Mid 60's Gibson Hummingbird. Anyone prefer the rosewood saddle?

[stringjunky]

Originally Posted by gmm55

So I've put nine days the guitar. I won't be touching the saddle anytime soon. The Hummingbird has become my favorite guitar I've ever played. I've always dismissed adjustable bridges out of hand, so I cannot explain why this guitar is so forgiving in intonation. It's not loud, but what comes out just talks to me. Killer guitar for fingerstyle blues with a heavy hand. I'm leaving the flat wound strings on too, and not looking forward to the day I break one.

It's another different brush. Why try and change to a sound you've already got.

[zombywoof]

No Hummingbirds in the house but I do own a 1961 B45-12. I did at one point replace the original wood saddle with a bone one. Found I liked the rosewood one better. But again, this is a slope shoulder 12 string so a very different beast.

[Tube Sound]

I'm glad the rosewood is working out for you. Here's a pic of my '68 with the Tusq and original. The Tusq was cheap and just plopped right in, perfect fit. I may go back to the rosewood, next string change, just to see if I can find your magic.

[Br1ck]

I think a lot of the trashing of the adjustable bridges is that Gibson made some true turds in the 60s. A lot of them were converted trying to polish them.

I'll never mess with my Epiphone's ceramic saddle.

I'll never buy a 60s Gibson without playing it.

[gmm55]

Originally Posted by Br1ck

I think a lot of the trashing of the adjustable bridges is that Gibson made some true turds in the 60s. A lot of them were converted trying to polish them.

I'll never mess with my Epiphone's ceramic saddle.

I'll never buy a 60s Gibson without playing it.

What exactly do you mean by converted?

[zombywoof]

Originally Posted by gmm55

What exactly do you mean by converted?

I am assuming he means conversion to a fixed saddle bridge. Some folks replace the entire bridge while others have a fixed saddle insert made that fits into the existing bridge. It still amazes me though how many folks do a bridge conversion and ignore replacing the oversized laminate bridge plate that Gibson put in there to support the ADJ saddle bridges with a traditional maple one.

[gmm55]

O.k., thanks. There was a time when I would have done a conversion of an adjustable to a fixed bridge without even giving the guitar a chance because I assumed all adjustable bridges are inferior (although I had never owned a guitar with an adjustable bridge). In the last 10 or so years I've faced several situations that have challenged my biases and prejudices about what sounds good and why, and this is just another classic case. If my guitar's tone is due in part to an oversized laminate bridge plate in addition to the rosewood saddle, then I like em'. Over my 35 years of playing, I've learned that in the alchemy of sound, logic does not always apply.