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One post, two questions-has anyone played a Songbird or a MK.53?


Jinder

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I know a guy who has a couple of these for sale and I am considering a trade for my Guild-the Guild is an amazing instrument and sounds out of this world, but I am struggling with the very slightly narrower nut width to the spacy Gibson nuts I'm used to.

 

The Songbird is, I believe, a Sitka'n'Hog precursor to the Songwriter. It is a 2003 model.

 

The MK.53 is a Maple bodied baby jumbo from the '70s with the short-lived Kasha bracing system.

 

I have played and enjoyed a RW Songwriter, and was pleasantly surprised but not obsessed with a RW MK.72 I played a while ago, although I'm sure it would have been vastly improved by a new set of strings.

 

The Songbird is a bit ordinary looking but not unpleasant, and the MK is a bit fugly but kinda cool in that '70s way.

 

As I'm sure some of you know by now I'm a fan of Maple guitars, but Hog dreads are a favourite too.

 

Any hands-on experience with these?

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I've played the songbird, a friend of mine I gigged with some owned one several years ago. IMHO it is close

to the sound and feel of the Songwriter. The bass I thought had what I would call a little more "punch" than the SWD.

But you know as well as I, the sound depends on the players ear and what they are looking for.

 

As far as the nut width I am not sure of the dimension but It was not narrow. Reminded me of the J180 that I have.

I would take it.

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Hiya Jinder - I can give you some feedback on the Mark 53...my late friend and singer in our band, Jack Martin had one and I picked it up everytime I went to his house. For a Gibson it's nothing remarkable and I was not impressed with the sound, maybe due to the since defunct kasha bracing system, I dunno. It played very nice, but I didn't like the unusual bridge on it, and the tone was very subdued for a Gibson acoustic. I think he got it very cheap - $500 if I remember right. I don't think you'd be too thrilled with it. He also had a Mark 72 RW that sounded a lot better. The MK-53 always looked a little bit too deco modern to me. Just my 2 pennies...

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I had an MK53 and I have no idea why I traded for it. For me it was terrible. I must have been liquored up or chemically altered. I forget what I traded for it, I think it was a dollar. I got ripped off. hahahahahhahaha

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I have a 2001 SongBird Deluxe and a 2008 Southern Junbo True Vintage. The SongBird is rosewood back and sides, sitka spruce top, mahogany neck with mother of pearl florets inlay on the rosewood fretboard. Fishman matrix pick-up. Grover tuners. Great guitar! I've been gigging every Friday night for two years running now with this guitar. Never fails to get great comments on the looks and tone of this guitar. The new SongWriter line is just the same guitar with a new name. Would recommend to anyone. But if you REALLY want great tone, drop the cash and go with the True Vintage line. Unbelievable!!! I'll beat up my SongBird gigging on the weekends, but my SJ true Vintage stays at home for my personal playing. Although I do use it in recording. It will make you throw rocks at any other guitar!!! Gibson has really stepped up their game with the True Vintage line.

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