Johnt Posted July 26, 2008 Share Posted July 26, 2008 Just wanted to make a point about the amplification side of life, if you are gigging I guess that's an important factor to you. You have your AER which is a dedicated acoustic amp. Nice tool I was very tempted until someone close to me suggested another. I have a Headway Shire King 120. The L R Baggs fitted to my SWD is very sweet through a designated acoustic amp, less so through a little marshall I have, that's really not so surprising I know. Ok so I haven't placed a Taylor through this amp but it would take a lot of beating for pure amplification of the acoustic guitar. The older L R Baggs which is fitted to my J45, hog body, maple neck, sounds equally good. From my understanding the HB range has the LRB also with that neat little soundhole wheel for volume. I reckon it's worth carting you AER to the store and trying out the sound you will get from the combination, especially if the vocal goes through channel 2 of your AER! and especially if two guitars sound the same acoustically and you can't make up your mind! Good luck, let us know how you get on? Nice sunny day will be off to Beach! BR John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlelegs Posted July 26, 2008 Author Share Posted July 26, 2008 Good idea John I had'nt thought of that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnt Posted July 26, 2008 Share Posted July 26, 2008 did you try a j45 rosewood? very different from the regular mahogany...much richer' date=' deeper (in my opinion). A total joy to play, though plugged in it's quite bassy and need some generous eq (again, in my opinion). also it smells better than any guitar i've ever smelt. [img']http://forum.gibson.com/public/style_emoticons/default/eusa_drool.gif[/img] He's right of course my SWD is much deeper than the J45 but then again I have a norlin SS J45 hog with maple neck. a mezzo soprano would sound deeper than that! Stick to you guns LL and buy that HB fast, now I know where it is you could be in a race ^^^^ Thats a joke BTW I currently cover a J300 and /or a Robert Johnson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acousticat Posted July 26, 2008 Share Posted July 26, 2008 OMG now he's done it he's mentioned Colonials! Strewth! Seriously LL AJ's on the money this is a very friendly' date=' knowledgeable and forgiving forum ( unless you mention the "c word" above that is! You will find accurate objective advice on all matters from woods to bridge pins but I bet you a pound to a pinch of s**t that they'll all echo KSD on guitar choice. [/quote'] For us non-Brits Interjection: strewth Usage: Brit Used to express surprise - crikey [brit], cripes, cor [brit], crumbs [brit], gosh, golly, by George, by Jove, blimey [brit], gorblimey [brit], cor blimey [brit], my, holy cow, holy mackerel, holy smoke, holy moley, holy moly, fancy [brit], good grief, goodness, goodness me, Gordon Bennett, gracious, gracious me, fancy that, god, my word, oh, O, ah, oh boy, jeez, geez, struth [brit], yikes, I'll be blowed [brit], blow me [brit], Holy-dooly [Austral], heck, blooming heck [brit], jeepers, jeepers creepers, marry [archaic], well I never, heavens, good heavens, my goodness, Jesus, bejesus [N. Amer] Welcome to the Forum, littlelegs I have a 04 Hummingbird and it's one of the sweets sounding guitars I own Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlelegs Posted July 29, 2008 Author Share Posted July 29, 2008 So it was back to Andertons for another browse, they had 2 HB's in stock one on the wall which I have played previously and one boxed up, so I compared them against each other and lo and behold a difference emerged, the boxed one had a neck that reseambled a banana, apart from that they sounded different and to cap it all the one on the wall that had spoke to me stopped, it must be female and probably pissed off that i didn't walk out of the shop with it. To cap it all I tried a Songwriter delux and unplugged sound superb. So I went back today and tried the wall HB and the SD, put it through the AER amp and the SD sound so bright and brittle, the HB was clean and warm and lovely and.... well did I buy it? Actually no, I want to sample some more examples just to be sure!!! Its so frustrating Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jefleppard Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 So it was back to Andertons for another browse' date=' they had 2 HB's in stock one on the wall which I have played previously and one boxed up, so I compared them against each other and lo and behold a difference emerged, the boxed one had a neck that reseambled a banana, apart from that they sounded different and to cap it all the one on the wall that had spoke to me stopped, it must be female and probably pissed off that i didn't walk out of the shop with it. To cap it all I tried a Songwriter delux and unplugged sound superb. So I went back today and tried the wall HB and the SD, put it through the AER amp and the SD sound so bright and brittle, the HB was clean and warm and lovely and.... well did I buy it? Actually no, I want to sample some more examples just to be sure!!! Its so frustrating[/quote'] i'm loving my swd. the guys at my songwriting workshop put down their bonjovi takamines as soon as i pull it out of the case. gibby makes alot of beauties each with their own particular voice. its like chosing a favourite child. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnt Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 So it was back to Andertons for another browse' date=' they had 2 HB's in stock one on the wall which I have played previously and one boxed up, so I compared them against each other and lo and behold a difference emerged, the boxed one had a neck that reseambled a banana, apart from that they sounded different and to cap it all the one on the wall that had spoke to me stopped, it must be female and probably pissed off that i didn't walk out of the shop with it. To cap it all I tried a Songwriter delux and unplugged sound superb. So I went back today and tried the wall HB and the SD, put it through the AER amp and the SD sound so bright and brittle, the HB was clean and warm and lovely and.... well did I buy it? Actually no, I want to sample some more examples just to be sure!!! Its so frustrating[/quote'] Hehehehe you wouldn't be the first to fall for the SWD would he cunk/AJ/guitarstrummer/me Hang on LL you will prevail! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rambler Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 Hello One and all from the South east UK' date=' I recently tried a Hummingbird and was really taken with the sweetness of the sound. This was up against a Martin DM (I think) I wanted to compare it to a D18 or D28 but the shop didnt have one. I just to let you know I play in an acoustic/electric duo and do most of the singing. My acoustic is/will be plugged into an AER alpha. [/quote'] A few quick thoughts. The Martin DM is a budget model, nothing like the the real deal. If you didnt care for a j45 you prob wont like a D18: aggressive mahog sound. The D28 is another story: robust, booming, tho not sweet; more metallic. Both Martins are 25.5 scale vs 24.75 for the Bird. The longer scale is sharper and louder; less blend. Neither has a pickup. Gibson has 2 other woods in the HB body: maple (dove), which is brighter, and Songwriter (rw), which is robust. Bird is a perfectly fine guitar and suited to chord work and strumming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinder Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 Littlelegs, I own a 2008 Hummingbird Modern Classic and it's just about the favourite guitar I own. It is SO characterful but subtle with it, plays beautifully (short scale is always a winner for playability) and sounds fantastic unplugged or amped, thanks to the great LR Baggs Element pickup that comes as stock. It's my second recent 'Bird, the previous being an '06, and this one is WAY better than my previous one. I can't say why or how, particularly, but it's just got more vibe and nicer tone. The previous Bird was good, but this one is unbelievable. I am really keen on Hummingbirds, my producer loves the way they-in particular my one-record, and they are a great live weapon too. Subtle and tasteful yet dynamic solo, and distinctive yet blend-friendly in a band setup. Do be aware that they can vary from individual example to example, though. Which leads me to say that you should buy the one you've tried and loved rather than chancing your arm online to save a few quid. I think it's better to pay a little more to get a truly great guitar you know you love already. Don't hesitate, get back to the shop you played it at, spend another hour or two with it, and if it asks to be taken home, let it be! Have you ever seen a more beautiful guitar than the modern 'Bird in that amber-y sunburst, too? I feel like eating mine whenever I open the case. It smells AMAZING too :-P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J45dale Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 One small point that I have always noticed, is when playing a Gibson acoustic in a shop, that for some very odd reason they usually have old , grimy, dead strings. Its like some folks never wash their hands. So if you find a possible keeper, offer to buy and install new strings for a proper test run. Its a small price to pay for true clarity, and the shop wins either way. Happy hunting, Dale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apillock Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 It seems to me that too many people are swayed by the maker's name rather than the guitar sound. Along with the Gibson SG rescued from an auntie's loft, came a Sigma DT-4, made in Korea. It has amazing tone and resonance but I suspect that these don't count for as much as a big name on the head. We are still saving up to get the Gibson set up properly but I posted a short sample of it's sound on www.youtube.com/edotoole called The Lost Gibson. I have noticed too that posters here go for the bright and shiny sparkly models. What's it really all about? Showing off? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 What's it really all about? Showing off? Sometimes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albertjohn Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 To cap it all I tried a Songwriter delux and unplugged sound superb. So I went back today and tried the wall HB and the SD' date=' put it through the AER amp and the SD sound so bright and brittle, the HB was clean and warm and lovely and....[/quote'] I have played my SWD a couple of times live direct into one of those new Bose PA with speakers that look at bit like 4 by 2s. Also a couple of times direct into an old PA amp feeding a Carlsboro speaker. In both cases I was able to dial in a great sound. My SWD is the cutaway and has a Fishman preamp with eq and tuner so is extremely versatile. I may be mistaken but I think we have established the non cutaway has an LR Baggs with just a volume control which is the same as that in the Bird? I suppose it depends what you want to do with your guitar. I chose the SWD over a Bird with gigging in mind (i.e. greater versatility) but in my case it sounded better acoustically when A/Bd against the Bird I was offered. Hope this is of some help. Please let us know what you decide. Yes JT it's friday and the week is nearly over so I'll be flitting between here and the BBC cricket pages this afternoon, whilst hard at work in the office. I'll bark a few orders to the troops from my office periodically, so they know I'm still here! "EARL GREY, MILK NO SUGAR WHEN YOU HAVE A MOMENT PLEASE!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnt Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 Yes JT it's friday and the week is nearly over so I'll be flitting between here and the BBC cricket pages this afternoon' date=' whilst hard at work in the office. I'll bark a few orders to the troops from my office periodically, so they know I'm still here! "EARL GREY, MILK NO SUGAR WHEN YOU HAVE A MOMENT PLEASE!" Poor Littlelegs you are stealing his thread again......but since we are here. You have troops in your office? we have secretaries with white blouses, long legs.........................> Shower! It's 20 40 and I have just come in through the door after leaving at 05.00 to Manchester. Listened to the cricket Great that we got Smith before stumps. Sorry have to go thinking aboiut secretaries again, stockings, Tailored business suits ,sexual harrassment suits Hell life's tough! Good weekend one and all Littlelegs how IS your decision? BR John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballcorner Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 I completely understand your Taylor experience because almost everyone I know and play with has tried a Taylor or two - including myself - only to end up selling it at a substantial loss. Taylors are made with a lot of machine and not enough hands. Ultimately, they are technically brilliant guitars but I really believe it is the lack of human touch that makes them seem so cold to many of us. The Hummingbird you have tried sounds like an exceptional guitar. Obviously, you felt brave walking away from it. I have 32 guitars at the moment. Many of them are on people's dream lists. You mention that you would like to try the Hummingbird against a D18 or a D28, but I can assure you neither of them will please you. The only Martin I think you might like is a D-18V - the vintage spec model with the forward shifted bracing - and compared to a Hummingbird I still think a sensible person would stay with the Gibson. At my local shop there is a fellow named Brian. He has been working in guitar shops for about 35 years and he is an exceptional player and an even better listener. He went to Bozeman last year and he came home religious. The guitar he was most impressed with was the Hummingbird. I once posted here that if I had only one guitar I couldn't imagine it being a Hummingbird. I took more heat than a chili pepper sandwich without the bread. So, I got my 1977 Hummingbird out and played it four hours a day for a week. Yep, the Hummingbird is one heck of a guitar - even a thick finish/top/pickguard model from the 70s. The Hummingbirds they make today are five times better than the one I own. Get one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thermionik Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 apillock - some of us are neither blinded by the name on the headstock nor attracted only to the bright, glittery things. I like the cut of your jib - don't stop posting, persevere, mate, persevere..... Talking of set-up - are you near Lincolnshire perchance? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballcorner Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 I have noticed too that posters here go for the bright and shiny sparkly models. What's it really all about? Showing off? Yes. We are all here to show off. None of us is blessed with the capacity to listen to a guitar and make a decision based on tone. It is all about what looks good on a stand next to the Lotus. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go look at myself in the mirror. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWilson Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 I was truly sorry to hear, through Thermionik, that you had cut your jib. A great loss I'm sure, at least for a while. Once it's had a chance to heal, or at least scab over, I suggest you get back down to that hummingbird, lay your money down, and take 'er home, mate! Nothing helps in the recovery of a lacerated jib like the medicinal strumming of a fine Gibson acoustic. If it's still too early, find a nice little nurse to play it for you until you're fit. You might get Johnt or Albertjohn to help you out but I'm sure their wrists are too sore from a Friday of tippling pints to be of much use to you today. ( And as you're probably aware, the Brits have some strong right wrists!) Best of luck lad and sorry, once again, about the bum jib! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnt Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 I was truly sorry to hear' date=' through Thermionik, that you had cut your jib. A great loss I'm sure, at least for a while. Once it's had a chance to heal, or at least scab over, I suggest you get back down to that hummingbird, lay your money down, and take 'er home, mate! Nothing helps in the recovery of a lacerated jib like the medicinal strumming of a fine Gibson acoustic. If it's still too early, find a nice little nurse to play it for you until you're fit. You might get Johnt or Albertjohn to help you out but I'm sure their wrists are too sore from a Friday of tippling pints to be of much use to you today. ( And as you're probably aware, the Brits have some strong right wrists!) Best of luck lad and sorry, once again, about the bum jib![/size'] Oh thank God for T Wilson! Clearly I am not the only "perv" on the forum. Not only does he , at last come out of the closet with another self taken, self portrait for his avatar ( love those knees man!) but he also declares a new fetsish! In terms of "pervs" apart from several who lurk in the Les paul section clearly T Wilson himself has at last exposed (pardon the expression) a fraility generated by nurses! For me as I said earlier in this 4th. highjack of littleleg's post, I have a pechant for secretaries. Miss Moneypenny in the early Bond films can take down my dictation anytime. But I digress..... I regret neither AJ nor I would look especially attractive as nurses, we could do bespectacled, chain smoking, hard drinking ,merchant bankers ( look for the slang TW) at a push! In between performances we double as an Irish folk band called "A Smile and song and a Shillelagh" Bookings now available through cunkhead! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thermionik Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 That's a Rule 7 violation, and quite possibly a combined Rule 2/3 combination. But more, much more than this, it is a blatant attempt to deflect apillock's accurate and perceptive assessment of the forum folk by changing the subject, nay, nay, nay, thrice nay - by hijacking the topic. Shame on you - and not a mention of Python. Oh bugger. Is life just a game where we make up the rules While we're searching for something to say, Or are we just simply spiralling coils Of self-replicating DNA. Nay, nay, nay, nay, nay, nay. Guilty as charged. C'est le sens de la vie. Frankie Howerd and Python in a single quote. Must be contagious. I have cunkitis..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnt Posted August 10, 2008 Share Posted August 10, 2008 Balderdash I wouldn't want to "violate" rule 23 a section b by saying what I really think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albertjohn Posted August 10, 2008 Share Posted August 10, 2008 I You might get Johnt or Albertjohn to help you out but I'm sure their wrists are too sore from a Friday of tippling pints to be of much use to you today. ( And as you're probably aware' date=' the Brits have some strong right wrists!) Best of luck lad and sorry, once again, about the bum jib![/size'] TW on the big wrist trial again. Everyone knows you need a good strong right wrist to bowl a decent leg break and you get nothing in life unless you work very hard at it. If you need any tips on techniques TW I can put you in touch with some good websites! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thermionik Posted August 10, 2008 Share Posted August 10, 2008 Rule 23..... ? .....I couldn't get past Rule 17 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWilson Posted August 10, 2008 Share Posted August 10, 2008 TW on the big wrist trial again. Everyone knows you need a good strong right wrist to bowl a decent leg break and you get nothing in life unless you work very hard at it. If you need any tips on techniques TW I can put you in touch with some good websites! Har dee har har' date=' Matey!! I knew you couldn't let that one go and that you were lurking out there somewhere. It's all in good fun, lad. Keep that bowling wrist in good shape. You never know when you'll have to pick up an important 7- 10 split. [/color'] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albertjohn Posted August 12, 2008 Share Posted August 12, 2008 You never know when you'll have to pick up an important 7- 10 split. Forgive my ignorance old boy, but what is a 7-10 split? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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