Antoria Hummingbird Copy

Beautiful red-orange sunburst finish with the classic Hummingbird scratchplate. Looks every bit as good as a Gibson in my opinion! Made in Japan. 24 frets with abalone inlays, no idea what wood it is. Body is a dreadnought style with a built-in pickup for plugging into an amp. No accessories included as mine was bought second-hand. Not sure how old it is (I'm presuming 1960s) but still, amazingly, in near-mint condition. The most beautiful guitar I own!

Very nice, bright sounds that makes it perfect for my preferred finger-picking folk & blues style. Whilst strummed it's full and resonant & sounds great plugged through an amp. I would maybe prefer the sound to be a bit fuller (it can't quite match my Taylor 714), but overall I really can't complain.

Action is a little higher than I would like on my model, so I think I'll be looking into getter it lowered. Everything seems to be working fine - though the tuners are a little stiff now - and amazingly the electronics seem to be working perfectly, even after all these years. I love the finish on the neck - it feels wonderfully smooth to play. Once I pick it up I can't put it down. I don't have any issue with the quality of build - if this had a Gibson logo on the headstock it would fool anybody.

The only thing that might prevent me from gigging with this guitar is that fact that I'd cry if anything happened to it! Seems completely solid & dependable so I wouldn't have any issues with reliability - I'd just hate myself if I dropped it!

Presumably the support no longer exists (if it ever did!), but can't really see any reason why I would need to contact them. After all these years there doesn't seem to be a thing wrong with it!

I've been playing for approximately ten years now, and although the sound can't quite match my ??2000 Taylor 714, it's my favourite guitar EVER. I love playing it & showing it off to my friends; if it ever got lost or stolen I don't fancy my chances of being able to replace it, but I'd certainly try! I bought mine second-hand for ??200 and it was the best money I've ever spent. I'd have to pay ten times that amount to get a better guitar - and the sentimental value is priceless.

My Antoria is, I gather, the classic Japanese made Hummingbird Copy. Made in Japan and imported to UK late 60's. Red sunburst body with the white and yellow hummingbird dipping into a trumpet flower. Yellow interior label says "imported by J.T. Coppock (Leeds) Ltd." Chrome machine heads. Mother of Pearl "Antoria" and logo, and M.o.P fret markers(double diagonals). White plastic pegs with grooves hold the strings behind the bridge.

It's great for strumming chords in family sing-a-long, and lovely as accompany to recorder/whistle. Finger picking in folk and blues style makes you sound better than you are too!! It has a particularly beautiful ringing tone when used with a capo on 2/3/4/5 fret. I have tried it with different guage strings and I personally prefer very light (10/50) sets. The action is low - and very low now that I have had it for so long (the strings seem to have bitten into the nut - (does this happen or am I just particularly ignorant?). A very low action suits me, though so I love it.

No complaints here - one machine head has gone a bit loose - but we are looking at some serious long-term neglect and abuse here (so not Antoria's fault!!)

I bought this guitar (if I remember the year correctly.. I haven't got the receipt...) in a music shop in Underbank, Stockport in 1968. I was a long-haired hippy school-kid and the ??29 19shillings and 6 pence (we are talking old money here!) was something like a King's Ransome in those days for a paper-boy like me!!
Durability and Reliability are just superb. When I became a serious student of social sciences, I drifted away from playing music (like a fool). Thank god my middle son (now 15)fancied himself as a guitar hero a couple of years back and so I got it out for him. He's pretty good now (mostly electric)but his enthusiasm GOT ME PLAYING AGAIN. And I am about ten times better now (after taking fully 20 years off) - is this common?? He and all his mates think this is a totally top guitar. As do I. It's got two small but vicious dents near the bridge (heavy sharp object fell on it??). But tone etc. as beautiful as ever. In fact getting better all the time.

Had they invented warranty in the 60's?? We have done running repairs and maintenance at home.

I have owned a couple of other guitars but nothing compares to this. On the odd occasion I have had a twiddle on a seriously pricey instrument, I have thought "mine is nearly as good as this!". Never used with pick-ups, but sounds lovely through mike, amp and speakers.

This is a Japanese made Hummingbird copy - branded Antoria for the
UK market but made in the Ibanez factory (Fuji Gen Gakki factory). I think it is a early 1970's made instrument designed to look very similar to the Gibson version apart from the headstock logo. All solid woods - spruce top, mahogany sides and back. Finish is a reddish sunburst. Fret markers are the usual Hummingbird style twin angled MOP inlays. Scratch guard is the exact Hummingbird type. All so similar to the Gibson that maybe this guitar is a pre lawsuit item. Excellent chrome Gotoh tuners

One of the best sounding acoustics I've heard in 40 years of playing. Beautifully clean clear tones. Nicely balanced - the lower tones are rich and full but do not drown out the very clear trebles. The
sustain on the trebles sounds like you have an echo chamber -
amazing. The only acoustic I've ever come across where the amount of sustain can be embarrassing at times! I play fingerstyle - Martin Simpson / John Renbourne / David Russell style stuff. When you play it right with this instrument - the sound is of top class recording quality.

Bought second hand - but played fairly well from the start. Needed new strings. Action was pretty good. I have taken it as low as it will
go but I would still like it a fraction lower. Set just above buzzing point! Frets are not quite as smooth as they could be. Some work to do to make the fretboard as comfortable and easy as I would like. But overall a fairly good action.

This guitar was previously owned by a guy who played live and had a
piezo pick-up fitted. I bought the guitar from his widow. It has been very well looked after and suffered only very minor scratches/bumps over the last 35 years. I guess if you have something that sounds as wonderful as this, you tend to take very great care of it. Typical Japanese 1970s quality. Very solid feel. Very similar feel to an 1970s Ibanez ( not suprising as made in the same factory).

Not had to contact them. The Antoria brand I think ceased around
1985. However, I have a feeling that this guitar is identical to the Ibanez Hummingbird copy but was just badged Antoria for the
UK market.

I have been playing for 40 years. I have 6 acoustics at present.I sell and buy about 2 guitars a year. This is so I can try out
various different ones. Then I sell my worst two next year and so on.
This Hummingbird is the best sounding of them all but not quite as comfortable to play as some of the others. Hence, although the sound is wonderful, I tend to make the occasional mistake on the more difficult pieces even ones that I can usually play perfectly on some other guitars. Annoying !
Nevertheless this is a wonderful sounding instrument and when you
play something perfectly - it sounds awesome. Made in the 1970s, so could not be replaced except at 10 times what I paid or more
i.e probably only by a good Gibson Hummingbird . I just so glad that I came across this guitar at such a low price and was able to buy it.