fermfs Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 Hey, I want to make my Hummingbird brighter. I love the bass but I need more on the high end. I am currently using DAddario EJ 16 12-53. Do you guys have any recommendations? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex_78 Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 Bone saddle and 80-20 strings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fermfs Posted June 14, 2011 Author Share Posted June 14, 2011 Bone saddle and 80-20 strings. I already placed a bone saddle. Which 80-20´s do you recommend? I have heard/read great stuff about the JP but never really tried em. Thing is I can´t go to the store and by a ton of them, try em out and choose. I´m on a tight budget so when I buy a set they gotta stay on for while.. Wanna get as close as possible to the right choice with just a few tests... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex_78 Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 I already placed a bone saddle. Which 80-20´s do you recommend? I have heard/read great stuff about the JP but never really tried em. Thing is I can´t go to the store and by a ton of them, try em out and choose. I´m on a tight budget so when I buy a set they gotta stay on for while.. Wanna get as close as possible to the right choice with just a few tests... Well JP are my favourite, but I noticed that all the 80-20s have a brighter sound than PB, at the moment on my SC I've a set D'addario bluegrass, they're good and cheap, but very rough at touch. I've tried EXPs and Elixir, the former are better IMO, the Earthwoods are also very good for our guitars but they don't last long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stubee Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 As a guy who actually owned several Gibson Hummingbirds for a total period of about 25 years I answered your question as best I could on AGF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Im surprised youre not getting enough brightness with your HB when using Daddario PB's. I found them to be the brightest PB strings out there, however I prefer DR Sunbeams on my CW and SJ. The next step as others pointed out would be 80/20's, JP has a good reputation. But beware as to my ears they sound bright but also very metallic. I found the tone quie unappealing and dont use 80/20's at all. You can also go one gage higher on your E and B strings. I do this with my rosewood SWD to get more high end sparkle and cut through. Or, there could be something wrong with your HB.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex_78 Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 As a guy who actually owned several Gibson Hummingbirds for a total period of about 25 years I answered your question as best I could on AGF. Would you mind to share? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stubee Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Here's what I offered on AGF. Yes I do as I owned one for about 20 years and two others for some period of time. So I will not advise you to buy another guitar: Hummingbirds are good guitars. It sounds like you are looking for what I'd call "treble cut" as you're happy with the bass & probably the mid-range. Treble cut is approximately = to treble volume. That's a simple look at it & we can argue a zillion things but some guitars just don't have strong treble. H'Birds are not what I'd call real 'cutting' guitars on the treble end but there are some things you can do. Keep in mind that when looking for treble you're mainly talking the unwound strings and IME changing brands = zilch for the unwound B & E. If you are also unhappy with the sound of your wound G string then take what I say and add a gauge to it... OK, keep the EJ16s on there but remove the high E and B string & replace them with heavier strings like the 13E and 17B that the EJ17s have, or even try 'heavies' = 14E and 18B. This will give you more treble volume and about nothing else. I used 13/17 E & B for years on a 'Bird that could only handle the EJ16 set due to some structural problems and it did darned well adds treble. Done the same with some other old guitars. Picks are also a cheap experiment but if your trebles strings just don't have it, a pick will not bring it out. You can also experiment with bridge pins and on and on, but I'd start with the E & B strings. You can buy singles for about a buck apiece. I like EJ17s and could simply tell you to try those but then you'd add bass too so not an answer. So try messing with the E/B strings with your EJ16s first. Good luck to ya. This is what I did for years with guitars that sounded good but lacked treble 'strength'. It made them more all-purpose guitars for me in that I could do single string and double-stop leads on the top strings & be heard. Going up one gauge on the E & B doesn't impact playability/action appreciably IME. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 . Stubee - I also appreciated you pasting your post over from AGF. B) Fermfs - Some good suggestions here to experiment with. One I would add is - if your break angle over the saddle is fairly wide (usually a low saddle), you might want to look at some options for that - higher action, ramping, or neck reset (ouch). Hope you find a way to boost you satisfaction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 I don't think you should underestimate the bridge-pins. It's not much but the difference is there 4 - 5 - 6 %. (Some might have other experiences). Go for bone or something in that area. I never tried the ones in brass, but maybe that's a possibility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fermfs Posted June 15, 2011 Author Share Posted June 15, 2011 Thanks everyone!!! Some very good suggestions here. I´m gonna start with 80-20s JP, Addario and finally Elexir (since they last the longest). I´m hoping these will work, otherwise I´ll give the different gauge set up a try.. Oh, I will also look into the pins...lets see how much that´s gonna cost... Thanks again! I will let you know how it all works out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fermfs Posted June 15, 2011 Author Share Posted June 15, 2011 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Regarding pins you must be able and willing to live with a more or less obvious asymmetry there – no need to say. . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fermfs Posted June 15, 2011 Author Share Posted June 15, 2011 Regarding pins you must be able and willing to live with a more or less obvious asymmetry there – no need to say. . . What you mean? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Dont forget the easiest and cheapest modification - a thicker pick. That will definitely brighten up the tone, from the first strum. Thanks everyone!!! Some very good suggestions here. I´m gonna start with 80-20s JP, Addario and finally Elexir (since they last the longest). I´m hoping these will work, otherwise I´ll give the different gauge set up a try.. Oh, I will also look into the pins...lets see how much that´s gonna cost... Thanks again! I will let you know how it all works out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 What you mean? Well if you exchange all the pins to let's say brass, there is a chance you just kind of parallel shift (move everything in same direction) the whole register, bass, mids and trebs and therefore don't get the specific thing you're after : Brighter highs. I'm not sure how the logic work from one pin-material to another – that's your experiment – but I imagine you primarily listen to the bass, mids and highs in comparison with the other strings on your guitar (all though it could be co-players as well). By asymmetry, I mean different looking pins, which could be an issue for some. I personally have bridges with pins in varied colours/material and some guitars bear it better than others. 4 white lower bone pins and 2 in brass on a Bird would be no problem, if you ask me. Funny enough, I just saw a clip of Richie Havens opening performance at Woodstock yesterday. He had white low E and A pins, the rest were dark – might have been coincidental, who knows. But his co-guitarist decidedly seemed to lack one of the mids. Pretty hazardous for such fiery a gig ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fermfs Posted June 16, 2011 Author Share Posted June 16, 2011 Thanks EMinor 7. I now see what you mean. Definitely something to look into... Dont forget the easiest and cheapest modification - a thicker pick. That will definitely brighten up the tone, from the first strum. Really? I guess it depends on the material but to my ear it is the total opposite. With the same material pics, thinner = brighter... Interesting... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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