Gibson Hummingbird

1964 gibson hummingbird

I have a very wide range of music that I like. Believe it or not from bluegrass to hard rock. The guitar can be chimed almost anywhere which is not very common in many guitars. My grandpa who gave it to me liked his martin better but I think he must've been crazy. The tone of this guitar is amazing. As for an acoustic guitar, I would have no other.

The action of the guitar is awesome. For an acoustic, it is very easy to fret. The binding is partly separated but not bad, it just feels a little uneven, and the finish is spider-webed (this may have something to do with temperature changing and humidity and the fact that my grandpa left it on the top of his car and drove off) The standard wear on a 1964 eh? But as far as how the guitar looks aside from all of the wear yeah the finish is awesome.

^ My grandpa droped it off of his car and it survived (it was in a case thankfully) I would use it on any gig without a backup. Except for my electric, but that is for a whole diferent reason.

I haven't ever dealt with the company.

I have been playing for about 7 and 1/2 years. I am 17 1/2. But I don't think I will ever let it go. If it were stolen or lost I would be really mad because I don't have the money to replace it. The only thing that I really dislike is that some dumb-butt drilled a hole for an electric pickup. I took it to the local guitar shop and they said like it is it is worth $1500-$2000 So I think I'll keep it. If nothing else it is the best acoustic that I have ever played.

2002 boozeman montana
sitka spruce top with mahogany back and sides.Unlike other manufacturers Gibson uses laquer finish (like what you would find on an expensive stataverious).not a cheap finish that just shines.dovetail neck which resonates thru the whole guitar unlike some manufactures who use cheap bolt on necks to cut production cost.
(taylor).This is a HANDMADE instrunent not hand assembled.

I play mainly acoustic rock,folk and country blues.I use an AMT gooseneck condensor mic-these are very pricy around $600 but makes lrbaggs and fishman seem like cheap toy's.I play thru a fender acoustisonic sfx amp.Nothing sounds as good with the exception of a $15,000 olsen guitar.Guess that's why this is the most recorded guitar in history.Kieth richard said this is the only flattop he would ever need.

The action is perfect.The wood is emaculant and the finish is like no other

Play out every other week sounds better everytime

never had to use.I have heard nightmare stories though.

I have been playing for 30+ years.I own a martin d45,martin d-17,taylor 714ce,taylor 912ce,Olsen,santa cruz,gibson j160e.With the exception of my Olsen this is without a doubt the finist instrument i own-hands down.I would replace it in a heartbeat if it were stolen.I highley recomend this guitar.I have nothing but great things to say about this guitar.Way to go Gibson!

This is a classic Gibson Hummingbird bought new last month. Made in Bozeman, Montana, the serial number says it was made in October, 2001 so it was kicking around in a music store near Boston for nearly a year and a half. When it arrived I almost refused it, due to the age and some (very) small scratches on the pick guard. However, the tone was so good, that I forgot about it after playing it for a while. It is a standard square shoulder dreadnaught which I like the looks and playability of. The top is Sitka Spruce and the body solid Mahogany. It has a very distinctive look ? Heritage Cherry Sunburst with a painted pickguard with ? you guessed it- Hummingbirds. The Hummingbird is probably the most easily identifiable acoustic guitar made. The painting on the pickguard is wearing off very quickly ? a common problem I?m told.

It has a round, 24 ?? scale, 20 fret, and mahogany neck with binding - not too thick, but not thin neck by any stretch... The short scale makes it easy to play and the action is perfect. I had a Fishman passive pickup installed and a strap button on the lower heel of the neck. I wish Gibson installed them (strap buttons).
The rosewood fingerboard is flawless with MOP parallelograms and the frets are good. Binding was also good ? no obvious flaws. It has Nickel plated Grover tuners ? easy to use and they hold tuning pretty well.

It came with a hardshell case, a humidifier and a guitar pick.

I bought this guitar because of the tone. It is beautiful. When I went looking for a ?good? acoustic, I went out looking to compare a Gibson Dove, Hummingbird and other brands (Guild, Martin, Taylor, etc.). I ended up stuck between the Hummingbird and a J-200, two very different sound instruments (see review on SJ-200 Reissue on Harmony Central). As this was a birthday present I told my wife I couldn?t decide, so I told her to surprise me. She did ? she got both?
I play original music ? a blend of folk-rock, country and pop. This guitar fits in really well. The tone is smooth ? woody and exquisite. The notes blend almost magically and it sounds beautiful. The bass stands out crisp, clear and deep, and the higher notes blend well, rather than the crisp distinctive sound the SJ-200. I flatpick and it just sounds great. It reinforces vocals well, without standing out.

As I mentioned before, the guitar was a year and a half old when I bought it new. The action was good, and made better when the luthier installed the Fishman pickup. He touched up a few dings as well. The fit is good, and the woodworking is really good. However, the finish on it is very thin. It picks up surface flaws easily and I am concerned about taking this guitar out in a rough environment. The finish will not take much abuse. One three minute session when I first brought it home resulted in a bad case of buckle rash, which seemed to go right through the finish. I guess that?s the price you pay for such tone. A small chip of wood and finish fell off the top of the headstock the day I brought it home. Luckily it was on the back side, or it would look terrible. I have the Gibson Lacquer repair pens which work really well. I suspect I?ll be using them a lot with this guitar. The hand painted Hummingbird pickguard is already wearing off after a month of playing. I know I have acidic sweat, but it seems ridiculous that it would so easily come off. I?d rate this guitar a ten for action and fit, but a five for finish. A seven total, although it should be a ten!

The craftsmanship of the woodworking is excellent, but the finish is so sensitive I suspect I?ll only gig with this guitar in a controlled environment ? probably more for recording than playing live. If it weren?t for the finish issues I?d give it a ten, but this is significant enough a problem to lower the rating to a 7.

The last time I had to use Gibson service I wasn?t real happy, but that was over ten years ago. I have heard good things about them recently. I was really impressed when I reviewed my other guitar (SJ-200) and they actually e-mailed me and asked me how they could improve ? that is a sign of a company that cares. I?ll rate them a 10 for effort, and hope I never have to find out otherwise.

I?ve played guitar since 1971 and have mostly played Gibsons. I have a 30 year old J-40 bought new in 1972, a Gary Moore Les Paul, an ES-335, an SJ-200 Reissue, a Fender Telecaster and a couple of ?beaters?. I have always wanted a Hummingbird ? since back in the 60?s. It just took a few extra years to be in a position to do so. I am a bit disappointed on how fragile the finish is, but it is a good guitar and I?d probably get another if this one was stolen. I?ll know better after I play it for a while. I love the tone; I do not own a better sounding guitar. It is a good looking instrument ? not the usual natural spruce top with dark wood back and sides. It is unique. On top of everything else, my music room has a really good ?fresh? wood smell to it. I also wish the paint on the pickguard didn?t wear off so easily. I like this guitar a lot, but hesitate to use the word love, due to the aforementioned issues, but I think in time I will grow to either love or hate this guitar.
Overall rating - sound, woodworking - 10, finish 7 - total 8

1968 USA Kalamazoo. Usual features. Natural spruce top finish. Mahogany back and sides. THis one has had the adjustable bridge replaced with nice bone, thankfully. Kluson deluxe tuners are still charming. Has all the features you could want in a flattop. Nice old case. I bought it this year. Love the look of it.

Its best feature. Most amazing guitar I've owned or played. Once I got over the initial shock of its general quietness, and got into this guitar, and especially after I had recorded with it, I was in love. Sweet bell like tones to single notes. I ve never been commfortable with single tones high up on steel strings before - but the hummingbord is sweet, reminds me of a spanish classical i once had. It has the punchy gibson sound for meaty rock strumming,a nd is crystal clear when fingerpicked. Can take a belting, but loves a gentle carress too. It must be quite limited in the heaviness of its overtones, not all jangly and instantly big, but perfect balance and clarity, esp. with new martin strings as another reviewer mentioned. So rich and complex and sweet this guitar. Now I'm certain about the sound of old mahogany. I have a mahogany '66 guild starfire, which is similar. I makes me want to try one of these old MArtin mahog finger pickers next! Cannot rave enough about the beauty of the sound of this guitar. I sit in the bathroom or the hall way for hours playing nothing in particularly just mavelling at the sound.

nicely made, love the finish, plays brilliantly, but Low bridge is affecting the playability abovve the 12th fret. It either needs a new bridge or neck set or something. I just dont play it above the 12 th fret! It is a joy to play, lovely gibson neck, nnnarrow at the nut but grat frerts and thin neck make it very playable, rather like a gibson electric neck, can see why Kieth Richards once said something like: it is the only flattop you need, or something to that effect. The finish, well, she is lovely but the finish cracking has to be seen to be believed. It has had a small top crack repaired. I love the finish patina! Looks like its falling apart, but is solid as a rock really. Can belt it and it holds up very well. Stays in tune - no worries.

it is solid and reliable. its 35 years old. and still going strong. I barely gig live anymore, but it is sturdy anough to take it. Dont tihnk I'll take her out of the studio though. Doesnt need a backup.

I did ask them about a replacement for the factory guarantee sticker, and got a polite but curt reply saying none available.

Ive played bass and guitar fairly seriously (on and off) mostly on since about 1968. I would replace her if lost, for sure. Love its look and playablility but especially the sweet complex compressed chimelike SOUND. Dont get it if you want a loud bluegrass jamming guitar. But for sweet classic rock folk blues, both fingerpicking and flatpicking, especially for recording, this guitar is going to be very hard to beat. I love it.

My '89 Hummingbird was an early Bozeman model, with the blonde or natural top. The Bozeman factory really does great work, and they have taken care of all the earlier quality problems that plagued Gibson... This Hummingbird had Jumbo or "tall" frets, which in the end I could never get used to; whenever I picked up some other nice guitar with smaller, normal frets, I was envious of the ability to really slide on the scale... I ended up selling the Hummingbird after a few years for $1050 (cost of Gibsons both new and used whent up quite a bit there) to buy a Gibson J-60 at the same price, and have been very happy with that.
One notable thing about my Hummingbird was, I removed the pickguard. It was so large and heavy, and I was convinced that it dampened the vibration of the top, and that was indeed the case; when it came off the guitar was louder and sounded better. To tell the truth, I never really preferred the garish appearance of the pickguard; the cherry red finish on the back, sides, and neck was beautiful, but with all the inlays and the white trim, it was pretty loud in appearance. With my limited abilities, I need to be a little humble, and so I would have preferred the same guitar with plainer appointments; I always coveted this old Country Western model I had seen once, which was the same exact guitar but with a plain brown pickguard, normal dots, and subdued colors. Later when I got the J-60 I was happier in that regard. Anyway, I thought the Hummingbird looked so beautiful with no pickguard on it, just that big blonde top. People told me that the resale value would be lowered, and when I posted it on eBay later, I did get replies from people saying they thought it was a shame. It still sold for more than it cost to buy my '98 J-60, which I think is much superior; I think it shows people are into guitars for the looks more than anything else... I always did get compliments whereber I took it...
This guitar had a beautiful voice. I installed the Fishman Blender, which I cannot say enough good things about; get one, and then remove it if you sell your guitar, and put it into your new guitar, -- it's a keeper. I changed the tuners, putting on Gotoh's because the hole pattern matches, and then putting the original grey plastic tuners back on to sell it...

The Hummingbird has a small narrow neck, good for people who like to mix rock styles in with their acoustic stuff. The voice is a good voice for folk music, or for gospel, a sweet voice, not as bass-y as some.

The tall frets on this 'Bird were unusual. But another thing I noticed was that it came out of tune a lot, needing a lot of fussing and attention. When I switched to the J-60, which had a slightly thicker neck, I never had that problem.

The Bozeman guitars are really great quality, though. Buy one. Buy two. Look all over them, look inside with a mirror, all the joints fit so well; not all brands look like that... When I let go of the guitar, it was about 9 years old, everything was still great. The bridge was nice and tight; the top has the slightest curve, just exactly I think what you want. Very well built and built to last. Seasonally, the guitar needed one small neck adjust for the winter and one for the summer, to keep the string height at the factory setting, but this is quick and easy -- even fun -- to do at home, and this pattern stayed repeatable year after year.

Customer support on the 'phone at Boxeman is awesome, I was astounded that people like Ren Ferguson and others would actuall spend their time generously with customers like me. Astounding. Very helpful. Having work done at the factory takes time and money though...

I had a Gibson Gospel, and sold it to get the Hummingbird, which because of its traditional solid construction seemed like a keeper. But I let the Hummingbird go to get the Gibson J-60, which is all the same dimensions, but with its rosewood/ebony instead of mahogany/rosewood, it seemed a better unit. But a person could live happily ever after with the Hummingbird, a good lifetime guitar which will appreciate. Stay with the Boxeman guitars though, much better than the 70's/early 80's product, and also better than the highly coveted early Gibson's that everyone ooh's and aah's about; the old Gibsons are fantastic because they are old, but the Bozeman instruments are just better when you compare them. Hand one down to your kid or something.

Grover tuners and a flashy pickguard.lol

I don't know if I got just got really lucky or if all Hummingbirds sound this good but its allmost orgasmic it sounds so good to me.

I have never been able to pick up a guitar and just start playing songs with exactly the same sound I heard on the recording before and perhaps thats what is so wonderfull for me.

The guitar was setup to some degree by the previous owner so I can't speak for the factory settings.

I am very happy with it despite it being a shade higher then I think it should be.

The colors are very pleasant to look at, nice orangish top and reddish sides and back.

Everthing is top end on this guitar as it should be for the money I paid. Not complaining mind you, not much anyways.lol

I don't think I would play this at most gigs I have been on but it be great for solo type folk entertaining with the nice projection it has.

I have talked to Gibson about other guitars I have had repaired and found them helpfull as in giving me someone to make the repairs for me.
Elderly music of Lansing, Michigan is the best!
Lifetime warranty which I doubt I will ever be able to make a claim against.

I have been playing for about 23 years and also own a Les Paul Studio in wine red with gold pickups. oh yea baby.
I compared it to every other guitar on the market and the Taylors compared the best.
Sorry but that Martin sound does nothing for me. I bought two at Guitar Center and took them both back.lol

I purchased this Hummingbird new in the late 60's from a little shop in Dallas, Texas. (Trivia time: The shop was "Mel Renfro's House of Sound" in Wynnewood Shopping Center. "Mel Renfro was a Dallas Cowboy football star and had opened this little music store near his home.)
As I recall, the price was mid $300 range and came with a Gibson case.
It was Cherry Sunburst with gold hardware. Made in Kalamazoo, Mi. It was well set up from the factory and had great "play-a-bility."
This one had a Maple body with a Spruce top. I don't beleive that all Hummingbirds were Maple.
I bought the Hummingbird for the looks...I fell in love with the sound.

I was a founding member of a nationaly known rock band in the mid to late sixties.....and I bought this Hummingbird to have something to play on while riding my life away in the tour bus. (I was a bass player in the days before acoustic basses.) It wound up being used a few times on stage by my guitarist (it is even on one of the albums linear photos) and was used in the studio a time or two also.)
The sound was great! The neck was rather thin and narrow and was very fast. The tone was full and a bit on the bass end. We'd play around on the bus with bluegrass and folk-rock tunes.

From the start this Hummingbird was set up very well. The action was good. The finish was perfect....well it was before it got dropped and stepped on...."is that covered by the warranty???"

The Hummingbird took a great deal of abuse on the road and in hotel rooms. It withstood the abuse very well. The finish held up well and except for getting stepped on...it would still be here. (I did get the spruce top replaced by a cool custom shop in Salt Lake City, but it was never the same in looks or sound. I gave it away after it was repaired.)

If I had been an acoustic performer, I would have used this without a back up and not felt bad.

In the old days at Kalamazoo, you got great customer support. I picked up a custom guitar there one time and all of the folks were just great!!! I was not "big" enough to rate free toys (Fender handed them out to us but not Gibson) from the Kalamazoo boys but they were still really great. To see what I'm talking about today, just contact the guys at Heritage guitars...some of them are the same guys working in the same buildings that they did when they were still with Gibson. This year (2002) I needed some info on a Les Paul that was built in 1954 or 55. The folks in the historic department were fantastic....they called me back in response to my e-mail within two hours!!!!! And they saved me $2000 bucks by warning me off of that purchase. Thanks!!!! ("don't buy a LP prior to 1958....Les Paul told them they didn't have it right until then.")

I began playing in about 1956. I have owned just about everything that was around in the 60's and early 70's. Today I just collect Martins and noodle around on them with my kids....but I sometimes miss this guitar --- playing a new Hummingbird at Guitar Center and another at Mars, just wasn't the same. Nice guitars, but they have lost something throught the years. I wouldn't buy a "new" one, but if I ever wander across an "original" I'll sure be tempted to buy it and jump on a tour bus.......old musicians never die.....

Normal 1999 Bozeman built Hummingbird.
A beautiful instrument obviously built with care and attention. This guitar beckoned to me when I first saw it and once I had picked it up and played it I had to have it. I liked the broadness of the fretboard and the slight curve suited my hand.

To start with it had a good sound. Had light strings (Gibson I suppose)as it was brand new. After some drawn out hassles I will describe below I now have Martin Darco lights on it and it sounds really nice. This guitar will respond to whatever style you want to play on it. I play a lot of Eagles and Cat Stevens stuff, and a range of music that covers pretty well everything. I havent, and wont, put a pick up on it.

To start with the action was fine - then after a couple of months of fairly constant use it got a bit high. I arranged through the importer to have it altered. When it came back the action was lower and the strings had been replaced with Gibson ultra lights. I found it a bit quiet - and then it developed string buzz on the d and g strings, as well as the big E string would slap against the fret wire disconcertingly. I decided to take matters into my own hands and took the guitar to NZ's most respected luthier. He said that the nut grooves on the middle strings had been cut too deep and that it had probably happened when I had it altered. So he removed the nut (YEEK!) and replaced it with a new one made of whale bone. He restrung it with Martin lights and set it up just how I liked it. To my relief the retailer I had bought it off agreed to pay for the repair. (Phew!) Now I am very happy with the guitar - it is everything you could wish for. I go to quite a few social occasions where friends and family gather for a good old sing-up. When I pull out the guitar it turns heads and attracts a lot of envy from other players. Guys playing with us have a Martin Sigma, a Yamaha FG and a Crafter and these guitars really compliment one another on a lot of songs. (Later in the evenings as the liqour flows more freely I put away the Gibson and bash away on the Yamaha FG180)

Not really assessed as yet. Stays in tune well

I dealt with Gibson USA by e-mail and found them very helpful. But my experience in NZ was very anxious.

I love this guitar and would go after anyone that stole or damaged it.
It is very versatile, looks tremendous and sounds as good as any guitar I have ever heard. There is no doubt they cost too much - but I am obviously foolish enough to spend the money and I dont regret it for one second

Bought in April 2000, my guess by the number of 0's in the serial number that it is a 2000 model. American made in Bozeman, Montana.
Solid spruce top, solid mahogany back and sides. 20 frets with rosewood fingerboard and mother of pearl(?) split parellogram inlays.
Grover tuners (mucg better than Gibson tuners). Medium wide neck with a thin radius (kinda feels like an SG) Hardshell case included. How many features does one look for in an acoustic guitar anyway. No electronics, but that is a plus, so I give it a ten.

Oh my God, I have never heard a sweet rich tone like this before. Big and loud, yet warm and mellow. I play rock, country, folk, blues...basically I go for a oldtime American style of music. While this is not a bluegrass instument, It covers everything else just fine. I have played other Gibsons, Martins, Taylors, and nothing even comes close to the tone of this guitar.

This would be the only area of complaint. Action was fairy high, after a set up, plays like a dream. The binding isn't perfectly even and the joint where the end pin is is not perfectly matched. There is a slight gap where the two sides meet. No hole, mind you, but you can feel it. Otherwise the guitar is perfect. The top matches perfectly and the finish is flawless.

Seems like a solid guitar, although I baby it. I live in fear of bumping the headstock and cracking it. The paint on the pickgaurd wore off rather quickly, but that is no biggie. Very dependable and would have no reason to need a backup.

Limited life-time warranty (whatever that means) otherwise, haven't needed to call customer support.

I have been playing for about 15 years. Also own a '94 Gibson SJ-200, and a Gibson ES-335. Am currently shopping for an amp (probably a Fender Bassman), as well as a Dobro, mandolin and a banjo. I may trade my SJ-200 for one of those. Absolutely no regrets with the Hummingbird. I would replace it in a second if it was lost or stolen. I also tried out a J-45 Hank Williams Jr. limited edition model and and nice as it was I went with the Hummingbird. I highly recommend trying one out, and if can afford the steep price do yourself a favor and get yuorself one of these honeys.

A 1980 guitar, 14 frets clear, solid spruce top... if you're reading this you probably already know this anyway. Nice looking guitar in general.

Well, it's braced pretty heavy so it's deader sounding than some of the Martins. However it does have a nice, round tone to it. It's great for blues and country/rock, but just doesn't have the sound for bluegrass.

I'm giving this a 5 because I'm different than everyone else on the subjet. The action is higher than normal for a dreadnought of this quality, but I love it. Not to mention that I put medium guage strings (13 through 57) on it religiously. People hate to play this thing. Of course, I also put 12's on my 12 string. The heavy strings sound better, I think.

I've beat the crap out of hit and it hasn't budged a bit.

Never had problems.

Best guitar I'll probably ever have, but I want a Martin for the bluegrass playing. Anyone have a nice Gibson banjo willing to sell relatively cheap? Adkinsnc@cs.com.