Epiphone Hummingbird

[Damien Sullins]

I really love the appearance of the Epiphone Hummingbird! However I can not find one that is

acceptable. I am not hard to please but the first one I bought was from American Musical Supply.

When I recieved it out of a new box it was so defective that a local guitar tech. recommended I

return it. So I did and they were great about reffunding my credit card. I tried it again from

another store and the neck was so out of line that again it would have taken a lot of money to

make it playable. I returned it!

I can't believe that all Epiphone Hummingbirds are defective! I do own an Epiphone G400

electric guitar and I love it . Very well made and has a great sound. For $349.00 it was a bargain!

I also own a Breedlove Passport ,a Takemenie Acoustic,and a Laguna 300CE sold at Guitar Center.

I have no complaints about any of these acoustics. All these guitars belong to me and my sons so they

get used pretty often.

Should I just be resigned that the only good Hummingbird is a Gibson?

 

damien sullins

[cunningham26]

My 2007 is great, and there are a few people on here with 90s models that love them. I noticed in GC recently that the finish was a LOT heavier than on mine, really gooped on there.

 

maybe just look for an older model? Also, fresh out of the box, mine was set up great, and a year or two later with constant playing and good strings, it's opened up a little bit and has a much more rich tone.

 

have you ever tested the new model of the guitar you've been playing for years? the difference in tone makes me do this every time.

[jumero]

Hey there.. I work for Musician's Friend, and if you want to email me, I can make sure if you order an Epiphone Hummingbird through us, it will be pristine :): forums@musiciansfriend.com

[The_Buffalo]

The action on mine was high - really high, and the strings were rusty (it was a new guitar, but I guess it had been sitting around the store for a while). They lowered the action & put new strings on for me, while I waited. Really nice guitar.

[Damien Sullins]

Hey there.. I work for Musician's Friend, and if you want to email me, I can make sure if you order an Epiphone Hummingbird through us, it will be pristine :): forums@musiciansfriend.com

jumero, I just might be take you up on that! Does Musicians' Friend sell a lot of Epiphone Hummingbirds? And is there some setup or something? If I thought i could get one that will perform as well as other brands in the same price range I likely would spring for one! email me if you wish . americankleenpro@cox.net

 

Thanks

Damien Sullins

[tartanbeastie]

its funny cos the wife and i share 5 acoustics of varying brands. my dream acoustic was always the gibson hummingbird til recently. I think they look sound and play awesome but my wife isnt convinced by them, she prefers a brighter tone to the ones we have played. So, as a compromise I have joked that in the future when we have some spare cash, we should get the epiphone hummingbird and the martin johnny cash signature series..Yup thats my new dream acoustic but I would happily own the epi and have tried out several new ones which are well made, nicely set up and play well.

[Damien Sullins]

tartanbeastie I know what you mean! My dream guitar has been a Gibson Hummingbird but after actually playing

it I have found some Taylors,Martins,and even some Breedloves which all cost at least a thousand less but

too me perform better. So I finally got over the idea of spending $3500.00 for a Gibson Hummingbird when

the Epiphone looks as good almost . Unfortunately so far I have not found one that was any good! I believe

that I just happen to get a couple that were not good . I suppose that is what I am asking has anybody bought one and been happy with the performance of the Epi Hummingbird. I am sure there are some who have.

My wife however does not play guitars or does she want to so I don't any sympathy from her if you no what I mean.

Sometimes you just want something, possibly not very expensive and even if though I have seen a couple of bad ones I still want to find one that is alright!

 

Damien

[The_Buffalo]

...has anybody bought one and been happy with the performance of the Epi Hummingbird. I am sure there are some who have...

 

Damien

 

I am, but as I mentioned in my previous post, the action was really high. After they changed the strings & lowered the action, (while I waited in the store), I found it to be a really nice guitar - looks good, sounds good, playable. (Especially for the price). I have no regrets.

[cunningham26]

I am, but as I mentioned in my previous post, the action was really high. After they changed the strings & lowered the action, (while I waited in the store), I found it to be a really nice guitar - looks good, sounds good, playable. (Especially for the price). I have no regrets.

 

i'm really happy with mine, but it took a year or so of being on the fence. after it broke in and I got the correct strings on there (those ones they come with are utter junk and don't do the actual sound justice) it sounds great and totally suits all of my needs.

[meanstreak]

My 1994 Epi bird sounds amazing with or without using the pickup I installed. Needed a good setup though, it's super low action now and much better looking and sounding than the new ones IMHO

 

[Jer231]

I bought a pristine Hummingbird off of Craigslist for $225.00 with a case. I watched this guitar get re-listed time and time again from $375.00 and it just kept dropping. Finally right before Christmas it hit $225.00 so I called the guy and asked him about it. He told me that he had developed carpal tunnel and could no longer play, he bought the guitar new from GC the previous year and then took it to a local repair shop for a setup and a string change. When I played this, I could not believe that it was the same guitar that I played at GC. It was so easy to play. I had been in GC a week earlier and the Birds were all just terrible. But after a setup it played great.

 

I buy a lot of gear from Musicians Friend, and they have excellent customer service, but I cannot buy a guitar that I can not hold in my hand to try out. Especially with all the different manufacturers making the guitars. This is not a problem that is unique to Epi either. I went a few years ago when a friend of mine was buying a Jackson Randy Rhoads and he kept making them go and get another one. He played 9 guitars before he found one that played good. And this was a US made Jackson!

 

When I bought my Dove there were 4 of them lined up, I played them all and wound up taking the second one I played, it was like a totally different guitar!

[BoBoBlues]

Damien, do yourself a favor, save up the coins, and purchase a Martin dreadnought. From the 60's into the 80's, I owned a Conn, Yamaha, Ovation, Takamine, etc. and really couldn't tell much difference in tone. When my "ear" finally developed enough, and I finally played a quality instrument (Martin), I could tell right away this was how an acoustic is supposed to sound. I bought an HD28 in '83 and it's been my only acoustic since. Right now it's with the luthier having the neck reset after 27 years of use, but it's covered under Martin's lifetime warranty...highly recommended.

 

Moderators, I apologize for having no Epi content here, as I'm a Sheraton owner, but in the acoustic arena, there really are no "bargains", and you do get what you pay for.