Should I buy a Hummingbird?

[RalphH]

Originally Posted by brencat

I too have wanted a Hummingbird for a long time. But every time I tried one in person, my reaction was "meh," kind of dull sounding and not particularly loud. And the necks are on the small side for my hands. The problem is, I compare them to loud, bluegrass oriented guitars in my stable or others like the Martins hanging on the wall next to them so of course they seem weak and anemic. It's been said to never try a Gibson right after playing a bunch of Martins and I would agree.

The Bird however does one thing really well, and that is to harmonize with a player's vocals. When you get a good one, it can sound like 2 or 3 instruments accompanying a singer, and that's really awesome.

It certainly depends on what you want it for -- I almost never play guitar without singing, and if I do it's because my wife or someone else is singing (unamplified). There's nothing loud like a banjo to compete with -- I play weekly in a group, but in that group is an acoustic bass, a uke, a fairly quiet 00 and my hummingbird. It's easily the loudest instrument in the room, but it's not so loud that whoever is singing needs to be mic'd. For me it's perfect. If you play with a banjo, a fiddle and a singer with a mic (or a really powerful voice) I can imagine it not being the #1 choice if you want to be heard really well.

[rmp]

but....

... you NEED a J200

just sayin

[GuitarDogs62]

Simple answer, buy the Hummingbird and then when ready buy the D-18. Then you have the best of both worlds until you play a Gibson Southern Jumbo.

[BoneDigger]

Get the Hummingbird.

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by Brucebubs

The answer seems simple - buy the D-18 and swap the pick-guard.

I think Bruce has the right idea here!

- Glenn

PS: Seriously, if you want a Hummingbird, maybe you should get one.

[markrj]

Buy both.

[DBW]

The Hummingbird was once my dream guitar. It is so pretty. However, I got an HD-28 and it's now my dream guitar- sounds like church. The Hummingbird seems overpriced for what it is. Just my opinion.

[Cibby]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Recard

I really want a hummingbird. I should buy a D18. I love the sound of a D18 over a hummingbird, prefer the neck on a D18 with the longer scale length and wider nut. Everyone tells me to get the D18, but I really want a hummingbird. What is going on!

Me too! So I bought a used Hummingbird about 6 years ago and it's my favorite I love it! But I also own a D18 I bought in 2012. I have 3 other dreads but I play the Hummingbird the most. Like you I always wanted one and waited till I was 61 to get it. That was back in 2015 don't wait as long as I did they never get less expensive. If I could keep only one guitar it would be the Bird.

[SalFromChatham]

There are also natural top birds. Not the studios… but the Sheryl Crow Country Westerns. They come used time to time at a decent deal, and are no doubt Birds under the hood.

I miss mine.

[AndrewG]

Find a store with a decent returns policy and get the Hummingbird, because sometimes in life the things we have lusted after for a long time turn out not to be so great after all.

[Boozehound]

Normally I'd say to get the one you want, but it sounds like you might actually want the D18 if you prefer the neck and the tone.

I'm a fan of Gibson acoustics (more so every day), but I'd still call the D18 the ultimate swiss army knife of the guitar world. If I could only have 1 guitar it would probably be my D18GE (and there's some stiff competition in my stable).

[TwangGang]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Recard

I really want a hummingbird. I should buy a D18. I love the sound of a D18 over a hummingbird, prefer the neck on a D18 with the longer scale length and wider nut. Everyone tells me to get the D18, but I really want a hummingbird. What is going on!

You spell out why you think you should have a D18. But you offer no explanation about why you want a Hummingbird. You say you like the sound of the Martin better, and the feel of the neck so the obvious choice for you is the Martin. I own 2 Hummingbirds and love them because of their sound and their shorter scale neck and profile which feels good to me. Why do you think you want a Hummingbird if not for the way it feels or sounds?

[jrb715]

My first two experiences auditioning Hummingbirds were entirely disappointing: each was a pretty dull, lifeless guitar. A couple of years later, and six years ago now, I played a Hummingbird at Martin Music in Memphis that was really sensational and turned my head around. I was in Martin's to order a Collings and I couldn't give myself permission to purchase both so I left without the Hummingbird.

I don't get a chance to audition very many but the few since then have been excellent--though not quite as magical as the one in Memphis. (But maybe that's just the glow of memory.) As to the dull ones--looking back I'm guessing the issues were, for one, primarily old, dead strings; and the second, not properly played in yet.

And I'm convinced they do play in. At my local shop a new Hummingbird arrived that was pretty uninspiring at first: two months later with a different type of strings and a whole lot of playing, the guitar was terrific.

At that local shop they display the Gibsons and the Martins right next to each other, and I've had the opportunity each time a Hummingbird has arrived to bounce back and forth between the Gibson and Martin dreads.

I'm a singer and for my styles of playing (kind of a jumble depending upon the song: finger style, hybrid picking and strumming) and singing I strongly prefer the Hummingbird to a D18.

[Brucebubs]

There are Hummingbirds and there are Hummingbirds.

Gibson currently list 9 versions on there site.

- Original
- Standard
- Studio
- Studio Rosewood
- Erich Church Dark
- Deluxe
- Custom
- 1960 Adjustable Bridge
- 1960 Fixed Bridge - as the owner of a Custom Shop Historic Gibson myself , this is the one I'd like to try.

It would be rash to write them all off after just playing one.

[Mr. Bill]

In my opinion, it is not the best sounding Gibson model, and by a long shot. I will take a great J45 or Advanced Jumbo every time.