Lamar Fandango Posted August 25, 2018 Author Share Posted August 25, 2018 I thought I preferred the deep rich finish on the TV/Vintage, but I only like it in photos. In person it looks like they forgot some grain filler or accidentally wiped the top with acetone or mineral spirits. Officially it is a satin finish to make it more “vintage.” Unofficially, I didn’t like it at all. I don’t like relic’d guitars. This one didn’t look vintage...it looked like somebody tried to make a new top look old. That’s partially why I gave up on the TV/Vintage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
62burst Posted August 25, 2018 Share Posted August 25, 2018 Glad to hear you found a Hummingbird that you like. It is a common tendency to want to replace the Tusq with bone, but be prepared to lose some of the Hummingbird nectar. The Vintage model is described on the Gibson website as their "thin finish, hand-rubbed VOS". It is still a gloss finish. The unusual irregularities you were seeing might've been the way that the look of the top changes the in the way that it takes to the sunburst finish as a result of the torrefication process. On the other Gibson models that are attempting to create the look of an older guitar, such as the True Vintage models, the luster of the final coat looks to have been knocked down with microfine sandpaper (~2000g?). Quite a few people have buffed their VOS guitars out (Virtuoso Cleaner, then V. Polish), resulting in a nice cross between a newer guitar, and one that looks like it has been played for several years. Check out this thread from 2011 where it was being discussed with respect to a SJ-200 TV: http://forum.gibson.com/index.php?/topic/74633-sj-200-true-vintage-help-please/ Here is a mostly polished pre-2000 WM-45 w/ satin finish, waiting for the next string change to be polished out around the bridge: Enjoy your 2014 'Bird- nice burst, and a good year for the Hummingbird. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lamar Fandango Posted August 28, 2018 Author Share Posted August 28, 2018 My standard Bird doesn’t have the zing of the Vintage I had to return, but the neck and intonation are way better (the returned Vintage had fretboard issues). The Vintage had a certain clarity that was great on the cowboy chords, but chords higher up the fretboard had a bad chorus effect. I think the extra sauce with the Vintage highlighted the neck and intonation problems with a flawed specimen. I can imagine a good one being magic. That said, why would a bone saddle take away the nectar? I thought bone is one of the things that separated the Vintage from the lesser Birds. I didn’t realize a buff job could work magic. I guess I gave up the search for a Vintage model before finding a good one. Still, the standard Bird I got is phenominal compared to most others I tried. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted August 28, 2018 Share Posted August 28, 2018 That said, why would a bone saddle take away the nectar? I thought bone is one of the things that separated the Vintage from the lesser Birds. Do not intend to speak for 62burst, but I believe he means there is a plast/tusq percentage in the nectarish factor. True Vintage-veteran and Board-member EuroAssie, will go as far as claiming that both the p-guard and even the plastic-pins play in. I for one can tell it had a significant effect on tone when I removed the guard from one of my Birds. Everything matters regarding these guitars - it's a part of the challenge. Our senses must develop a larger-than-life-level to grasp the nuances. That said, it still seems to me you got the right flier home. And think about it, , , of course Standards can be just as good as V's. Slightly different, but excellent, , , 'xactly like my 2010 J-45 black nut Std. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
62burst Posted August 28, 2018 Share Posted August 28, 2018 . . . there is a plast/tusq percentage in the nectarish factor. Yes, and there are some other things going on, as well. Maybe it's one's own definition of what they are looking for in the Hummingbird sound. Personally, I'm a bit over the whole clarity above all else. Maybe if that clarity had a fine glaze over it. Then, there's the sound that differentiates a 'Bird from a J-45. . . letting the sound in the box breathe a little before being projected out. It's a fine line what proportion of each we want to hear, and it's changing all the time. Hopefully. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
play4him Posted August 30, 2018 Share Posted August 30, 2018 All I know is that I love my Hummingbird Vintage. It is an amazing guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lamar Fandango Posted September 5, 2018 Author Share Posted September 5, 2018 That is a stunning Vintage! I wanted to report back. I got a bone saddle made and it is fantastic. I don’t buy into the hyper clarity thing either, but this was very much worth it. It came back with Elixir 80/20s on because my DR Sunbeams broke straight away. Elixirs aren’t my favorite, but it sounds great. I also replaced the silver Grover Rotomatics with the Kluson-style Grover 135n tuners....100% vanity and 200% worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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