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What do you think of the tone of my Bird' with these strings ?


EuroAussie

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Im experimenting with stirngs on the ol' Bird', this time a new brand, quite exotic and also gages that I've not tried before.

 

Sort of curious how you feel these strings fit the Bird in terms of the tone they deliver - is is bright, muddy, warm, balanced, bottom end heavy .... or sounds pretty much right ?

 

If the tone is not quite right for you, woud you make it brighter, warmer ,deader ?

 

I'll tell you later which strings they are.

 

ps: try listening on 720p rather than 360p, much more clear

 

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I'd call that a nicely balanced sound. If anything, I'd call it a little quiet in the basses, but it has that nicely-balanced 'bird sound any way you look at it. It always amazes me how different a 'bird sounds compared to a D-18 for two guitars of similar shape and body volume.

 

I guess scale length really does matter.

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Nick, funnily enough this particular Bird' is a long scale, like a D-18.

 

I'd call that a nicely balanced sound. If anything, I'd call it a little quiet in the basses, but it has that nicely-balanced 'bird sound any way you look at it. It always amazes me how different a 'bird sounds compared to a D-18 for two guitars of similar shape and body volume.

 

I guess scale length really does matter.

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Nick, funnily enough this particular Bird' is a long scale, like a D-18.

 

 

Well, that just shows I don't know Jack. I've been surprised by several D-18 recordings here recently. I always thought of the D-18 as the proverbial cannon, and the 'bird as a mellower creature, in part due to the scale length difference.

 

Any way you look at it, your 'bird is a sweet-sounding guitar.

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I think a lot of that tone and sound has to do with the guy playing it.

 

At first glance with the ears, it sounds perfect. Has that perfect thing going for it.

 

Listening deeper, I can see where from the players perspective, it might lack some things that we want to be impressed with when we pluck a guitar...like certain overtones or intensities that make it stand out. Or, we want the guitar to put out more than what we put into it.

 

I think often times we choose to play guitars that add too much to what we are really needing it to do, to serve the song. The way you played this on the video, it really sounds like a great sounding guitar. But if I am "evaluating", I can't help but see that you know how to play this thing, how to get the sound out of it. The best way to describe it is that it takes a big step beyond what your fingers are doing, what the guitar is doing, and a song is coming out that isn't explained by the fingers or the guitar. But I can tell you are making it come out.

 

I hear a perfect guitar, because the string balance seems perfect, there aren't overbearing overtones or color, the chords sound really solid and in tune with itself, and it sounds very guitar like. Like the perfect playing, or the perfect guitar. But what is in your head on how you get there, like how you choose guitars for this or that, how you choose strings, etc., may be something we can't see.

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Actually, until I finally took the tape measure out a few months ago I didnt know it was a long scale also. Combined with the 1 11.16 nut width it was kinda deceiving. But yes, I agree in that for what are eseentially similarly constructed guitar, the tone of a D-18 and Bird is vastly different in character.

 

Becasue of the long scale I find the tone to be a bit more pounchier than the traditional shortscale Bird.

 

Anyway, ill reveal the strings in 24 hours and make a few comments to the comment. Appreciating the feedback, thanks for making the effort.

 

Well, that just shows I don't know Jack. I've been surprised by several D-18 recordings here recently. I always thought of the D-18 as the proverbial cannon, and the 'bird as a mellower creature, in part due to the scale length difference.

 

Any way you look at it, your 'bird is a sweet-sounding guitar.

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Actually, until I finally took the tape measure out a few months ago I didnt know it was a long scale also. Combined with the 1 11.16 nut width it was kinda deceiving. But yes, I agree in that for what are eseentially similarly constructed guitar, the tone of a D-18 and Bird is vastly different in character.

 

Becasue of the long scale I find the tone to be a bit more pounchier than the traditional shortscale Bird.

 

Anyway, ill reveal the strings in 24 hours and make a few comments to the comment. Appreciating the feedback, thanks for making the effort.

 

EA that is a fabulous sounding "Bird" to my ears, very much like a cross between my J-100 Xtra, and my Texan, and I really like it`s balance. As for the D18 comparison, at first glance they may look similar, but there are differences you don`t really see that help define the tonal differences. The Hummingbird has a much wider waist than a D18 11-1/8 compared to 10-3/4. Is very slightly bigger in all other body dimensions, apart from a slightly smaller soundhole, and body length.

 

Hummingbird------- Martin D18

Body length 19-7/8------ 19-15/16.

Lower bout width 15-15/16------ 15-3/4.

Waist width 11-1/8------ 10-3/4.

Upper bout width 11-5/8------- 11-7/16.

Body depth rear 4-15/16------ 4-7/8.

Body depth front 4------ 3-7/8.

Soundhole diameter 3-15/16------ 4.

 

Internally the Hummingbird has the thin low and light top braces used throughout the mid fifties until the late sixties, but also utilized the 102 degree X brace spread, which was glued quite close to the soundhole, and which Gibson used when they wanted a warm rich tone.

 

And of course your playing helps! [thumbup]

 

Steve.

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OK, so the strings I used were Tomastik Infeld PB 13's. Made in Vienna, Austria.

 

They are exotic as they are the most expensive non coated strings Ive bought at around $15/ packet, and first time I ever used European made strings.

 

Feel wise they really are the best strings Ive tried, and tone wise I like the 'chunky' and deeper tone I get with them. They came recommended by a chap on the AGF as he described it as delivering shades of tone you never knew existed on a guitar.

 

Now, this is important as this is a late 60's Bird, as Em7 corretly pointed out, with the heavier bracing. Hence Im always looking to extract some assistance to get the best tone I can out of this guitar. These strings seem to deliver more depth then I found with other strings.

 

Also, the bottom E is .57, so a tad thicker than standard mediums and I can also feel and appreciate the extra beef there.

 

Stein made a good point in that also its important to really handle this guitar right to get the best tone, and playing it the right way is key. I really find I have to focus on my attack and play consciously with dynamics to get the best sound.

 

Its completely differnt to say the SJ or J-150 which are very responsive and its almost cheating in how easy it is to get great tone out of those guitars. With this Bird its a bit like driving without power steering, you really have to push it to make those turns.

 

And lastly, agree that it is somewhat of a hybrid Bird tone. To me a the classic Hummingbird tone is based on short scale, and you will never re-create that with a long scale. This guitar always has had a bright edge, but on the other the extra high end bite makes is a great rock n roll guitar and she really loves to be played hard, the more you spank her' the more she responds.

 

Anyway, thanks for your participation, I appreciate the feedback. If you get a chance to try these strings might be worth a go, they do add extra shades that other manufacturers dont. I just hope it lasts long eough to justify the extra bucks !

 

Anybody elese tried these out on their guitars ?

 

cheers,

EA

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Come back in a week once the strings have settled in and lost their zingy edge and record the same again

 

Personally, I love Tomastik strings they have a depth of sound that I just do not get from other strings, my fav for recording.

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Might give it a go next weekend Greg, kinda curious myself how they will sound after theyve settled down.

 

Come back in a week once the strings have settled in and lost their zingy edge and record the same again

 

Personally, I love Tomastik strings they have a depth of sound that I just do not get from other strings, my fav for recording.

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