nickjwill Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 I found a 1996 Hummingbird locally that I can get for $1100. It has moderate play wear (small divots in 1st 3 frets & pick guard design 50% rubbed off) No cracks in wood but moderate finish cracks. It's really dirty and strings totally dead. Hard to judge the tone with dead strings but it feels really nice in my hands. No returns possible. I'm hankering for a D-18 to compliment my HD28-VS but this may fit the bill. I'm fishing for opinions on if this is a good deal and may at least temporarily cure my gas for a mahogany dread. The 1985 Nashville J-45E I was looking at and foolishly provided a link to disappeared from GC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 Thats a great price for a Bird'. If I were you I would go for it, and if you didnt like it just resell it, I reckon you would get all your money back, especially once you cleaned her up a bit and 'invested' in a new set of strings. Im in the same boat with an AJ which I took a punt on couple days ago, waiting for arrival. Stupidly good price and if it doesnt rock my boat I could sell it again without losing any cash. Will complement your Martin very well ! Do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParlourMan Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 So, you got sniped on the J-45E, hard lines man... I'm always wary of providing links to a guitar I'm looking at on forums. That aside, sounds like a dcent price on the Hummingbird, if it's a GAS curer, charge on, if it's a stop gap and means you'll still be gassing for the other one you were looking at it's a nice stop gap, but an extra expense. good luck with your choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 Man, that is a good price. Give that HB a good whack on the side with you thumb. Feel for some good vibration running through your body. That will giove you some idea about how much energy is being transferred from the bridge to the top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanvillRob Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 I LOVE the 'Bird..... price sounds okay. Got any photos of it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markini Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 I own 2 Birds, but I had to play a few to find these two. $1100 is a good price "assuming" you have played it, checked the action, tune it up tune it down and check that the nut isn't binding the strings. Be sure to thump the body thoroughly to check for any loose bracing. Frankly I would just buy a cheap set of strings and see if you can install them and play the guitar again before buying. Even new cheap strings should give you a good idea of the tone and sound of the guitar. The Birds are probably my favorite acoustic guitar, close second is J-45s, but I have seen and played Birds and J45s that were poor sounding. Also $1100 is a lot of money for a guitar that may or may not have the tone you want. Give you an idea on price: I paid $1700 for a 2003 Bird with no pickup (in 2011) it is a very toneful, mellow sounding guitar, nice action easy to play. My other Bird is a 2010 with a pickup, I paid $2500 for it, even though it came with a pickup it is a cannon, very very loud guitar unplugged with excellent head room = harder you play it doesnt get muddy or jangly, just a superb guitar. I highly recommend if possible to test drive it first with new strings on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickjwill Posted September 13, 2012 Author Share Posted September 13, 2012 Picked it up. It's mine. Cleaned it up, put on some D'Addario EJ16's. Sounds like it will sound fantastic when strings break in. Second photo is with a flash. Color on top photo more accurate. Thanks for the kind advice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dchristo Posted September 14, 2012 Share Posted September 14, 2012 congrats, she's a beauty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duluthdan Posted September 14, 2012 Share Posted September 14, 2012 Very nice ! I love that tint of cherry. From the looks of that pickguard, its been played - I'll bet it sounds as good as it looks. Good find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted September 14, 2012 Share Posted September 14, 2012 Looks great ! Nice burst, I like how the guard has faded a bit, and also the Tulip tuners, mandatory to be fully Birdie in my opinion. As you also seem to be happy with the tone, for $1100 you got yourself the deal of the year ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted September 14, 2012 Share Posted September 14, 2012 i just did a conversion on that $1100 to pounds £680 and 44 pence!! man we are overpayin big style , if one of you yanks has nothin to do you should find some way of smuggling guitars over here . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smurfbird Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 That's a fantastic deal. If all Gibsons could be had for under $1500, I'd have a closet packed with Gibsons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Isaac Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 i just did a conversion on that $1100 to pounds £680 and 44 pence!! man we are overpayin big style , if one of you yanks has nothin to do you should find some way of smuggling guitars over here . Don't forget the 20% VAT and 3.4% duty on guitars coming into the UK. No wonder the guitar market is supressed over here, Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanvillRob Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 Nice purchase! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorick Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 Bravo. That's a beautiful birdie at a beautiful price! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 . Love the colors of that finish and the great looking burst. Very nice price. Congrats. . B) . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-1854Me Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 Good deal! My second H-Bird was a '96, but natural finished. Same r/w pins, "Hummingbird" on the truss rod cover..... nice guitar, but I traded it away when I came across a 1950s SJ that I had to have! Still miss having Hummingbird; they can be real fine guitars. You got a screaming deal on that guitar -- enjoy it!! Fred Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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