Is This a Hummingbird?

[BruceH]

My father bought this guitar in the early 60's. It has Kluson Deluxe turn keys. The serial number is 363842 which is stamped on the back of the neck above the turn keys. As the photos show it has every feature of the Hummingbird except there is no inlay in the pick guard. Any ideas why there is no inlay? Maybe a custom order? A less expensive version?

[jchabalk]

does the pickguard look original? it's hard to tell from the pictures, possibly it's aftermarket. the other thing, it's likely it's not a hummingbird but another square shoulder model, the Southern Jumbo.

 

check this post, there are others too (that's where i'd put my money)

 

beautiful guitar, how's it play?

 

FWIW, also the red burst looks pretty much identical to my '76 hummingbird (block inlays)

[E-minor7]

Thought you should know they are the same thing. The guard and the tuners differs, but woods, structure etc. are simular. The H-bird saw the light of day in 1960 and was followed by the SJ which switched from slope to square shoulders in 62, due to the succes of the Bird.

This could very well be a nice ringing guitar - enjoy it, , , and give a hint if it's for sale. . .

[ksdaddy]

Southern Jumbo. Here's my '64:

 

[BruceH]

http://www.guitardaterproject.org/gibson.aspx

Has the following:

Your guitar was made at the

Kalamazoo Plant, USA

approximately in: 1965

 

http://www.gibson.com/Files/downloads/bluebook/GibsonAcoustics.pdf

Verifies the year as 1965

 

The pick guard is original.

Maybe a Southern Jumbo that is otherwise customized to match the Hummingbird?

Seems like the wood and the coloration are the same.

[BruceH]

My father was a career Air Force officer and a musician. He could play the piano, fiddle, bass fiddle, mandolin and guitar. He and his brothers had played for dances and on the radio in their early 20's in west Texas. My mother would accompany him at private functions playing rhythm guitar on an old Martin or this Gibson. He would play the fiddle or this Gibson. He must have bought it in 1965 soon after it was made. I have a vague memory of him paying about $800 for it and it retailing for about $1,000+. This was an unusual purchase for them as they were very frugal and he was very proud of it. He would also get together with some friends and they would play 40's and 50's songs for hours. One of his favorite past times was to record different tracks on his Roberts 4X recorder, playing a different instrument each time so that the finished product sounded like a small band. I believe Les Paul and mary ford and Chet Atkins were his favorite musicians and he sounded very much like them when he played.

 

I learned to play chords so I could play along with him on some songs but I'm not much of a player. I have owned an Alvarez 12 string and a Yamaha 6 which were stolen years ago. When my father died in 1980 my mother kept the Gibson but seldom played it. I inherited it when she passed in 1999 but seldom play it. I don't have a good ear for tuning these instruments.