Hummingbird vrs. masterbuilt

[ABS7]

I am new to this fourm. I found it by goolging Epiphone hummingbird and dove acoustic guitars. I have wanted a hummingbird or a dove for a while and wanted to know which one people thought was the better of the two. After reading the threads on this topic most thought there wasn't much difference other than the wood. As far as sound they were about the same. Then someone mentioned a masterbuilt. Now I dont know what I want. Just looking to spend around 300 to 350. I have just started playing and I don't play well at all. I want a guitar that is easy on the fingers and will last me for quite some time. I would like to stay with Epiphone. If I were to get a masterbuilt what model would anyone recommend?

 

Thanks for your time. ABS7

[jwalin]

If you go the masterbuilt route, then I would look for a DR-500R. The DR is the standard dreadnaught, and the R is rosewood back and sides. Most claim that it gives deeper bass. The wood is much more beautiful than mahogany, if you ask me. You won't find a Masterbuilt new for $350, so if that is your budget, then look for a used one, or get the Hummingbird. The Dove is maple back and sides, and is a brighter guitar. I would go for a Humminbird Artist, unless you need all the bling, but you save $100. And you could get a bone nut and saddle, rosewood bridge pins, and new strings for the difference and pay someone to install and set it up for you, and you would have a better sounding instrument for the $350.

[andy59]

I have just started playing and I don't play well at all. I want a guitar that is easy on the fingers and will last me for quite some time. I would like to stay with Epiphone.

 

Hi ABS7,

I was where you are last year at this time. I still am practicing and learning but am getting better. For me the type of strings was most important to be "easy on the fingers" in the beginning. The cheap strings are usually harder on my fingers. Thinner "light" strings like light bronze or polymer coated strings are a little easier for me to use. The downside is lighter strings break more easily and are harder to keep in tune. I have some heavy ones as well. I built up callouses in a few months now string type is less of a factor. I have learned to look for the "action" which is the string height above the frets. The lower the action, the easier it is to push the strings down to fret. Alot of acoustics have high action that can't easily be adjusted. An easy trick I use is to to compare action between guitars is to take something about 3/32" thick (I use a credit card inside a paper holder) and slide it along the neck between the strings and fretboard to see how close to the soundhole it sticks. On guitars with lower action it will stick closer to the soundhole. The "scale", which is the length of the part of the strings that "twang", is also a factor. The longer the scale, the more tension needed for the strings to be in tune, thus harder to push the strings down to the fret. So a smaller guitar is actually easier on the fingers in the beginning. The dilemma is that the larger guitars generally sound better and would last. I don't have any of the guitars you are considering but have tried the Hummingbird and Dove (both very nice), I haven't tried a Masterbilt yet so I can't help you with that choice. I hope this helps.

[byrds1965]

I am new to this fourm. I found it by goolging Epiphone hummingbird and dove acoustic guitars. I have wanted a hummingbird or a dove for a while and wanted to know which one people thought was the better of the two. After reading the threads on this topic most thought there wasn't much difference other than the wood. As far as sound they were about the same. Then someone mentioned a masterbuilt. Now I dont know what I want. Just looking to spend around 300 to 350. I have just started playing and I don't play well at all. I want a guitar that is easy on the fingers and will last me for quite some time. I would like to stay with Epiphone. If I were to get a masterbuilt what model would anyone recommend?

 

Thanks for your time. ABS7

 

 

Forget the Hummingbird and check out the Hummingbird Artist. $100 cheaper at $249 and a nicer guitar than the stock HB. They are going for that at the Villa Park IL. GC by me anyway.

 

I owned on of the DR500M's and while I had it was rock solid. I still own and trying to dump my AJ500ME in burst. The thing split open all the way down the back.

 

The Masterbuilts sound nice but feel the materials are suspect. I have seen many hanging on the walls at GC and SA with cracks in them.

[ABS7]

Thank you all for the information.

 

byrds1965 what is the diffrence between the two hummingbirds other than the pick guard?

 

ABS7

[byrds1965]

Thank you all for the information.

 

byrds1965 what is the diffrence between the two hummingbirds other than the pick guard?

 

ABS7

 

From the HBA I played at GC and all the stock HBs I have played in the past and the 2 stock ones they had in the acoustic room the day I grabbed the HBA, the tone.

 

I have never played a stock HB that sounded like anything more than the sum of its parts. The HBA had a nice tight grained top and just sounded good.

 

The action was a mile high and it needed a good set up and problaby a set of good strings to help even more but the tone was there in that one.

 

Several others here who have played them seem to have the same opinion of better than a stock HB.

 

The DR500M would be along the same lines spruce top and Hog back and sides but all solid wood. The one I had was solid and most Masterbuilt problems I have seen come from the AJs.

 

If you can play them both. The HBA will never be as sweet as an all solid wood guitar, but the one I played was a very very nice $249 guitar.