For longer-term value, the best buys are frequently near-mint guitars that are a few years old. I've bought several Gibsons of this type, including what was then a five year old limited-run SJ and an L-OO Legend of similar vintage. In both cases, I paid maybe 60% of the original street price (not MSRP) guitars in excellent condition with little or no apparent wear. New guitars are like new cars: shiny, often flawless, and with a factory warranty, but prone to immediate depreciation when you take it out the dealer's front door. Vintage guitars are more tricky, as markets and tastes ebb and flow. Few guitars are really investments in the traditional sense of an expected return to investment over time (the exception of Tom Barnwell's stunning collection notwithstanding). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle fester Posted December 13, 2017 Author Share Posted December 13, 2017 Thanks, I do agree. A few years old, but mint condition seems to be where my target is - at least to get started. Once I'm in the mix, and have more of a personal opinion on the sound / feel, I'll start to look to replace (or maybe add) something vintage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted December 13, 2017 Share Posted December 13, 2017 Don’t take this the wrong way but you can’t decide which guitar you want because of what it’s worth if you sell it Pick a guitar that you like the sound of and looks of and enjoy it You’ll read loads of nonsense about buying guitars and it being an investment etc. You might get lucky and sell at the right time but 9 out of 10 times you have to take a loss . Exactly! Guitars are a loss, no matter how you look at it, but if you actually play the thing as well as you can, it becomes another thing entirely....joyous really, and never a spare minute left in the day of riff learning, lyric singing, chord strumming, instrumental writing, blues bending, country pickin’ and ggrinnin’, song learning and writing..........guitar polishing, string changing, guitar forumizing..... It is, and I don’t like the words much when I hear other people say it.....but it is a lifestyle choice. :mellow: Which means....a big loss. So, having said that - what style of music are you hoping to play on your new Yamaha D18 copy? (kidding, nobody ever seems to get the guitar they mean to!). But I mean, if I asked for the best guitar to get on this forum, well you already have the answers, but they are no good for my style of playing really - fingerpicking of all types that I want to learn. I have found that the guitars recommended can be the exact opposite of what is best for fingerpicking bare fingered blues, for example, and it has taken me a lifetime to find a handful of guitars that are suited to what I do, including some hand made guitars and a custom made, that are as close to perfect as I will ever see in this lifetime.....for me. But for you, these guitars could make you possibly make you feel sick, depending on what you want to play! And the chances of getting my money back....pfffffft. It has been a great ride though! I wouldn’t do it again with the chance - I would just get the good guitar first.... BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuestionMark Posted December 14, 2017 Share Posted December 14, 2017 Lol - before I entered this forum, I didn't even know there was a Pro vs a Hummingbird. With the education I've gained in the last couple weeks, I feel (this audience excluded) I could give a masterclass on the subject of options out there, what to look for, where to look, things to be cautious about... but my two big take-aways are (1) Get something that will retain it's value (and if it's a classic - don't mess with it) (2) Play it, and make sure it feels, sounds, plays right to you But unfortunately no - i have not compared specs yet, i guess that's tonights lesson! You’ve gained some crucial knowledge! Excellent! Take your time. A new guitar is a significant investment. QM aka Jazzman Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted December 14, 2017 Share Posted December 14, 2017 I have a good feeling about this. You are building up to something crucial. Both emotionally and brain-wise. The journey ahead is an existential quest. "Can't go wrong", , , yes, of course you can, but things point in the right direction - even though the options out there are many. An overwhelming scenario waits until you realize there's only one, maybe 2 choices left = This will be the big finale where your inner self must take the test. Who are you when it comes to it - and with what instrument - gibsonian identity - will you continue the membership here. All extraordinary exciting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle fester Posted December 14, 2017 Author Share Posted December 14, 2017 All - again, very much appreciate the replies. Lot's of food for thought, causing me to do a lot of thinking - but most importantly, I know I need to get out there and play some! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny V. Posted December 15, 2017 Share Posted December 15, 2017 If you want a Hummingbird without the bling look for a J-30 from the '90's. Same guitar, but with painted logo, dot markers, no binding. natural top and small pickguard. They usually sell at a pretty reasonable price also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyearspickn Posted December 15, 2017 Share Posted December 15, 2017 The J30 is a long scale. But, yes otherwise like an H'Bird flying stealth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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