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#1
05-21-2018, 10:42 PM
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Just played a 1962 Gibson hummingbird.
Ok so I have never really seen the allure of vintage guitars. I have tried several and never really been into the vintage twang sound. However this 1962 Gibson hummingbird just melted me to the core. It was loud and lush and rich...it just sounded like butter. I offered my 2016 j-45 a beautifull vintage K Yairi and a whack of cash on the spot. Just have to wait and see if the fella will part with it...I,m hoping.
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#2
05-21-2018, 11:05 PM
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I have a late friend who had a Hummingbird back in the 60's when we were kids. I remember it well. Today's Hummingbirds are a shadow of what they used to be.
__________________
Assuming is not knowing. Knowing is NOT the same as understanding. There is a difference between compassion and wisdom, however compassion cannot supplant wisdom, and wisdom can not occur without understanding. facts don't care about your feelings and FEELINGS ALONE MAKE FOR TERRIBLE, often irreversible DECISIONS 
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#3
05-22-2018, 04:21 AM
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I've got a '68 Hummingbird that I bought used in 1972. The sound is wonderful, but the neck is rather skimpy. I'll never sell it.
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#4
05-22-2018, 05:17 AM
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Some of those 60's 'Birds are phenomenal guitars.
I ran across one a while back and had the opportunity to play it. The sound coming out of that thing was nothing short of heavenly. I offered the guy my car for it...he just laughed. 
__________________
Nothing bothers me unless I let it. Martin D18 Gibson J45 Gibson J15 Fender Copperburst Telecaster Squier CV 50 Stratocaster Squier CV 50 Telecaster
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#5
05-22-2018, 05:32 AM
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The Epiphone Frontier was the prototype of the Hummingbird. I would not go as far as saying the Hummingbird is today a shadow of its former self, but the Bozeman versions are certainly a different beast than what rolled out of Kalamazoo. They got the looks but when you look under the hood very different picture. The reason I never cottoned to HBs back in the day was the skimpy neck carve. Baby ain't got no back. I much preferred the 1959 and earlier Gibson roundback D necks.
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"You start off playing guitars to get girls & end up talking with middle-aged men about your fingernails" - Ed Gerhard
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#6
05-22-2018, 05:48 AM
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You found a fine guitar but for clarification, it’s a stroke of luck, not an indication all ’62 Hummingbirds are its equal. I don’t think that was your point but someone else will.
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McCollum Grand Auditorum Euro Spruce/Brazilian PRS Hollowbody Spruce PRS SC58 Giffin Vikta Gibson Custom Shop ES 335 '59 Historic RI ‘91 Les Paul Standard ‘52 AVRI Tele - Richie Baxt build Fender American Deluxe Tele Fender Fat Strat
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#7
05-22-2018, 07:50 AM
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Quote:
Quote:
After 55 years of messing with these things, I think finding a great '60s Hummingbird is a bit of a lottery win.
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#8
05-22-2018, 09:45 AM
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Quote:
__________________
"You start off playing guitars to get girls & end up talking with middle-aged men about your fingernails" - Ed Gerhard
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#9
05-22-2018, 08:27 PM
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Quote:
I can tell you I wouldnt do it .
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--------------------------------- Wood things with Strings ! 
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#10
05-23-2018, 08:00 AM
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I inherited my dad's '62 Hummingbird. It sounds REALLY good but I almost never play it because of that skinny little neck. Kinda makes me sad that it doesn't get played and if it didn't have such sentimental value I would sell it to someone who would give it more attention, but I can't do that. Looks pretty hanging on the wall though
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Tybor Some guitars
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#11
05-24-2018, 05:47 PM
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Quote:
Call me crazy but I would take it to a top luthier and get a new neck built. Bring a guitar with your perfect neck for him to copy. Keep the original neck. You can play your dad's guitar, get a neck reset at the same time and enjoy the thing.
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2002 Larrivee LV-03 2016 Larrivee D40re '60s Aria classical A554S serial # 00001 various basses and uprights
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#12
05-24-2018, 07:31 PM
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I tried Three Gibson Hummingbirds at GC and found them all wanting. I then bought a EPI Hummingbird that smoked all three. 4 guitarists were with me so it ain`t just a Me thing!. Gibson does Need to step up!.
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#13
05-24-2018, 07:45 PM
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All are not equal. I would say less than a third of the 1960 to 1968 or so are really good. I'm familiar with that vintage because that was my price range when I was shopping old Gibsons after I realized I couldn't justify a 40s or 50s J 45. I played about ten sixties J 45s.
Three of them went woof woof, three were ok nothing special, three were now we're talking I could live with this, and one was my Epiphone Texan that had about 85% of the banner mojo. The bad ones had the adj bridge replaced trying to keep them from the kennel. But when you get a good one they are special.
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2007 Martin D 35 Custom 1970 Guild D 35 1965 Epiphone Texan 2011 Santa Cruz D P/W Pono OP 30 D parlor Pono OP12-30 Pono MT uke Goldtone Paul Beard squareneck resophonic Fluke tenor ukulele Boatload of home rolled telecasters "Shut up and play ur guitar" Frank Zappa
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#14
05-25-2018, 06:18 AM
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I will say that I think the old Gibsons do have a much different feel and sound from the newer ones.
I'm not much of a vintage guy myself. I've played a few vintage things that have wowed me. But not many. I have played several pre-war Martins and, while they sound phenomenal, I don't understand the price tag that goes with them. I'd take 5-10 Collings/SC/etc over the vintage Martin, personally. But yeah, the older Gibsons do have some superior sounds.
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