Alex_78 Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 I have and SC Signature myself. It is not a Hummingbird and is not designed to sound like one. Hall According to the Q&A at Montana, the firebird, hummingbird and AC are structurally the same guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denis57 Posted June 11, 2011 Author Share Posted June 11, 2011 Well, well, I just found out I could be the proud owner of a Vintage Hummingbird from my local dealer. They don't hold any on stock, but they could order it for me. Oh, I'm so tempted, although putting that much money on a guitar I have not played scares me a bit. I keep coming back to this model and now knowing I could have a Vintage Hummingbird makes me want it even more . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denis57 Posted June 12, 2011 Author Share Posted June 12, 2011 I'm seriously considering pulling the trigger on one of those (not necessarily a 2008 model): :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse_Dylan Posted December 19, 2014 Share Posted December 19, 2014 Sorry for replying to a really, really old thread, but I think you guys were missing some important factors. Just like if we pick up a D-28 off the shelf today, it won't sound precisely like the D-28s on The Beatles white album, so too a Hummingbird off the shelf isn't going to sound exactly like Keith's. Even more important than the fact that the Beatles D-28s had brazilian rosewood, even more important than the fact that Keith's Hummingbird might have been braced differently, what I think is most important comes down to: Strings and recording equipment. Recording equipment, we don't need to talk much about, but suffice it to say they probably used an SM57 mic, or something like that, analog equipment obviously, tapes... All beside the point. But strings, that is more important. A Hummingbird off the shelf is going to have some type of Phosphor-Bronze strings. Those didn't even exist when those recordings were made. What were they using then? Well, they might have been using 80/20s, or those would be closer at least. More than likely, they were using some type of Nickel strings. (John Pearse Pure Nickels are great for acoustic, but the ones Keith used might have even been intended for electric guitars.) Further, they were probably dead strings. There is a big difference between dead and/or nickel strings and brand new Phosphor-Bronze strings. Strings are going to matter way more than even what type of Hummingbird you have. True Vintage or Modern Classic, they sounds fairly similar, but PB strings and Nickel strings couldn't sound more different from one another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorrisrownSal Posted December 19, 2014 Share Posted December 19, 2014 Jesse, Be careful... Very careful. After you finish researching Birds and buy one, your Martins are going to be very lonely. Don't worry, because they have good resale. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted December 19, 2014 Share Posted December 19, 2014 Interestingly I played a 63' Hummingbird yesterday which had pretty old strings. And I have to say I loved the tone, it was rich, deep, complex bass. Its almost like worn strings were ideal for it. on my HB-TV old strings make the guitar sound muddy, but I guess the extra 40 years gives the vintage Bird' a complexity that the TV needs to mature into. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse_Dylan Posted December 19, 2014 Share Posted December 19, 2014 Jesse, Be careful... Very careful. After you finish researching Birds and buy one, your Martins are going to be very lonely. Don't worry, because they have good resale. :) Hehe... I hope there's room to co-exist!! I joined this forum solely to reply to this ancient thread. :P I will be selling one or two Martins when I buy my Hummingbird... Sad, but that's life! I can only play so many guitars! I'm not Keith Richards. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse_Dylan Posted December 19, 2014 Share Posted December 19, 2014 Interestingly I played a 63' Hummingbird yesterday which had pretty old strings. And I have to say I loved the tone, it was rich, deep, complex bass. Its almost like worn strings were ideal for it. on my HB-TV old strings make the guitar sound muddy, but I guess the extra 40 years gives the vintage Bird' a complexity that the TV needs to mature into. Although we must also keep in mind that for the stuff recorded in the '60s, those old Hummingbirds were at that time brand new. :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gibsonjunkie Posted December 19, 2014 Share Posted December 19, 2014 I can't emphasize strong enough the ability of a change of strings to bring life/death to the sound of a Hummingbird (or any guitar, for that matter). My wife gave me a Hummingbird for my birthday about ten years ago and I just never "loved" it. I liked it - but it just didn't ring my bells (the J-200 she gave me DID). I tried a variety of strings, but it just never sounded as good as I thought it should. Recently I received a set of Elixir 80/20s to evaluate and I put them on the HB. OH MY GOD!!!!! what a great sounding guitar it has become... and I almost sold the dang thing... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse_Dylan Posted December 19, 2014 Share Posted December 19, 2014 I can imagine Elixir nano 80/20 might be perfect for a Bird! I have had them recommended to me because I really like a dry, vintage-sounding string. I do not typically like PB until they break in, and even then I don't always. I really like John Pearse Pure Nickels and have always wondered how they'd sound on a Hummingbird. I have a Martin M-36 I almost sold after putting Monel strings on it. It was a horrible experience. I got JP Pure Nickels on it, though, and thank goodness, I had my friend back. Couldn't imagine selling it now. It's also a really special guitar to me in general, but it sounds awesome besides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted December 19, 2014 Share Posted December 19, 2014 The first 2 Stones-Birds were adjustable ceramic saddled guitars, probably from 64 or 1965. This means they had narrower necks and probably slightly different backbraces compared to earliest wave. The headstock angle also changed on some Gibsons from the mid-60's and onward. Richard's/Jagger's seem to have the early (think it's) 17 degrees though. Later at least 1 natural topped Bird arrived at the Stones-camp. This flier had the mellower rosewood saddle. Still the legendary Angie, recorded late in 1972, sounds like the porcelain saddle. Merry X-mas ~ Sincerely yours, Sherlock Adj. Holmes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse_Dylan Posted December 19, 2014 Share Posted December 19, 2014 Yeah, those saddles for sure had an effect, too! I kind of like Hummingbirds with non-bone saddles (something softer, like ceramic, rosewood, Tusq or whatever they're using now). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cibby53 Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 I can imagine Elixir nano 80/20 might be perfect for a Bird! I have had them recommended to me because I really like a dry, vintage-sounding string. I do not typically like PB until they break in, and even then I don't always. I really like John Pearse Pure Nickels and have always wondered how they'd sound on a Hummingbird. I have a Martin M-36 I almost sold after putting Monel strings on it. It was a horrible experience. I got JP Pure Nickels on it, though, and thank goodness, I had my friend back. Couldn't imagine selling it now. It's also a really special guitar to me in general, but it sounds awesome besides. Hey Jesse I came over from the Martin forum before I bought my first Gibson not long ago. I just bought a used 2014 Hummingbird that turned out to be a shop demo that was only played a couple times so still had the warranty with it. I have been a long time Martin player the D28 my main acoustic. I really love the sound of my Moderen Classic Hummingbird it sounds so dry and woody and has an exceptional bass better than I thought it would be. I've been experimenting with many different types of strings. Even changed the saddle to an elephant ivory from Bob Colisi . I did try Elixir's but phosphor bronze I will have to try the 80/20's right now I am using EJ 24 true mediums because I like a little heavier gauge than lights but don't want to use mediums. The true mediums have a .56 low E and .13 and .17 B and high E which works well on my Bird. The 80/20 Elixirs would have to be med/ lights. My D28 has not been out of the case since I got my Hummingbird and I sold my D18 to one of the nice things about the Bird for me is the neck is much more comfortable than my D28 neck and my D18 neck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarLight Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 I can't emphasize strong enough the ability of a change of strings to bring life/death to the sound of a Hummingbird (or any guitar, for that matter). My wife gave me a Hummingbird for my birthday about ten years ago and I just never "loved" it. I liked it - but it just didn't ring my bells (the J-200 she gave me DID). I tried a variety of strings, but it just never sounded as good as I thought it should. Recently I received a set of Elixir 80/20s to evaluate and I put them on the HB. OH MY GOD!!!!! what a great sounding guitar it has become... and I almost sold the dang thing... I did the same with my Modern Classic 2013 Hummingbird...Elixir 80/20 lights....as you have said OH MY GOD!!!!! ...well said! ..lol....I couldn't agree more! And the new Gibson tusq saddles are just dynamite with Elixir strings for some reason. The hum that comes from my bird now is like touching a bare electric wire!... Addictive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse_Dylan Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 It's so funny to see so many Martin folks over here! :P Likewise I've heard Gibson-lovers say how much they love their Gibson but that nothing can touch a D-28, or something along those lines. I am going to have to sell one of my Martins to get my Hummingbird... I suspect it will be my 00-18V and/or maybe my D-18... :/ It's tough. I think my D-28 is safe for now, though, maybe forever, and I plan to have my M-36 and 7-28 forever, too (and hopefully my Hummingbird). So you guys don't like mediums on your Hummingbirds? Only like lights or med/lights or "true mediums"? I guess it was the other thread where someone posted the video of Angie, but that is exactly the sound I think we all have in mind when we want the Rolling Stones Hummingbird sound, and I do think that is achieved through the type/age of strings, the nut/saddle, and the recording equipment, moreso than any differences in bracing between various Hummingbirds (with the exception being the '70s/'80s ones with the double x-brace--can't imagine they sound the same!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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