ndx202 Posted August 3, 2019 Share Posted August 3, 2019 Hi I am new to the forum and have purchased a second hand 2012 hummingbird . It needed re fretting so got that done with stainless 0090" 0055" frets. Somewhere down the road the action had been messed with. The truss rod was causing a backbow and the frets had been crowned unevenly. It was a dog but the wood was good as they say and have rebuilt it. Was looking at the bridge on it and it seems very thick compared with a seventies hummingbird a friend owns. Are the bridges not standard size and are they seem to vary ? By nearly 2mm in this case as the seventies bird has a bridge of around 8mm. Anyway just an observation any comments appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harmonics101 Posted August 3, 2019 Share Posted August 3, 2019 Pictures? Measurements? Messed up? Bring it in to get it checked out. You're not the first hand purchaser so stop bashing the guitar. H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buc McMaster Posted August 3, 2019 Share Posted August 3, 2019 Wouldn't do much dimensional comparisons between 21st century Gibsons and their ancestors from the 1970s. Climb back out of the rabbit hole while you still can........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul14 Posted August 4, 2019 Share Posted August 4, 2019 Why did you buy this “dog” of a guitar? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted August 4, 2019 Share Posted August 4, 2019 (edited) This gives a good opportunity to repeat that my 2 2012 Birds with only a month between them have varied bridge-heights. The odd one (the loudest) is 2+ millimeters higher than the normal. And the normal is 7 mm like almost all Gibson bridges of this design. Counting the vintage 60s versions too. Not sure about the 70s models as they are entirely different - yet of course square shouldered dreads. Yours is 8 - aha. . Edited August 4, 2019 by E-minor7 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
62burst Posted August 4, 2019 Share Posted August 4, 2019 Welcome to the forum. It sounds like your Hummingbird just had some bad set up work and fret leveling done on it at some point. Good to hear you're getting it straightened out- the guitar should sound and play much better once you get things dialed in. To Mr Harmonics- the OP was more likely saying the playing condition of the guitar was a dog, but he still likes the 'Bird, enough to put in the effort to make it right (?) 7 hours ago, ndx202 said: Was looking at the bridge on it and it seems very thick compared with a seventies hummingbird a friend owns. Are the bridges not standard size and are they seem to vary ? By nearly 2mm in this case as the seventies bird has a bridge of around 8mm. Anyway just an observation any comments appreciated. Measuring two Hummingbird bridge heights just now, the 2014 was 7.~~mm tall, and the 2016 = 8. ~~mm. Not going to lose any sleep over it. And as Buc said, 70's Gibsons are such a different thing than those made before and after that era. Since the bridges go on after the finishing and the neck, maybe someone who knows more about the production end of things could answer the question of: if there are slight differences in the original neck angle, could there be some compensation for that when picking a bridge for the guitar, or is that job left to the saddle height, and there's just a box of bridges, grab one, and away it goes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted August 4, 2019 Share Posted August 4, 2019 Isnt there a chance one of them has had the bridge shaved to avoid neck reset ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ndx202 Posted August 6, 2019 Author Share Posted August 6, 2019 Im not bashing the Guitar Harmonics 101.. And no it has not had any bridge work blindboygrunt . This guitar IS a victim of bad work by third party. Luckily I have managed to restore it to its relatively recent 2012 state with the addition of some stainless steel frets... I am a guitar Luthier over here in the UK and sometimes a good buy happens. I practically stole it from the previous owner and it now sounds beautiful again. Oh 62burst the height of the bridge on this one was 10.8mm very high as if it had not been finnished. I have finished it now and the neck bridge angle is correct . Oh how do I insert a picture on here when they all easily exeed the permitted size?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ndx202 Posted August 6, 2019 Author Share Posted August 6, 2019 On 8/4/2019 at 4:59 AM, 62burst said: Welcome to the forum. It sounds like your Hummingbird just had some bad set up work and fret leveling done on it at some point. Good to hear you're getting it straightened out- the guitar should sound and play much better once you get things dialed in. To Mr Harmonics- the OP was more likely saying the playing condition of the guitar was a dog, but he still likes the 'Bird, enough to put in the effort to make it right (?) Measuring two Hummingbird bridge heights just now, the 2014 was 7.~~mm tall, and the 2016 = 8. ~~mm. Not going to lose any sleep over it. And as Buc said, 70's Gibsons are such a different thing than those made before and after that era. Since the bridges go on after the finishing and the neck, maybe someone who knows more about the production end of things could answer the question of: if there are slight differences in the original neck angle, could there be some compensation for that when picking a bridge for the guitar, or is that job left to the saddle height, and there's just a box of bridges, grab one, and away it goes. I have seen a lot Gibson Acoustics in the last few years and wondered how they made it out of the factory. They were expensive firewood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ndx202 Posted August 6, 2019 Author Share Posted August 6, 2019 On 8/3/2019 at 10:19 PM, Harmonics101 said: Pictures? Measurements? Messed up? Bring it in to get it checked out. You're not the first hand purchaser so stop bashing the guitar. H No one is bashing the guitar I bought it for next to nothing and refretted it with stainless frets … Its a good en now . I did not say it was Gibsons fault at any point ? All though I am a luthier and have seen a lot of Gibson guitars with finishing faults ie glue lines. Even bridge to 12th fret measurements way out. So its not uncommon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ndx202 Posted August 6, 2019 Author Share Posted August 6, 2019 On 8/3/2019 at 10:19 PM, Harmonics101 said: Pictures? Measurements? Messed up? Bring it in to get it checked out. You're not the first hand purchaser so stop bashing the guitar. H Ive sorted its issues out myself. I build guitars 😉 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ndx202 Posted August 7, 2019 Author Share Posted August 7, 2019 On 8/3/2019 at 11:28 PM, Buc McMaster said: Wouldn't do much dimensional comparisons between 21st century Gibsons and their ancestors from the 1970s. Climb back out of the rabbit hole while you still can........ Just an observation from someone who has worked on guitars for 40 years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ndx202 Posted August 7, 2019 Author Share Posted August 7, 2019 On 8/4/2019 at 1:26 AM, Paul14 said: Why did you buy this “dog” of a guitar? IT cost me next to nothing and the wood was right.. Fretting was fu.."ed. I restore guitars ' and sell em. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ndx202 Posted August 7, 2019 Author Share Posted August 7, 2019 On 8/4/2019 at 8:28 AM, blindboygrunt said: Isnt there a chance one of them has had the bridge shaved to avoid neck reset ? no Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted August 7, 2019 Share Posted August 7, 2019 5 hours ago, ndx202 said: no That's very definite I hope you're happy with your guitar I mean that with the utmost sincerity Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ndx202 Posted August 11, 2019 Author Share Posted August 11, 2019 On 8/7/2019 at 6:01 PM, blindboygrunt said: That's very definite I hope you're happy with your guitar I mean that with the utmost sincerity Yes happy now Ive refretted it.. For what they cost you would think that the frets would be stainless steel to start with. Replaced the nut and saddle as the the frets are now a full 0.055" high. sound is much better and the action is a lot slicker. Plus no more worn frets. This is a keeper as I said the wood is right. The mids on the Hummingbird are very good and now the harmonics at the 3rd ' 5th 9h and 12th really ring. The guitar is also generally a lot louder. Hummingbird with brand new frets , cant get any better... Thanks for the concern Billyboygrunt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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