Gibson Hummingbird

Made in Kalamazoo, MI in early 1965; Solid spruce top, laminated mahoghany sides, solid mahoghany back. 1 9/16" nut. Nitro finish. Mother of Pearl Parallellogram inlays. Adjustable wooden saddle(two screws), screwed down flowered pickguard, tulip style tuning keys. Visually beautiful in it's look and design. Slim neck like electric '335's of that era.
Came with original arched hardshell case(blue lining).

As in other reviews, this is not a loud guitar. But it makes up for it in it's sweet, balanced tone. 1 9/16" nut is a little narrow for fingerpicking, but manageable. When strummed with a pick and a soundhole pickup, the tone is harsh. When fingerpicked and strummed thumb style(like Lindsey Buckingham) through a soundhole pickup and Boss GE-7 equalizer, sounds great. This is a guitar whose sound grows on you over time. Sounds great for pick strumming just mic'ed.

Neck was reset and refretted by Elderly Instruments; they also repaired some cracks in the top, which I guess are common for this model. Neck just needed a slight trussrod adjustment to eliminate some buzzing; now it plays fine. Extensive finish checking on the top, not as much on the back---that patina adds to the mojo of this guitar! Stays in tune perfectly---I'm using light gauge strings. Will watch the bridge over time; the original bridges tended to pull up because of a poor design(not enough wood behind the bridge pins to alleviate the pull of the strings).

Yes, this would withstand live playing---it's done so since 1965! I always have a backup when I do an extensive set, but have taken this guitar by itself to open mics.

They were helpful in my research of the serial number as to when it was made.

Been playing since the mid-1970's; The Hummingbird is a guitar with a special tone palette to your musical arsenal. It doesn't do everything, but has that special sound that the others don't. If I need volume I go for my Martin D28, Taylor 810 revoiced, or Gibson CL-30 or Gibson CL-40(which are great guitars in their own right).
I would not buy a Hummingbird from the 70's or 80's(quality problems, double X-bracing that killed the tone, etc.)---I would buy one made during the Bozeman era('90's to now) if I couldn't afford one up to 1968. It's cool to have one from 1965 with the legacy of those who played this model(Stones) with the music I grew up with. Love that finish checking--if only this guitar could talk of it's experiences!

Mine's a 1973 natural-finish Hummingbird Custom, made in Kalamazoo. Mahogany back and sides, spruce top, slim neck, large frets, block inlays (why on earth did they get rid of the trapezoids?).

A very deep, woody tone, with a kind of whispery quality. Hummingbirds were voiced originally to accompany singers and Gibson may have something here. Not the loudest or sparkliest, nor the best for recording - the mids are too overpowering.
There's a lot of accumulated guitar lore, some of it on these pages, about bracing patterns and the supposed failings of 70s 'Birds, and I must admit this one probably isn't the very best. However, I have played early 60s Hummingbirds - the supposed golden era - I'm here to tell you there's not THAT much difference. Really. Mine lacks a little richness in tone and can even sounds rather dry, especially when the strings are old. But it has that identifiable Keith Richards tone (think Wild Horses, Let It Bleed) and when I hear people playing classic Hummingbirds, I recognize the tone. Okay? There is SO much BS talked about vintage guitars. Some definitely have a magic about them, but by no means all. Just because they were made in a certain year is no reason to reject them.

Bought this guitar used and someone has sanded the original lacquer off and left a kind of satin finish, presumably to let it 'breathe'. Hmmm. I may get it refinished one day but it's an expensive job. The Hummingbird's country look is not to everyone's taste but they are iconic guitars and I might make the investment.
Good action, nice neck and frets, very comfortable to play.

I have gigged with this guitar, but I won't be much in future. It's 35 years old, with a very light finish, and I have nightmares about bashing it. Keep it at home for songwriting.

Long past warranty, never dealt with Gibson.

I have been playing 25+ years and for all its failings, I have bonded with this guitar. The thought of selling it is too weird. I exchanged a Gibson Mark Series (unsuccessful 70s experiment) for it originally and I never looked back. My Martin 000-28 is sweeter-sounding and more articulate, but the two complement each other very well. Let's face it, most audiences can't tell a good guitar from a bad one, so I'll probably get a Jap electro-acoustic for live work and keep this baby at home. It has a mojo that can't be beat and with a new set of 13s is lovely to strum.

I am reviewing a 1990 Gibson Hummingbird, that was bought used in 2007. It has the J-45 style/colour sunburst and a classic black pickguard instead of the usual hummingbird guards. It has a spruce top with a mahogany body. MOP inlays all along the fret board. It has one of the biggest bridges I have ever seen on a guitar. Basically it looks like a square bodied J-45 that is all dolled up and ready for prom.

Sounds great anyway you play it. It compliments a singers voice perfectly as well, making it ideal for a singer/songwriter. This guitar sounds terrific whether you are hammering on it or playing quietly late at night.

This guitar was 17 years old when I got it, however it is still the most gorgeous instrument I have ever seen.

This guitar has some flaws. One of the original tuners fell apart and had to be replaced, and there is some lifting on the top of the guitar, breaking the finish where top panel meets the side panel. This guitar will stay in tune forever as long as the humidity is controlled, and it always sounds great.

N/A

I have been playing for 7 years and my previous guitar was a Takamine G-series. I finished school and came into some money and decided to buy a nice solid body guitar. When I saw this particular hummingbird, I was blown away by it's beauty and had to have it. It has a very rich and bright sound, and sounds great whether it is flat-picked, strummed, or finger-picked. I would buy this guitar again in a second.

I ordered this one from the custom shop in Boseman 2007. Really nice, this one. Washed cherry sunburst looks like Sheryl Crows on the video "The first Cut is the Deepest". The sides and back are this amazing quilted mahogany, the likes I have never seen before. The spruce top full of bearclaws. Gold hardware, fancy rosewood fretboard and bridge. Not Brazilian, but looks like it very much. Mahogany neck with a very comfortable medium rounded profile. Almost a slim taper 60's, but a tad deeper. It came in an incredible alligator case of intense construction, nicer than the usual case.

I needed this for live performance, so I had an LR Baggs pickup installed. The tone is bizarre, and it hasn't even "opened up" yet. The baggs pickup delivers maximum frequency response without feedback. A volume knob under the lip of the soundhole.

Perfect! The custom shop can really do it sometimes. They sure went above and beyond on this particular example.

I have had it a year, played live, added a strap bin under the heel, no cracks, very sturdy and strong as Gibson's are. Built like a battleship with high accuracy as to the measurements, so it stays together even under duress.

I ordered it, they built me an even better one than I expected, and had it crafted and delivered in 4 months. That is pretty amazing.

I have had just about every major brand of quality guitar, and many boutique creations by master craftsmen. This guitar is very, very beautiful, but not gawdy like some over inlaid parlor hangers. It sports the look of a regular guitar, but it is so finely made that it just draws attention like no other. No ka oi! Best Gibson acoustic guitar I ever played, let alone owned-well-caretaker of. They do stay here when we pass on. Someone in 100 years will be stoked by the quality in this one. I have no doubt it will last that long, and longer. A Harley D of acoustics. Good on ya, Gibson Montana!

2006 Gibson Hummingbird Historic Edition - Classic Cherry Burst w/ Nitro finish. This particular one is not quite as red as many that you see out there, which I prefer. It has a little more honey, a little less cherry.

BODY
Body Style: Square Shoulder Dreadnought
Top Species: Solid Sitka Spruce
Back and Sides: Solid Mahogany
Body Binding: 6-ply top, 4-ply back

NECK
Species: Mahogany
Scale: 24-3/4 in.
Profile: Round

FINGERBOARD
Species: Rosewood
Binding: single-ply
Number of Frets: 20
Inlays: MOP Double Parallelograms
Nut Width: 1.725

This is an extremely nice sounding guitar. As some of the other reviews have noted, it is not very loud. If you are playing with a group of D-28's, you will have a hard time being heard. But, this guitar is the perfect accompaniment to the singer/songwriter. I do not have a very loud voice when I sing, so I find this guitar easy to sing with since I do not have to compete with its overall volume. The mahogany body provides a nice clear tone, well suited to match the human voice.

The Hummingbird is very versatile and works well for light and aggressive strumming. Due to the lower volume, it is not well suited for finger picking IMO. I play mostly rock and alt. country (Pete Yorn, Ryan Adams, Wilco) and this guitar suits my style perfectly. I was originally attracted to this model after seeing Pete Yorn play one. It certainly has that Keith Richards tone that many players are going for.

Nice set-up from the factory. I prefer D'Addario strings to the Gibson strings it came with. Once I slaped a set of EJ-16s on her, she was ready to go. One aspect of this guitar I like is the larger frets. They are bigger than those on my J-45 and my Martin 000. This makes it easier to when I place the capo high on the neck (7th or 8th fret) for a few songs that I play. One modification I made was replacing the bridge pins. It still amazes me that Gibson sells you a $2000+ guitar with plastic bridge pins. I bought I set of fossilized ivory pins and the guitar really came to life. Much better sustain and note articulation.

This guitar is built very well. I have bumped it against a few pieces of furniture and have not put a ding in it yet. I would not hesitate to take this guitar to a live performance without a backup. Tuners work well. They do not stay in tune as well as a Waverly, but perform fine. I know Gibson has gotten a lot of flack over the past few years for quality control, but the craftsmanship on this guitar is outstanding. I cannot find a flaw on it. Not even a speck of glue on the inside.

Lifetime warranty through Gibson. I have not had any issues, but have contacted Gibson with questions about other guitars and have found them to be friendly and responsive.

I have been playing for about 5 years. I also own a Gibson J-45 Custom (Adirondack) and a Martin 000-18GE. I love this guitar! I give it a 10 overall because of how well it suits my playing style. When I purchased this guitar, I compared it to a Gibson J-200, Gibson Advanced Jumbo, and Martin D-28. I was almost seduced by the volume of the AJ and D-28, both being rosewood. But over time I have come to appreciate the tone and clarity of mahogany. It may not be the loudest, but if you are singing without amplification, it lets your voice be the star. If I were forced to sell my guitars, this would be the last to go. I would certainly replace it if it were lost or stolen.

I just got this one but have some experience with Hummingbirds as my brother has one. Mine is a '67 Custom with natural spruce top, mahogany back, sides and neck. 20 frets on Brazilian rosewood fretboard. The finish is still perfect with minimal crazing and for a 39 year old guitar it looks like something from the late nineties
The Customs were fit with nickel Kluson tuners that have the Gibson "G" engraved on them. MOP double parallelogram fret markers. The neck joins the body at the 14th fret.

Although a little on the quiet side, this guitar has tone you just don't find in newer instruments. Extremely well balanced, warm and sweet tone across the board. This is not a bright sounding box. It is mellow and can cry as well as it sings. I love playing blues and jazz on this beauty and expect that my son will too, when I pass it on.

Set up is just perfect. The action is right where I want it and the neck reminds me of the earlier Les Pauls. Not too wide but shallow so you can really wrap around it. Mother of pearl inlay work is flawless as well as the headstock logo. Binding is in perfect condition and shows no sign of breaking loose. Bone nut and belly-up rosewood bridge round out one great guitar.

Based on its appearasnce and playability, this nearly 40 year old guitar is as solid as the day it was built. I know some of the history of it and it has withstood extensive travel and frequent play. I really think it will last a minimum of another 40 years.

They were very helpful in verifying the serial number and the build year. Have not had experience with their repair services or lifetime warranty.

I've played professionally for 8 years and recreationally for 35 years. I also own an American Deluxe Strat, '67 Guild Starfire, and a beautiful CP Thornton Professional Custom single cut semi-hollow with 2 lindy fralin humbuckers. Various Fender and Traynor amps and some custom cabs.
If my hHummingbird were lost or stolen I would search for a replacement of equal value. Martin and Taylor make outstanding guitars but my Bird simply soars above them. This will remain in my collection for as long as I live.

This review is an update on one I submitted in 2001. While I was very taken with the guitar when new (and no doubt trying to justify the huge expense) I did have some reservations about how quiet the instrument was. It was easily drowned out in loud party sessions by other 'lesser' guitars.

To stick to the format: I have always been very happy with the features of the guitar. I play the guitar a lot and I have been a little surprised at the fretboard wear that is starting to show around the open chords areas. I have also been a little disappointed at the way the pickguard has worn to the point where the 'bird' has virtually disappeared. Having said that I have found the main parts to be very hard wearing and I am surprised at how little the finish has marked. Although I try to be careful with it there are always going to be times when you bang it into something like a table, chair or music stand. The case is solid and durable.

Here is the main reason I have elected to submit a new review. Because of the quietness I have described I deliberately set out to 'open' the guitar up. I discussed the issue with lots of people including a luthier and a guitar technician and excellent player. I put the guitar in my lounge on a wall hanger right next to my stereo and have stored it there full time ever since. (Along with 2 other quality guitars I own) This was a good move as I reach for it more often due to better access. It has taken a long time, but I am now absolutely stoked at the improvement. The combination of constant exposure to musical noise and beats together with over 5 years of regular playing has improved the sound incredibly. This guitar is now the sweetest thing I own. It puts out beautiful melodic tones when I want them. It also punches out crisp and loud when I want it to. It will produce the loud and dirty stuff of rock and roll with a ring and clarity that I really love. I have lately taken to using Martin XP's. They really make the guitar 'bark' when I want it to bark. The sustain is great, to the point that when the music sheet says 'let ring' it really does ring until you hit something else. I have submitted this new review to encourage other guitar owners to allow their instruments to 'open up' properly. Dont despair - try everything!!

I did have some teething troubles with this guitar that are well documented in my earlier review. But these days it rarely needs adjustment and performs flawlessly. Holds tuning very well indeed.

Solid as a rock. All aspects now totally reliable.
No wonder well heeled rock stars like this guitar!

Havent had anything to do with Gibson, or their agents, for over 5 years.

I now own 6 guitars. I have the Gibson, a Martin D16RGT, a Maton 12 string (Brilliant), Yamaha FG180 (very old - see reviews), a Wolf archtop electric and an old classical. The Gibson Hummingbird is out on it's own as a six string acoustic. It's what I tend to reach for all the time. Family and other people around me are sick of hearing me rave about it every time I grab it! My son also plays guitar and heads straight for it every time he calls at our house. I used to say that I wouldnt produce it at drunken sing-alongs - but I do - I am just so happy with it and proud of it that I cant resist it! So after 5 years of ownership it just keeps getting better.

1968 Gibson Hummingbird made in Kalamazoo, Michigan. 20-frets (14-frets clear of the body). Solid Spruce top, Mahogany neck, back, and sides. Rosewood fingerboard w/ pearl double parallelogram inlays. This one has it's original belly-below bridge with the original rosewood adjustable saddle. It has it's orginal nickel "G" made in Germany (I think Grover) tuners. It is of-course, a square shoulderd dreadnought, with cherry sunburst top, and the super-groovy hummingbird pickguard. I've got the non-invasive (no holes drilled) Fishman rare-earth humbucking pickup in the sound hole.

The sound is very warm...and at the risk of using Gibson marketing terminology..."honey-tone" just about sums it up. It's very even from the bottom end to the top. This one is a log...it weighs a ton for an acoustic guitar...it is much heavier than my friend's SJ-200, or my brothers D-28. For me this is a great flat-picker...It has a very balanced and clear voice but it is way to quiet for fingerpicking.

I got this one used in 2001. It was set up wonderfully...but it was in need of a fret-job...which I had done with jumbo frets that are similar to the factory original. Gibson was in some trouble by 1968 and many collectors feel that workmanship at the Gibson plant was not up to par toward the end of the 60's and even through most of the 80's. This guitar, however, appears to be finished beautifully. All the binding work appears to have been done with great care. The inlays, and back-stripe are all very clean, as is the finish. It does have some finish crazing but it's 38-years old.

I perform at Folk Festivals throughout the south-east (mostly Florida). I've had her in all kinds of weather, temperatures, and humidity...and I've logged considerable hours sitting around the campfire. It's a truly reliable, well made, and durable axe. At gigs I always bring a back-up...but thats mostly in-case I break a string...otherwise this thing is a tank. The only thing I'll add is dont get mosquito repellant on it while your pickin' around the fire...that stuff will screw up the finish on any guitar.

Never had to deal with Gibson. But Gibson has a great reputation for standing by their instruments. My buddy had purchased a used Gibson flat-top (a newer L-series flat-top)and the top caved in on him. He was not the original purchaser...but Gibson replaced it free of charge. *I'll add that he probably did not tell Gibson that he wasnt the orginal purchaser.

I've been playing for 20+ years. I divide my time as an upright-bassist for other acts...and as guitarist in my own outfit. I have a 40's Gretsch archtop, and a newer US Standard Stratocaster. I spit time between all three guitars pretty evenly. There's nothing to ask before buying a Hummingbird. The thing's a looker. You look at it...fall in love...play it...freak out some more...yank out the credit card...and take her home. The greatest thing about a Hummingbird is it's looks...It's flashy...and when you take it out of the case it will almost always start a conversation. The worst thing...I don't know...If I had to pick one thing it would be the adjustable bridge saddle. If I lost it...I'd probably buy a flat-top with rosewood back and sides (a Gibson Advanced Jumbo, or a Martin D-28)...but that's just me...The Hummingbird is a great guitar, and I love owning, and playing mine like crazy.

I have just bought a 1969 Hummingbird. I paid #1000 which I think is a good price at the moment considering the Early to mid 60s birds are being sold for #3500 - #5000 in UK. The only thing that has been changed are the tuners to nickle grovers. And the case was not origanal. It has the slightly wider ajustable brimendge than earlier and later models and the bracing is not as tight as the 70s models which feel very heavy, - I have played the mid 60s humming birds and it is definatley more reminicent of those, even if the tone is not quite as open ( neithers my wallet)
What I really like about this guitar compared to the 70s versions and more recent replicas is that it has a very slim little neck on it, great for small hands (like me). Over all the condition is fair for a 36 year old instrument, It has some cracks on the finish but nothing structural (In my opinon guitars that have been played in and are obviously used! play a lot better than collectors origanals which have been kept in the box).
The neck is actual remarkable condition. One odd feature is that the back of the head stock has a Black tapering down to a v on the neck -Apparently this is not unusual on some models of this age.

Suits my musical style 100% Im a rock / indie songwriter, I use it for mainly Studio work, which Im hoping it will be great for. I struggle to get a good recroded tone out of my Martin. The Hummingbird has a lot neater Tone and the over all response is stronger. It is not as loud as I had expected but handles bass and treble remarkably well.
Another pont worth mentioning is that this guitar works incredibly well with a bug through an amp (not conventional I appreciate but try it!) Iam lucky enough to own an orginal 1955 gibson amp - the sound of the hummingbird through a bug in to the amp sounds amazing.Imagine early Neil young mixed with a bit of Dinasaur Junior.
Likes - every thing - Dislikes - nothing

I gave an 8 because of the age of the instrument - but to be honest I think used guitar look a lot cooler than not.

I think this guitar has many years left in it, altyhough I will not be looking after it, not trawling it around the gig circuit.

This is my dream acoustic - I shall keep it until I die - only thing that would improve it was if it was an early 60s model - but for #1000 I would beg to differ if the difference is worth the extra 3 k youd have to pay. Compared to my Martin it is a better instrument - but then to be fair lets see how the Martin plays in 30 years.
PS: Let face it - Bolan - Keith Richards - liked it so do I, ROCK

2005 Hummingbird. Has blue "Historic Collection" stamp on back of the neck - but came with a regular case, regular serial number, and no COA. I have learned that Gibson is making 480 of these in 2005! 40 per month. So it is not as rare as the Custom Authentics with the long scale, engraved pickguard and plastic tuners that had only 48 made in 2004, but still kind of cool to know the number that will be produced this year. Gibson told me the model features are the same since 2003 (not counting those 48 aforementioned long scale models). It might be the same going farther back - I didn't press them for more details.

The "Custom Collection" stamp feels like marketing gimmick to me. I'm not sure I like it.. feels cheezy (of course if it had special serialization and a COA I'd be ALL DOWN WITH THAT). The stamp I could do without but it's the instrument that counts! It's a good one!

Let me tell you I am just SO happy with the sound of this guitar. My idea of good music is Sister Morphine, Angie etc... Sticky Fingers/Exile on Main Street era Stones.

I've spent a lot of money on nice guitars... had two Martin HD28Vs, a Martin D18V (wish I had kept that one = Nice!), a Lowden F32C. But I could never get the jangly chimey kind of folk/rock sound that I wanted. I read somewhere that Keef played a Hummingbird so I set out to find one. The guitar did not disappoint. Is it as loud as my HD28V? no. But loudness is not everything. I think it sounds just more appropriate to folk/rock than the Martin though. I love it.

The top grain is great - straight and consistent width. The mahogany back has cool figure too. Nice wood! The wood choice on this guitar seems consistent with the Martins I've had. The actual gluing together of the guitar - I'm very impressed... not a drop out of place - the inside looks perfectly clean.

The sort of Iced Tea faded burst is lovely. I wouldn't have minded having a clownburst like some vintage Hummingbirds I've seen, but this finish is very tasteful and one day people will probably look back fondly at this exact finish. It is a beautiful guitar.

The pickguard is painted, not engraved. I think that's cool though... I don't want to pay extra for a hand-painted engraved pickguard. I guess Gibson was up for doing 48 of those, but not 480 :-)

Actually I wouldn't mind if it did have the special pickguard, but I guess it wouldn't be special if EVERYONE had it right?

On a gig... heh heh. I'm a lifetime porch picker, jam with my brother when he's in town a bit. That's all. I feel this guitar, my HD28V, and my 58RI Les Paul will all outlive me and who knows, when my kids are old and they don't have so much rosewood, ebony, spruce, maple and mahogany around they might be worth real money. I will leave them to my kids (hey I have 4 kids but only THREE primo guitars... hmmmm...I wonder if for the good of the team I should buy a Custom Shop Nocaster to round things out?)

Gibson customer service has always been really cool and down to earth with me. I love Gibson - very accessible.

I'm pretty sure I have a lifetime warranty but I better go read up about that. Gold Warranty whatever that is.

I've been playing since I was a teenager. I wish I had bought a Gibson Hummingbird early on...15 years ago. I feel like it is the acoustic I always wanted.

I'd buy another one. I actually was wanting to get a real early 60s Hummingbird but I played one in a store and the neck was too thin - didn't like it. This modern version is very nice though - highly recommended. If I could only keep this OR my HD28V it would be a hard call but I think I'd keep the Gibson.

2004 Boseman made model, great case and humidifier....ALL QUALITY!!!

When I first played this guitar, I was disapointed. It sounded GOOD, but not great. I own several cheaper boxes and this one did not eclipse ANY of them! In frustration, I ditched my pick and began to finger pluck.....then it hit me like a wet towel across the ass..the tone, the vibration, the FUNK! This guitar is made to be expressive, a pick tends to leaven that. With the finger-picking, everything falls into place! You have to play one to understand. It can do anything.

Everything is well done, yet it seems to me that all Gibsons are initially set up with rather high action, even with a set of GHS boomer extra lites it seems tough. For this kind of jack I feel I shouldn't have to take it to a guitar tech and toss even more dough.

I will never use this axe in a live situation.

Huh?

I like it.....buuuut.... I am more of an electric string butcher, so this guit is not my bread and butter. Yet, I have always wanted one, now I have it. I own @ 15 guitars, and as total as this guitar is, it can't crack my top six. It's a flat top...a good sounding, well built flat top, but still a flat top. Want the classic Gibby sound without a third mortgage? Check out 70's Epiphones....they are damned near free.

This review is for my 1968 Gibson Hummingbird produced in Kalamazoo. It is the oval orange label model (one of the last great ones!). I have owned this one for ten years and bought it from the shop where Noel Gallagher (Oasis guitarist) bought many of his. The top is solid spruce and the back and sides are solid mahogany. It has an adjustable rosewood saddle sat on a rosewood bridge. This gave me a few problems when fitting an EMG active under-saddle pick-up as you can imagine, however, I'm glad that I did. It has all the original Kluson machine heads that have a gold finish to them (now faded). The neck is mahogany with rosewood fretboard (20 frets). The neck is very, very slim with double trapezoid MOP inlay and cream binding. The sctatch plate is the thick plastic variety and has lifted. It has been rather poorly fixed with small screws (I believe that this is not uncommon). The finish to the body is nicely glazed with checking and no cracks, splits or repairs evident. The neck has been refitted professionally at some time with a very slight fillet piece on the top of the body. the 9 score is for the slim neck lasting so long, as with the original case etc.

I have four other top end acoustic guitars (no names but you can guess) but, have never been able to put this one away for safe keeping because it sounds so good. I reherse with it, gig with it and have even taken it on holiday with me! It has that beautiful mellowed sound without any faults. I get calls from fellow musicians asking to borrow it for recording sessions. That is how high this guitar is regarded!

I was only born in 1968 so the guitar is as old as me! I therefore can't comment on what it was like from new, however, it is of typical quality Gibson materials and finish that have lasted so well. With the sound it has now, they must have done something right.

When I first bought it, the thin neck gave me real concerns. So much so that I use XL strings, but the sound is such quality that I do not think it matters. I've gigged it for 10 years and it has never let me down. I sold my Takamine Ltd 97 which I bought just to give this one a bit of a rest.

It's too old for this category.

If I came home and my house was on fire, I'd have to go in to get this guitar out! I once nearly lost my head and was about to trade it in for a great Martin M-35(I think it was) when the guy in the shop pulled me to one side and said "keep the Hummingbird". If ever stolen I would hunt it down as it would be bound to turn up back in the music industry. So, for all those who like to knock the Hummingbird fans, try a few, get an old one from the 60's, and don't look back. p.s. If you want to buy a new one, try at least three as I have recently done this and two of them were great. By the way, mine is not for sale!

2003 Bozeman. Mint condition, Solid Sitka maple top, solid mahogony sides and back, rosewood board. Price included OHSC.

This guitar has a beautiful, complex tone that sings at all volumes. With this guitar, I use Martin SP 80/20 light strings and Jim Dunlop Shell Classics (Heavy) picks. It sounds exactly like a Hummingbird is supposed to sound (Listen to "Angie" by the Stones - that's the sound).

This guitar could be an outstanding choice for someone's one and only acoustic, depending of course upon the style of music usually played. I will say that it sounds less distinctive (that is, less like a Hummingbird) when taken outside it's traditional role. It sounds very good when fingerpicked or played hard or very quietly. Its niche is soft - to -medium loud flatpicking/strumming. The Hummingbird's strong point is its richness and complexity when chording, so that's when it sounds like what you expect it to sound like. If you are looking for a one-guitar-fits-all -- buy a Martin HD28. But don't expect it to sound like a Hummingbird, 'cause it never will. Neither will a HUmmingbird ever sound like a Martin. And that's a good thing for both Martin and Gibson! All that said, the Bird is a VERY versitile instrument.

A word of caution about buying used and vintage Hummingbirds. The early '60s HUmmingbird sound is the sound almost everyone expects out of a Hummingbird. But not all Hummingbirds have that sound. Unless you have played a particular Hummingbird that you are in love with, stay away from Hummingbirds made after 1965 and before Gibson opened the Bozeman, Montana workshop. The Bozeman Birds are made by the former Flatiron luthiers who impressed Gibson so much that Gibson bought the comapany. They have recreated the early '60s sound.

Of course, the action is what you make it. The guitar was entirely playable when I got it.

The fit and finish are flawless so far as anyone so far can tell. The Teaburst finish is beautiful. Some may be disappointed that it isn't the traditional cherry sunburst, but I was glad it wasn't -- I think the teaburst is beautiful and more elegant.

The day after I got it, I took it to be set up and have the saddle changed to bone. I didn't have a new nut made. The saddle change was not a negative reaction to anything I heard when I first got the guitar, I have bone on all my acoustics.

I find the neck very comfortable (I like substantial necks). The tuners are fine. I doubt I'll replace them.

We'll see, right? So far, so good. This is clearly a guitar that's made for playing, and that includes giging and recording. It's a solid instrument.

I'd never show up at a gig without a backup, no matter what instrument I was playing.

N/A -- I haven't needed customer support on this instrument.

This guitar is everything I expected it to be, and will only get better with age. It was an excellent investment as well.

I believe all great instruments have a distinctive sound. Some of those sounds are famous, and for a reason. I also believe it's a mistake to try to make an instrument sound like something it's not, since all instruments sound best as what they are (duh). A great Hummingbird has a distinctive sound and sounds absolutely magical when used to get that sound. Bozeman Birds are great instruments, and worth every penny.

I purchased a 2003 60's Historic Collection Hummingbird from Guitar Emporium in Louisville, Kentucky. My experience would mirror the first reviewer and his impressions - this one has the original pickguard from the "original" molds that were discovered by accident.
The lacquer sunburst finish is unlike anything I have ever seen.
The moment I saw the guitar, I knew I was going to buy it, before I even picked it up.

Into the stratosphere. However, the action was hard to play, at first, so I took the guitar to Elderly Instruments in Lansing for
an action adjustment. Turns out that the guitar needed a new neck -
so Elderly had the guitar sent back to Gibson in Bozeman, Montana.
They made me a new neck, which passed Elderly's inspection, and with
a new lower setup by Arnold in their repair department, an antique
bone saddle and nut, D'Addario light gauge phosphor bronze strings, and WOWWWWWWW !!!! This guitar is now the Holy Grail of all guitars. I have been a guitar collector for the past 30 years and
have played many pre-war Martins, Gibsons, newer Martins, Larson Bros.
guitars, etc.,etc.,etc... and NOTHING can touch this guitar for sound
quality - rich deep base, clean treble all the way up the neck, a
"punchy" rich sound never heard before. I will tell you this. The
guitar came from the factory with light gauge strings, and that is
exactly the proper gauge for this guitar. Martin dreadnaughts don't
produce their best tone unless they are strung with medium gauge
strings- but this Authentic 60's Hummingbird was designed for light
gauge strings. I never imagined that an acoustic guitar with light
gauge strings could produce that kind of sound. UNBELIEVABLE.

As I stated above, turns out the guitar needed a new neck because
the repairmen at Elderly felt the original neck was out of spec and
had too much "bow" when sighting down the fingerboard. They couldn't
do a proper action setup because of the neck. So they called Gibson
in Bozeman and had the guitar sent back for repair. It was Gibson
(custom shop) that made the call to replace the neck. It's now
perfect. Action, Fit, Finish: PERFECT.

PERFECT. Remember, this guitar is made for D'Addario phosphor bronze
light gauge strings- nothing else. It can be finger picked, flat
picked, thumb picked, any style, any technique, any way you like.
Nothing else will touch it. I feel it fair to say, however, that
I have the AUTHENTIC 60's HISTORIC COLLECTION Hummingbird. I have
played the regular Hummingbirds made by Gibson (with the black style pickguard and what looks like an ebony bridge) and they don't have
the same tonal qualities or "feel" that the AUTHENTIC 60's Hummingbird has. The Authentic 60's Hummingbird Historic version
is completely handmade in the custom shop at Bozeman. They are made in limited runs. It's got better wood, a better fit and finish, everything better than what I have seen in the standard Hummingbird- it's altogether a completely different guitar, although I think Gibson would officially try to deny this. Trust me, it's not the same guitar.

See above. Rather than f--k around, Gibson went ahead and made a
completely new neck for the guitar.

All "10's" - nothing else will touch it. Not even a Stephen Stills
Martin D-45. I challenge anybody to beat this guitar.

2004 Gibson 60's Hummingbird Historic Collection. Special run, this one was built on March 28, 2004 in Gibson Montana's Bozeman factory, and it one of 48 produced in 2004. Don't know the sequence that it was built (neither does Gibson) but it is supposed to be a limited run for 2004 only, though Gibson may produce another run if they choose to do so. This came with a certificate along with a case and goodies (humidifier, pick carved from the same material as the pickguard, and papers).

Has a couple of different features then the standard Hummingbirds being produced by Gibson. I'll start with the common features - Square shoulder dreadnought design, sitka-spruce solid top with solid mahogany sides and back. 1.725" nut, 20 frets, Heritage Cherry lacquer finish, rosewood fretboard, rosewood belly-up bridge, dual parallelogram pearl inlays, Gibson logo and crown on the headstock done in MOP, and the standard Hummingbird binding, 6-ply top and 4-ply back.

The differences are as follows - the scale is 25.5" as opposed to the 24.75" scale that come standard with the Hummingbird. Don't know if that's period correct or not. The tuners are the gold Klusons with the keystone buttons as opposed to the chrome tuners that are standard. and lastly, the pickguard is supposed to have been molded from an "original mold" that Gibson has recently discovered. This pickguard is beautiful, the design is "carved" in via the mold, and then painted in by hand.

This is a beautiful guitar. It is obvious Gibson took a lot of care in putting this together, there are no flaws whatsoever in any part of this guitar.

Beautiful rich sound. I had an Epiphone Hummingbird, and for the price that was a good sounding guitar. But the Gibson version blows that one out of the water, period. Sweet tones, with lows, mids and highs complementing each other perfectly. I took the stock Gibson strings off and put on some D'Addario 11's and the Bird sings so sweetly. I cannot put this guitar down and it is because of the sweet sounds I am getting out of it. Whether strumming or finger-picking, this guitar just shines. I would give it an 11 here if I could.

Guitar was setup the standard way you would expect coming from the floor. I won't base my rating on that, I always find that unfair. Rather, I will base it on how well it can be setup. And this guitar is now setup perfectly. It is *almost* like an electric guitar, the action is low, and it practically fingers itself.

In regards to fit and finish, this is quite simply the most beautiful guitar I've ever owned, and it is 100% fit. Gibson Montana did a great job with this guitar, and from what I gather they typically do a great job.

Guitar seems very durable and reliable. Of course, because it's a beautiful Hummingbird I am going to do everything in my power to baby it from dings and scratches, but it is a very solidly built acoustic guitar. From the hardware the the body construction to the finish, everything is top-notch.

Gibson Montana replied to every e-mail I sent in a very friendly manner. I have to give them their props, they kept responding to my questions and never blew me off. However, they could not tell me what sequence # my guitar was built (there were only 48 of them) and they could not tell me if the run was only for 2004 or if they would build another run in 2005. Based on that I have to knock it down one notch. But they will respond to your questions.

Been playing for over 25 years. I own three basses (2 Fender P's and a Rickenbacker 4003) along with the Hummingbird. I have owned in the past a Gibson Les Paul, a Fender Strat, a Rickenbacker 330, a Hofner '63 reissue Violin Beatle Bass, and the aforementioned Epiphone Hummingbird.

If it were stolen or lost, I'd hunt the person down and shoot them. Just kidding. I'd definitely want another one, but it's a limited run. If I couldn't score the Historic Collection I would definitely get the standard 60's version they're producing now. Gibson Montana is doing some great work right now.

My favorite features:
Sound
Looks
Playability
I guess everything. But especially the sound, it is a sweet, sweet sound. It is complete for my needs. It was pricey ($2250, list price is $3800) but it was worth it being a limited edition and all. The Hummingbird has always been my favorite acoustic, and I thought I could be satisfied with the Epiphone version, but once I found this Gibson version I knew I had to have it. The Epi version, again, is a great guitar for the price range, but if you have to have the real deal, dig into your wallet and get the Gibson, you will be glad you did.

MADE 2003 IN BOOZMAN MONTANA
Mahogany back and sides sitka spruce top

the best sounding guitar i have ever played or owned. full rich woody sounding. very load to soft and sweet. no dislikes

Actin was perfect. finish was perfect.after all it was handmade!

no probloms yet and don't expect any

been playing 30 years. i own a martin d15, washburn 12n , gibson les paul,epiphone sg p-90,epiphone viola bass, fender brx 200 bass amp, vox t60,fender acoustisonic sfx.If it were lost or stolen id buy another one in a heart beat!I compared it with a taylor 714ce and a martin d35.both great guitars but the hummingbird touched my soul!

As you read through the reviews on this page, keep in mind that Gibson has produced the Hummingbird for over 44 years. During this time, such basic specifications as top bracing, neck shape, trim and even scale length have varied. In other words, a '63 Hummingbird is a very different guitar from a '73 or a '93.

Today, I'm reviewing my 2003 Gibson Hummingbird, which I purchased in September '03. Like all recent Gibson acoustics, it was made in Bozeman, Montana. It is a dreadnaught shape guitar, made with a solid Sitka spruce top and solid mahogany sides and back. A solid mahogany neck is joined to the body with a traditional dovetail joint. The neck is topped with a rosewood fingerboard with 20 frets. The scale length is a short 24 3/4 inches (like many Gibson electrics). Except for Gibson, few manufacturers today make a short scale, large body acoustic guitar.

Gibson refers to the guitar as a "1960 Hummingbird", and they attempt to replicate the desirable features of the first year of Hummingbird production. The guitar does a good job of capturing most of the features of an early 'bird. The headstock has the Gibson logo and crown emblem inlaid in mother of pearl. The fingerboard has the period split parallelogram inlays. The fingerboard edges are neatly bound and feature tortoise shell colored edge dots. The body is bound front and back in multiple layers of white and black plastic. The guitar is beautifully finished in gloss nitro lacquer in "heritage cherry sunburst", which is more rust colored than cherry red. I think Gibson is trying to make the finish look aged and faded. It's certainly attractive, but not really what I remember Hummingbirds looking like. The thing that really sets the Hummingbird apart, visually, from all other guitars is the distinctive pickguard. This large, multi pointed piece of tortoise shell celluloid features the traditional hummingbird, vine and butterfly engraving. It's so over the top that my neice took one look at it and said it was "the gayest guitar she'd ever seen".

There are a few differences between this guitar and an actual 1960 'bird. First Gibson used the same jumbo fretwire on their acoustics and electrics back in 1960. This guitar has very narrow fretwire, typical of modern acoustic guitars. Second, the fingerboard inlays are real pearl on this guitar instead of the imitation pearloid used back then (an improvement, IMO). Lastly, this guitar came equipped with Grover rotomatic tuners in chrome finish rather than the gold Kluson deluxe tuner with "keystone" buttons which were correct for the period. More about the tuners later.

Typical of the "historic" line of Gibson acoustics, there is no Pickup installed.

The fingerboard is fairly wide (1 3/4 inches at the nut), with a 12 inch radius. The neck is relatively shallow front to back, and feels a lot like the "60 slim taper" neck on a Les Paul. The radius makes chord playing comfortable, and there is plenty of room on the fretboard for fingerstyle playing.

The guitar comes with a good quality TKL hardshell case, a humidifier and a couple of "Gibson Montana" guitar picks. The case fits very well, but there's a fair amount of extra space above the headstock. Apparently, Gibson uses the same case for a longer scale guitar or maybe a 12-string. This means the case takes up a bit more space in the car than it needs to.

How do you rate an acoustic guitar for "features"? It has everything that a "1960" Hummingbird shoud have, and then some. On the other hand, it has no built in pickup, no coil taps, no Floyd Rose....oh quit it.

Even in the store, with too high action and dead strings, I could hear the potential in this guitar when I played it. I played several other guitars (Martins, Taylors, other Gibsons), but this one kept drawing me back. I left, but came back a week later and bought it. I restrung it with D'addario EXP Phospher Bronze custon lights (.011-.052) and, wow! Rich warm bass, sweet mids and chimey highs with more sustain than an acoustic guitar ought to have. Notes have a harmonic complexity to them that makes anything I play sound better.

To be fair, the further up the neck I played, the more the sound felt a little "choked", as if the sound was being deadened. I attributed this to the short scale, but I was wrong. Read on.

The guitar is very lightweight and, with the Grover tuners, was noticeably headstock heavy. For this reason, and because I liked the look, I decided to replace the rotomatics with a set of Gotoh "Kluson" style tuners. I had to buy conversion bushings from Stewart-MacDonald to fit the 10mm pegholes and drill a few holes. After the conversion, the guitar felt better balanced. I no longer have to hold the neck up with my left hand while playing. It also sounded MUCH better. Notes ring and chime all the way up the neck, and the sound seems much more "open" than it did before. I attribute this to two things. First, the new tuners weigh 5 oz. less than the Grovers they relaced. This will have an effect on how the neck resonates. Second, the "Klusons" have a much shorter string post than the rotomatics, meaning that the strings come off the front of the nut at a steeper angle, creating more down pressure at the nut. I can't say if this would work on any guitar, but it was well worth it on this one. Maybe I was just lucky.

Before the tuner swap, I'd have given this guitar a "9". Now it's definitely a "10"

The guitar is beautifully made from top quality materials. The interior of the guitar is clean and neat, with well cut bracing and kerfing, and not a drop of glue out of place. the inlays and binding are flawless, and even the ticklish job of scraping the binding between the frets is flawless on this guitar. The top, back and sides are perfectly matched, and the sunburst finsh is smooth and glossy, but there are a couple of tiny drips on the soundboard. You have to hold the guitar in the light, just right, to see them, though.

There are a couple of other flaws. It looks like someone at the factory forgot to sand and polish the top end of the headstock, as the finish is quite rough there. Also, someone apparently slipped and dented the body with a screwdriver when installing the strap button. It has been touched up and polished out at the factory, but a tiny dent remains.

The nut slots were very high from the factory. Closer inspection revealed that the nut had been replaced at the factory. Perhaps they cut the slots too deep the first time, and didn't want to goof the second time around. The slot for the low E was so high that I had intonation problems. Fortunately, I have a bit of experience in setting up guitars, so I spent an evening deepening the nut slots and tweaking the truss rod. It's perfect now, nice low action and a buzz free fingerboard with only a tiny bit of relief.

I should deduct more points for the action and set up issues, but they were easy to fix. I always have to set up every guitar I buy, but I will admit that I rarely have to file a nut.

Still I'm impressed with the overall build quality. Maybe the luthiers in Montana could visit Nashville and show them how it's done.

Gibson guitars have been withstanding live playing since before you were born. This guitar is as well built as any of them. Of course, like any solid wood acoustic, you should treat it with respect. Watch the humidity during the winter months, keep it in the case when you're not playing and so forth. Lacquer finishes are not as durable as the modern stuff, but you can touch them up, which you can't with polyester. I'd rather have the lacquer.

I don't care about the strap buttons, because I sit down when I play acoustic guitar.

I have one complaint with the "engraved" pickguard. At one time Gibson probably did engrave the design on the pickguard. This one appears to have been merely "hot stamped" with the design. Just playing the guitar and resting my fingers on the pickguard wore the pattern off the pickguard within a month. I fully expected this in time, but I didn't expect it to wear so fast. I've seen plenty of 30 year old Hummingbirds with pickguards that show less wear than mine shows in a month. It's not terribly important to me because I'm a player, not really a collector, but I should mention it.

I'm confident that I could depend on the guitar.

Gibson Montana offers a lifetime warranty to the original purchaser.

I noticed that this guitar didn't come with a truss rod wrench and so I e-mailed Gibson about this. They replied that they'd send me one, and they did a few days later.

I've dealt with Gibson before on warranty matters and found them very helpful. On one occasion they replaced a defective tuneamatic bridge, and on another, a complete guitar. I've found that the secret to customer service is simply to be polite and explain the problem, and see what they suggest. I've been pleasantly surprised more often than not.

I've been playing for 37 years and have owned more guitars, both electric and acoustic, than I can list here. I've always wanted a short scale Gibson acoustic, but never played one that really impressed me tonally until I played this Hummingbird. I also own an SJ-200, and cannot really say which one I prefer. The Super Jumbo has a big loud sound which I love, but can't really match the warmth and sweetness of the 'bird.

If something happened to this guitar, I'd probably get another 'bird, or maybe a J-45 or similar Gibson. I looked at a lot of Martins and Taylors, but they couldn't match the tonal complexity and sweetness of this guitar.

I love the tone and easy playability. I love the distinctive look. The Hummingbird is one of a handful of "different" guitars in a sea of Martin D-28 clones.

I wish the guitar came with Kluson style tuners from the factory for the reasons I've given. Other than that I wouldn't change a thing.

This is an expensive guitar, but when I play it, I don't think about the money, just the sound and feel. Maybe that tells you something.

Bought this guitar this month of Feb 2004 its a Early 60s Humming bird made in Montana solid spruce top , mahogany sides, 24 1/4" scale dovetail neck to body joint, Heritage cherry sunburst nickle hardware. It came with a hardshell case and a humidifer

It sounds great if you are playing major chords on the first two or three frets. The neck seems rather thick to me and bar chords further up the neck seem harder to play

The action was alright but the d string and g string buzz on the first two frets. As i removed it from the case for the first time i noticed that the pickguard was pulling away from the body. I pushed it back down and held and it seems fine now. Also at this time I must admit that it may be my fault but I expected the original cherry burst but instead the finish looked the color of tomatoe soup. I was real disapointed. there should be some reference made to the two colors not being even close. Also the case did not come with a lock and the material around the seams was separating and in other places was bunched up

The guitar seems to be built to last. The pickguard is probably the thickest I've ever seen. If i was going to gig with this I wouldn't hesitate to leave any back up home. I believe it would handle the mission

Never had any dealings with Gibson, owned a Les Paul Studio back a while ago and loved it ,changed my music and went to a Strat

I have been playing for about 41 years and have owned and played a lot of guitars. Played a friends Hummingbird back in the 60's a few times and loved it, always wanted one. As my years of gigging are coming to a close i wanted to buy a nice acoustic and unload alot of the stuff that you collect after years of playing. I'm at the position where i can afford a Hummingbird so that was my choice. This is the problem with ordering through a catalog and not playing or handling the guitar before buying. I would never have bought this guitar if i had a chance to see it first. It just doesn't measure up to the price, I will be sending it back to Muscians Friend and then looking for another that I can check out first. I don't know if this was one that slipped through or all these new ones are like this

1992 model..made in Bozeman Montana Gibson Hummingbird (white label)Mohogany neck-back-and sides..spruce top

I recently bought..(and returned) a 2001 model...at $2,200.00 it was a little steep for me. But I may be regreting taking it back now. I just purchased this 92 model a few days ago on ebay. (hoping to get the same quality at less than half the price) Gibson must have finally got their act together, cause the newere ones sound MUCH better then these do! Was talkin to the "guitar guru" who owns a small music store here in town. He said he's read many articles claiming that Gibson was Importing guitar components..(necks, backs, and tops) and merely assemblying them in their Montana plant. This took place from mid 70's til mid 90's...plus the bracing under the tops during those years are a little different compared to the newer ones..overall...this 92 model sounds ok..and worth the $900 I paid for it..but if you can afford it..get a newer one (late 90's to present)or the "real deal" from the 60's! The new one I had was so resonate...i could pluck the low E string..go in the kitchen to make a sandwich..come back, and I would still be able to hear it.

sub par craftsmanship...the laquer finish is allready peeling off the headstock. There's a crack on the "driver's side"..and the mid-line on the back of the guitar looks terrible..(like a big-long crack) unlike the newer ones that dont have that problem.

A couple of the tuner gears allready feel like they're startin to go out. But other than that...the guitar seems like it should last a while. If it were lost, or stolen? (I really doubt that will happen, cause I plan to put it up for sale on ebay as soon as it dissapears from past sales in the history)

never dealt with Gibson

this praticul hummingbird I would give maybe a 6+ the new one I had for a week...I'de give it a deffinate 10...stay away from the ones from the mid 70's! I played one that they wanted 3 grand for..sounded terrible!

Early 70s Gibson Hummingbird, blond model. Not as stunning as the sunburst, but this gentleman prefers blondes. The spruce top has aged to a gorgeous honey colour. Original grover machine heads, BIG frets that still show no sign of wear - I bought from original owner who has had no work at all done on this guitar. Lighter weight than a standard dreadnought, due to the mahogany sides I think.

Sound is magical, mystical, shimmering chords with a full even response - great for any sort of rhythm playing, better than a Martin or a Gibson Jumbo or J45 etc for rock music. I play a bit of rock, a lot of folk, some bluegrass. The sound of this guitar is hard to define - and I don't care that it's not an early 60s light bracing model - it still sits in a band, duo or solo like nothing else I've ever played. You have to play one to know what I'm talking about - and ignore the 60s Hummingbird snobs out there. Think Cat Stevens, think Keith Richards - that's the sound.

As far as I know, there's been no work done to this geetar in the last 30 years, and it plays like new. Big frets, low action, light-ish strings add up to easy playing. Top is beautiful, the hummingbird pickguard still has the painted design on it (striking yellow & white) and there is hardly any wear on the finish. These guitars definitely stand the test of time.

It's been chucked around for 30 years in jams, gigs, campfire singalongs and you name what else, and still going strong. Gibson make instruments that last.

unknown - I doubt very much that Gibson would these days give a hoot about it.

I've been playing guitar for about 30 years. I've owned lots of electrics, including Rickenbackers, Vox and assorted weird 60s guitars, plus Maton acoustics (Australian guitars). I've recently been concentrating on bluegrass dobro and needed an all-round acoustic axe for a variety of musical styles - the hummingbird fits the bill. It's the best acoustic I've ever played, it sure beats anything Maton could dream about. If I lost it I'd assume a foetal position and hit the bourbon until the insurance came through. uh .. I ain't gonna lose it though.

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.

Bought this beautiful Hummingbird back in the early "80s. Thought it was going to be the best deal of my life....paid big bucks too. Had to have the neck repositioned and stabilized shortly after purchasing it. The action was so high my fingers couldn't even think about reaching the fretboard. Haven't played it very much because I travel with a music group quite a lot and only took it to one or two gigs. . I usually play a Washburn at most of the gigs and that will be the last possession this old female will ever get rid of. Would love to sell the Hummingbird. It is quite beautiful...but who needs 5 guitars? Made in the USA..Beautiful Sunburst color

It is a beautiful instrument...and I feel so elated when people come up to me after a performance and just want to take a closer look. Has a deep rich mellow sound...especially with new Martin Marque strings!

nothing really wrong with this instrument except the action was too high....had that corrected along with having the neck stabilized.

Would play this guitar on any stage ...anywhere....the finish is really beautiful....sunburst. strap buttons solid.....would use it without backup.

havent dealt with the manufacturer...Have my own personal instrument repairman...the best anywhere...

HAVE BEEN PLAYING MANY YEARS. COUNTRY MUSIC...GEAR??? 5 guitars..5 fiddles....4 dulcimers.....1 autoharp....and the list goes on...1 dobro. Wish I had asked "Do you have any Washburns". Wouldn't repurchase....I love the deep resonate sound....It is a fine guitar except it isn't as easy to play as the Washburn...I have delicate female fingers! Did not compare it to any other guitar before purchasing....I already had some off brand guitars....always heard that Gibson was the best.....??????????

1974 Hummingbird. Bought new from Navy Exchange for $350 with OHSC.
This is a follow up from an earlier review (see below - Ed Harp review of two Hummingbirds together)
My son has this guitar now in college and he's enjoying it very much. His buddies are very envious. The 1964 'bird stay's in case detuned at home. That one will never leave my sight.

The sound when compared to a Gibson/Bozeman, Mt guitar isn't even in the same realm. In fact I just bought an Epiphone PR 350 SR with HSC for $399. If you can still by one get one now! Solid Spruce top, Solid Rosewood back and sides. Bought exclusively at Mars Music. Two sites in Minnesota - 3-4 left at Bloominton, MN and 1 left at Roseville, MN. There may be afew left at remaining stores. The reason I'm discussing this guitar, is what it is for the price. Korean made, with a big sound. The 1974 Hummingbird with its double-X bracing sounds very muted. like putting your hand on the top behind the bridge while stumming. My other Gibsons from Bozeman, Mt sound authentically pre-60's Gibson.

Now, here's the reason for this review. The neck pulled on the '74 'bird. Dove tail joined, still pulled. So I glued it with some wood glue. And now it seems very solid. Before I glued, however, I thought I'd check with Gibson first and then learned that all Gibson guitars made before 1987 were dropped from warranty coverage. However, in response to the Alan K. McCall review, Thanks Alan... His comment about bleeding bracing patterns has only been characteristic of double-x braced Norlin era guitars. Any Gibson acoustic made from 1969 to 1984 may display this problem. This has not been a problem with pre-Norlin guitars (pre-'69), nor Bozeman, Mt. If fact the Bozeman guitars are in many ways the most superior Gibson acoustic guitars ever made. There may be some exceptions, such as the Pre-War AJ's, jumbos, and J-35, J-45, etc.

This guitar has been a great, reliable guitar when I had nothing to compare it to from 1974 to 1980 when I inherited my Dad's '64 Hummingbird (read my review below). But now that I have two Bozeman Guitars, and the Epiphone PR350SR, We're talking in another league.

Warranty Expired. Great conversationalists in Bozeman.

If you like muted, punchy sound, not the sweet mellow tone of the early-mid '60s - Go out and buy one of these. You find them on Ebay everynow and then for around $600-$800, including the Dove, Heritage, Blue Ridge, etc.

My Hummingbird is a 1970 custom or "natural" top, it has grover nickel tuners, rectangular inlays up the neck, and is stained a deep cherry red on the sides and back. I bought it new. I have played it ever day of my life and gigged with it many, many times. The sound just grows better and better as the wood dries and mellows. I believe I paid about $350 for it new which was the same as a year's tuition at the state college I attended.

The Hummingbird has a "big" sound and very mellow. Unlike Martins and Taylors, which tend to have more "attack," the timbre of the Hummingbird is much more rich, smooth and "harp-like." It has plenty of bass and the highs are very creamy. I think it is very versatile and have played it in Rock bands with a pick-up, as well as miked as a solo. It plays all styles of music and sounds great as a rock accompanyment, country-western, folk or even jazz. I am always discovering something about this instrument I never knew it could do before.

When new, the guitar was set up perfectly. Action has always been fast until the neck began to bow a few years ago. See below. The custom top has always been subject to bleeding in by the cherry stain around the sides. Also, the glue from the bracing below the top has seeped through and you can see the bracing patterns as a result. I sent the guitar back to Gibson many years ago. The top was replaced and the guitar completely refinished for free under the "lifetime warranty." Though not as bad, the same things have gradually developed. I think I know why Gibson likes the cherry burst style of top which tends to hide these cosmetic flaws. I'll bet they do lots less warranty work on those tops than on the natural tops. Hopefully, Gibson's new models have eliminated this characteristic but I am betting against it. Love to hear what others have to say about it.

Otherwise, everything else about the guitar has been fine.

My guitar has worked hard nearly every day of its life but has been pampered, as well. Always lives in its case in a humidified room, with a controlled temperature, always wiped down and cleaned afer use, etc. It has really held up well except for the cosmetic issues (see above and below).

I have a big bone to pick with Gibson about this. A few years ago I complained about the stain bleeding into the top (again) and the glue bracing seeping through, Gibson asked me how old the guitar was. When I told them it was about 30 years old, their response was that it was too old to repair under the "lifetime warranty." I told them that I was the original owner and I was still living, that didn't change the response. I then asked how come they failed to inform me of this limitation in the lifetime warranty when I bought it so I would know to either buy something else or make sure I got all the warranty work done on time? They got a little irritated. I assured them that if Gibson wouldn't disclose the term limitation on the lifetime warranty, then I would. That's why I decided to write this review. So, folks, if you own a Gibson, get the warranty work done right away before the lifetime warranty expires or you do whichever comes first.

I then asked about warranty repair on my bowed neck and they gave me the same response - guitar is too old. Lifetime warranty has run out.

I then took the guitar to a well respected guitar mechanic who reset the neck for me and place two screws under the 14th and 15th frets into the neck block to stabilize it. After assuring me the neck would never bow again as a result of this repair, I asked why Gibson didn't make them this way to begin with and he merely shrugged his shoulders. The point is to show that this is a flaw in the design which has existed from day one and yet it didn't appear until about 28 years after I bought it. The whole reason for writing this review is to make the point that a lifetime warranty lasts only as long as the manufacturer will honor it and, at Gibson, that is less than a normal lifetime.

I have been playing guitar since 1963. I have owned many guitars over my lifetime, both accoustic and electric, bases, twelve strings, you name it. I have owned high end Martins and off-brand low end guitars. I am not impressed by brand name or price paid, just quality or value for the money. I like what feels and sounds good regardless of who makes it or where (even oriental manufactured - Take that Ed Roman!)

I have never considered selling the Hummingbird, despite the flaws, because it reminds me of all the places we've been and all the places we've played together. But aside from the sentimental value, and despite the few flaws which I have either had fixed on my own or just have learned to live with, it has been so good to me for so long. I thought about retiring it and using one of my other guitars as a primary instrument but I cannot find anything that seems to sound as good to my ear and I always go back to the Gibson. I am hoping to pass it along to my grandson but not before he pries it out of my cold, dead hands.

I'm doing this because I learned a few things today about this one I bought used, it's an '82 I think. I've had it about 2 years now maybe. Metal button tuners. It of course has the block inlay neck markers, not the very cool double parallelogram ones like the originals had. Why, how could they(Norlin) change something so beautiful? What I learned today was this axe also has a double X top bracing that is not like the originals and generally regarded as detrimental to the tone.(Norlin again) Very stiff. I came here to check out other reviews and see what else is up. Sure enough the review directly below(Ed Harp) which is very knowledgeable (and appreciated)has got the same story on the Norlin reissues. Thanks Ed. Check it out for a more thorough explanation. The guy even has a real one besides his Norlin era '74 to compare and expound apon. Great, interesting info. Anyway, my excellent repairman clued me into the bracing thing and also did not hesitate to say this axe was not one of his favorites. He even said sell it and get something else! Bless his heart. Well, despite all this undesireable stuff, I happen to love this guitar and bought it because it turned me on instantly. It was also way more affordable than a 'proper' Hummingbird of any vintage. It had a pickup installed in the bridge, was a bit funky on the finish in some areas, and consequently had a decent (for me) price. It is still an absolutely gorgeous looking and I think, great sounding guitar. I wouldn't dream of letting it go. The second thing I learned, which also goes hand in hand with Ed's review(since his '74 is his main player), is this: it doesn't matter what is 'supposed' to be good or bad. If it works, you like it and it sounds good, IT IS GOOD.

I think I've played one '60 something Hummingbird that was tagged at 2,200 bucks or something, all original. It wasn't playing very good though, needed some setup attention. I've also played a newer, reissue that was just fabulous. So I'm not real informed on how these should sound or compare. But I have played other Gibson acoustics trying to get a feel for them generally. You know, they're not Martins, they're Gibsons. I really dig mine, it does great for all the styles I play, which is anything. It's got that strummy, chopping, chunk kind of Gibson thing that everybody talks about, I love it. But it also works fine for fingerstyle or straightahead flatpicking. It has a really nice, bright single string lead tone, even on the high notes. It speaks. My repairman and I could not identify the under saddle transducer that someone put in there, but it doesn't ring my bells. It sounds, well, like a bridge piezo(never have completely liked them) but mainly I can't get any bass happening without the thing just woofing out. So my man is going to undo the bridge thing and set me up with a jack I can connect my Duncan soundhole Tube to, which works way better for my purposes.

Being used, I'm not real picky about all this stuff. Not immaculate, but the thing is well intact, looks stunning and plays pretty good. It's action and frets are a bit low and limits it's ability to take the heat. While at the shop, I decided on a refret. I'd been thinking about it all along and i'm sure it will scream when he gets done with it. They all do for me with better frets.

Seems as though it has held up well. Aside from possible unfortunate accidents, it should always be fine.

I'd rather my expert repairman take care of this thing. Gibson is, well, Gibson.

I've been playing for 29 years. The thing just looks to good not to play it. Wish it had the parallelograms. Norlin dumbasses.

This is a review of 2 natural top Gibson Hummingbirds that I have owned and still do. I own a 1974 and a 1964 Hummingbird.
The '74 was purchased new with OHSC ordered through the Navy Exchange in 1974. The 1974 model is called "Hummingbird Custom" was made at Kalamazo, MI. The fretboard is rosewood & has MOP block inlays from 1st through 16th fret. It has chrome Grover tuners, I have also learned and confirmed, the last time I changed the strings, that it has double-X top bracing. The bracing is much heavier and was used during the Gibson/Norlin Era 1969-1984 in order to make more guitars to make more money, the new Norlin company was strictly business minded and thought more about profit than quality. The light 1964 model is the single X top bracing and has incredible sustain and tone. The double X design dullens the tone, sustain, and minimizes top vibration. The single X design of the 1964 is built much lighter due to smaller scalloped braces. Both models are built with solid spruce tops and solid mahogany sides and back. The 74 on the back has attractive bookmatched mahogany with a center strip of a beautiful wood inlay. With new strings the 74 'bird is a great sounding guitar when compared to a low end laminated guitar. Now the 1964 model!

In 1960 Gibson wanted to make an attractive guitar for the Country/Western market with a mellow, full range sound built for singing accompanyment. They made the Hummingbird. Usually in Cherry Sunburst, mine is a natural top. These great 24 3/4" scale (from nut to saddle) guitars were made from 1960-1968. From 1969-1984 you can expect the bulky double X design. Gibson Montana (Bozeman, MT) has reissued these guitars from the early 60s design. They have in some ways surpassed the guitars of the early 60s. To assure that is correct, it will take 20 years + to see how these Montana guitars build sustain and mellow out. The only draw back with my 1964 'bird is that it has a plastic bridge! A WHAT??? You got it! Plastic! My ear doesn't hear the difference, though, I've been told to put another bridge on it will stiffen the sound for a while until it vibrates enough with the body to mellow out. Otherwise, I'll just keep it on until it pulls - It has lasted 36 years so far! I'm voting 8 on the 1974 and 10 for the 1964 = average 9

The 1974 has a punchy deep tone but lacks the sustain and full range of the '64 Hummingbird. The '64 definately has the sweetest tone of any guitar I've ever played. I've played for over 35 years and own 6 Gibsons 3 flattops and 3 solid bodies, a Fender US Strat, Washburn RR150, etc. My best sounding flattop, however, is a Gibson J-150, which is a J-200 without the white binding aroung the neck and headstock. See my review on that guitar.

Both guitar necks have held up over the years with all sorts of humidity variations. I live in North Iowa where the Winters are extreemly dry and the Summer very humid. But these guitars show no signs of warpage. The '64 'bird is the sweetest feeling neck and and the action is fairly low and picks & chords great up around the 12th fret etc. The '74 action is slightly higher but still can be picked and chorded up the neck effortlessly. The 74 neck is in great shape from 1st fret to body but has a very slight, almost undetectable dip into the body.

I owned and played the 1974 since I bought it new. It's been my main guitar from 1974 to 1980. That's when I got the my dad's '64 Hummingbird due to his death. The 1964 is priceless. I wouldn't take $10,000 for it!!!
Both guitars are still very solid and the neck joint is unblemished w/o any cracks in the finish. Both show normal wear and the '64 shows some of the finish wore off where my dad strummed above and below the pickguard. I have a Fishman Rare Earth Hummbucking pickup installed in the 1974. A sound hole pickup with a jack out the end pin.

I've called Gibson before and they are very courteous over the phone and stand by wanting to answer my questions and chat. I've never had a warranty claim with 6 Gibson guitars. I take that as a high rating.

I highly recommend anyone buying one. Go to a store play one, play several guitars and expect to spend about $1700 to $1900 for a new one today. But also expect to keep it for many years and enjoy the playing and its mellowing with its age. It'll grow on you!

Gibson Hummingbird, manufactured in 2000 by Gibson Montana, in Bozeman. 20 frets total, 14 frets clear of the body. Gibson calls this a "square shoulder" acoustic. It is actually close in size and shape to the Martin Dreadnought acoustic, but the Hummingbird is slightly bigger in most body dimensions. Solid spruce top, solid mahogany sides and back. Solid mahogany neck, rosewood fingerboard, fingerboard position markers are mother-of-pearl parallelograms. Finish is gloss lacquer for everything: body, neck, headstock.

Gibson Hummingbirds from the Bozeman, Montana factory for the past several years have been (and continue to be) finished in "Heritage Cherry Sunburst". For me, the "HCS" finish doesn't look good compared to the way Hummingbirds were finished originally, which was a rich cherry red sunburst soundboard shading to yellow in the center of the top. The "HCS" finish is a distinct orange color on the rim of the guitar's top, shading to a more faded yellow in the center. The exact shade of orange is like Campbell's tomato soup. When I called Gibson Montana and asked if I could order the original finish through a dealer, they said no problem, and explained that they finish the guitars in the "HCS" finish now because original Hummingbirds (1960 - 1968) are fairly collectable, and most collectors examples have sunburst tops that have faded through the years.

The guitar has multiple body bindings on top and back, and the fingerboard is also bound. Probably the most distinctive visual feature of the Hummingbird is its engraved pickguard, which is oversized, dark tortoise colored plastic engraved with a hovering Hummingbird, vines, flowers and a butterfly. I think it's beautiful, but my mind boggles at the thought of a (for example) classical guitarist with an instrument decorated as gaudily as this. I really believe that when Gibson brought out the Hummingbird in 1960, they expected to sell a LOT of them to country and western players.

Other features: the bridge is solid rosewood, top belly design, decorated with two mother-of-pearl dots, one on each side of the bridge pins. The bridge saddle is bone, but the nut is plastic (more on that later.) The strap button at the bottom is nickel plated, or maybe stainless steel.

This is a "short scale" acoustic guitar: scale length is 24 3/4 inches, and the neck is fairly slim. It plays fast, and doesn't get in your way. The bound fingerboard and the capped frets (a Gibson tradition) help the Hummingbird's playability also.

The guitar came with a very well fitted arched top hardshell case, a humidifier to fit in the soundhole and good instructions on how to use it (and when), a good owner's manual, the lifetime warranty card, and a neat pick made from the same tortoise shell plastic as the pickguard with the Gibson Montana logo in goldleaf.

The Hummingbird sound (or why I bought this guitar). One of the other Hummingbird reviews here states that the buyer wanted a guitar to exactly reproduce the acoustic rock sound of some Rolling Stones' songs such as "Sister Morphine", and that the Hummingbird he bought (a 1996 model) did that perfectly, but had very short sustain. I started looking for a high-end acoustic to play mostly folk and folk rock stuff on, and I did not begin by looking at Gibsons.

But...after going in and out of a fair number of guitar stores and superstores, and picking up a Hummingbird or two and playing them in the store, I discovered that this guitar, made the way Gibson Montana makes them now, is something special. The Hummingbirds that I've played have all had a sweet, round, chime-like tone that people can distinguish from other acoustics. (Literally, they can. I've had friends of mine who are not musicians or anything other than casual listeners come with me to check out some guitars, and I've done an experiment several times, with the same results. I'll ask them to turn their backs to me and just listen, without judging the guitar's sound by how it looks. My friends can usually tell the difference between, say, a rosewood Martin and a Taylor, but every time I've played different guitars for them and asked them which one "sounded the best", the Hummingbird won - no exceptions.)

The Hummingbird sound is pretty versatile, too. It rings like crazy when played hard with a flatpick, sounds very good on solos played up the neck, and turns rich and extra warm for fingerstyle playing.

On the "sustain" issue raised in another review: I'm in a moderately quiet room, with a/c blowing and a computer humming away in the background. I just hit a variety of chords in succession, G, C, D, E and let each chord ring until I could not hear it anymore. My watch tells me that the average sustain until the chord can't be heard over average background noise is about 10 seconds. I did the same thing with a Martin SWD, and the time was pretty much identical. I don't know how to account for the difference, except to say that acoustics do show a fair amount of variation in tone and playability from one to the next, even in the same model.

In every respect except the action and strings, the Hummingbird was close to flawless right out of the box. The finish was beautifully done, the "custom" color I ordered (really just the original cherry sunburst) was exactly as I wanted, almost everything was as it should have been. Gibson ships Hummingbirds (along with most, but not all, of their acoustics) with Gibson light-guage phosphor bronze strings, and when I took the guitar out of the case and first played it, the G string was pretty close to dead - the others were okay. I also noticed that the guitar's action was not as low and playable as most of the Hummingbirds I had played in the stores locally. After a couple of trys, I found a local luthier who was Gibson certified, and he adjusted the action perfectly after installing a set of medium-guage Gore Elixers. He commented to me that the guitar was one of the most beautiful he had seen from Gibson (as well as the first Gibson Montana acoustic actually built in 2000), but he told me that the plastic nut had not been cut properly for best playability, and he had to do some filing to get it right. After his work, the guitar played extremely well, and I am very happy with it.

I think this guitar would withstand live playing - after all, the Hummingbird is talked about as being probably the best acoustic guitar for rock bands to come out of the 60's. Is it super durable? In a word, NO! It's an all solid wood acoustic, and if you let it dry out and don't keep it properly humidified, it will give you problems. Also, as a whole bunch of previous reviewers have stated, acoustic guitars are just not as durable as solid body electrics. The guitar's hardware is quite good in terms of lasting quality. The tuners are sealed Grovers, the tuning knobs are nickel, and the bottom strap button is nickel or stainless steel, good and solid. The adjustable truss rod means you can keep the neck straight, and the guitar will be durable if you don't abuse it. The finish is great, nitrocellulose lacquer, multiple coats, and would withstand quite a bit of playing before being scratched, unless you are really careless. Would I use it on a solo gig without a backup? Yeah, almost certainly, but if you've got a job to do, it's probably wiser to have a backup, just in case. Not a reflection on this particular guitar, just the certainty that Murphy's Law rules, no question.

Gibson gets REALLY high marks here. I called Gibson Montana several times, and was always able to get my questions answered either right away, or with a callback not more than a day or two after I called them. The factory people are VERY knowledgeable, they know what they're building and what kind of history stands behind the guitars they make today. The gentleman I talked to about the "custom" color immediately knew what I was after, and didn't hesitate to tell me why they changed to the "tomato soup" sunburst (that's what HE called it). He told me about the $200.00 upcharge for a custom color, and encouraged me to shop some of their dealers to get a discount on the upcharge. I have not had any reason to have the Hummingbird repaired under warranty (which is for the life of the original owner), but I strongly suspect that Gibson Montana would be just as helpful with warranty problems as they were in giving me the information I needed to get the guitar I wanted.

Based on some other reviews in Harmony Central, I orderd the guitar through E.M. Shorts Guitars, a division of Wichita Band Instrument Co. Their Website address is http://www.wichitaband.com, and the guy I dealt with, Jon Ray, was very helpful. Their prices were considerably below the Mars Music and Guitar Center prices for the Hummingbird, and I would not hesitate to recommend them for anybody looking to purchase a good guitar or bass.

I've been playing string bass, electric bass and guitar since 1965. Currently, I own a Martin SWD, Yamaha RBX260 electric bass and the Hummingbird of this review. I checked out the Hummingbird and other Gibson acoustics pretty thoroughly before making this buy, so I'm pretty confident that I asked the right questions. If this Hummingbird were stolen or lost, I would definitely buy another one, also with the original cherry sunburst finish. The two things I love about this guitar are (1) its unique appearance, and (2) its great, warm sound. When you pull the guitar out of its case in a crowd of players who are mostly doing Martins and Taylors, the Hummingbird is a serious attention getter. I think my favorite feature of the guitar is its versatility. It's not just for bluegrass, it's not just for unplugged rock, it's loud enough to be heard in a crowd, and it can be very soft and very sweet or it can ring out with the best of them. I compared the Hummingbird mostly to the Gibson Dove and some of the rosewood Martins (HD-35, HD-28, etc.) I chose the Hummingbird because it sounded the best, and looked great to me. There is nothing else I can think of that I wish this guitar had. Gibson may never sell a boatload of Montana acoustics (they are pretty pricey, after all), but with the Hummingbird, the Dove, the J-200 and several others, they make world-class guitars that you don't see everybody playing.

If you're reading the review section in Harmony Central and are interested in a great acoustic six-string, check out the Hummingbird if you can find one. The ones coming out of Bozeman are truly great guitars.

Aside from being very nice on the eyes, with the sunburst finish, the neck has mother of pearl square inlays. The case was such a gorgeous, rich color purple, that it definitely contributed to the sale. The outside is brown and it has a small key lock. The tuners are those old fashioned cream colored pegs, and they feel like they will have to be replaced in the coming years--not too sturdy, but pretty. It is a 1996. Another annoying point. I finally got the pickguard to look pretty nice after I scraped all the excess paint from the lines that it is suppose to be shot into. It was tacky looking at first. I am on my second pickguard because the paint rubs off in no time in the area where the strum lines are. I have never seen a degradation in any of the old hummingbird pickguards. But these newer thin ones to me are kind of an insult to somebody who drops $1300 on a guitar.

I bought this guitar because I love the guitar sound on the Rollings Stones, Angie and Sister Morphine. And it exactly reproduces that sound. But I believe I will finally be selling this guitar. Ever since I have had it I have been obsessed with the fact that it has a very short sustain. The guitar has incredible power and boom, but to get that and sustain I have to replace the strings weekly. I just bought a Martin Hd-35 which has both. Not as much boom, but sweet sustain. I was a bit hasty when I bought the Hummingbird. Simply, it does not fit my guitar playing style which is summed up in the Stephen Stills song Black Queen on his first solo album. The Hummingbird sounds excellent for strumming down near the nut, but you loose sustain as you go up the neck. So I will give it a good grade for sound, just not the sound I want.

The guitar came with pretty high action. I had a complete setup done on it by John Eaton in Boulder, Colorado, replacing the nut and saddle. Both are now bone. The setup helped quite a bit for playablility, but that is another complaint. I could not play too many bar chords on this guitar without ache setting in. I have been playing for 15 years so it isn't my hands. I am not quite sure what is different about this guitar's action that makes it a bit of a struggle. It is low enough and I use .12 John Pierce strings. On the the HD-35 I got there are twelves on it and I can play bar chords with complete ease. The finish was excellent and the red on the back and sides is a beautiful candy apple. No complaints there.

This guitar seems pretty durable to me. The tuners are an exception, but I think they use the chrome ones now. The finish seems to have held up fine.

I got the place I bough it at to get me another pickguard for free, but that is all. The warranty if for life.

This guitar has never felt completely right to me-- almost turning to obsession at points. This was my first expensive guitar and I was planning to keep it forever. Not so. I made the mistake of playing Hummingbirds around town and then buying the one that has the best price. I think this was a mistake. I always thought maybe I hastly picked one that was a runt in the litter, but I just think that the sound doesn't agree with me. In compairing it now to the the HD-35. I must admit that it had some things that the Marting doesn't. Very big sound and loudness. But you have to play it harder too. Also, It seemed like the Hummingbird's sound changed too drastically under different environmental conditions. On a rainy day that guitar would sound like it was made of Wonderbread.

This one was made in '73 I believe, in USA of course. Dreadnought style, 20 frets. I don't know wood well enough to tell you for certain what the materials are, but I suspect the top is spruce and the back and sides are mahogany. Truss-rod type neck...neck perhaps maple? Fretboard definitely rosewood, and the bridge piece looks to be rosewood too. Big rectangular inlays on neck (mother of pearl I suppose), and neck is average girth, very typical for this style guitar. Finish overall is rather glossy, and the top color scheme is cherry sunburst while the rest of the body is medium-to-dark brown. Headstock face is black with presumed mother-of pearl inlay design and Gibson logotype. Off-white binding on edges of body and neck. Wonderful color artwork cut into brownish plastic pickguard, featuring hummingbird and trumpet vine (that's Campsis radicans to you horticulturalists) blossoms/foliage. Cool, subtle little linear inlay pattern along the seam in the middle of the back. Tuning pegs are silver Grovers. It came with a very durable hardshell case. A remarkably gorgeous guitar in all respects.

I would characterize my favorite playing style as early/middle-period Jethro Tull. This guitar suits that perfectly--great tonal range overall but especially bright and ringy in higher notes. VERY sweet and powerful--sounds great at full volume. Also, really fun to play with capo up a few frets once in a while. Verbal descriptions of sound quality leave a lot to the imagination--so perhaps it's a better tactic to say that the sound of this guitar is very much like Ian Anderson's Martin as heard on Thick as a Brick (and other Tull songs from that era). By the way, I have played various Martins and they sound wonderful--but are nowhere near as pretty!

Action was set-up just fine when my late mother, God bless her, bought me this guitar for me 25 years ago (I am original owner). It was a demo, so had a few little nicks, but always played like a dream. One weirdness is that after I'd owned it 2 or so years the top distorted (became slightly unflat) in a small area just below the pickguard and to the right of the bridge--I took it to the shop and they found that some interior wooden strut had cracked--(no, it was not dropped) they were able to fix it and it stabilized--has never gotten worse or affected playability in any way. You have to hold the guitar at just the right angle to see it.
And then, in 1981, tragedy. My (now ex-) clumsy wife bumped into it carelessly one day, knocking it off its stand onto the living room floor, and the whole headstock cracked right off just above the nut. The closest I have ever come to homicide (would any jury have convicted me?) So I took it to a shop and they were able to glue it back together pretty cleanly, using a couple of wooden pegs or dowels for additional strength. You can see the break clearly, but you have to be close.
The good news is that while in the shop, the luthier recommended a re-fret job, plus he recut a new nut and did some adjusting to the bridge--so that now it actually plays even better than it originally did. Despite the injury, it is still an excellent guitar in terms of playability and workmanship. Compared to other acoustics I have played, the action is very good; tuners are solid and don't slip.

After the early problem with the internal strut and the ex-wife's blunder 18 years ago, nothing has gone wrong. The guitar has mellowed slightly with age visually speaking, as the binding has turned creamy-yellow, which I find attractive--kind of a patina that gives it character.
I play this guitar at home frequently but I have not gigged with it, so it hasn't been treated roughly, but there is nothing about it that suggests it wouldn't withstand hard use. Just keep stupid, clumsy, oafish, heedless people away from it when it's sitting on a stand! Strap button seems very solid, though I haven't used a strap very often.
This guitar has admittedly led a somewhat sheltered life, but the fact that it is in such great condition after a quarter-century speaks volumes for the quality of its design, materials and construction.

It was not (as far as I know) under warranty when it was damaged, and I have had no contact with Gibson in the 25 years I have owned it.

I've been playing about 30 years. My only other guitar is a Gibson M-III, which I just recently bought. Since my Hummingbird was a gift, it wasn't a choice I made--so thank heaven for Mom's good taste or for the good advice given to her back in '74. If it were stolen or lost, I would be heartbroken, and yes I would buy another one (though I must admit I have always secretly lusted after a Gibson J-200--but in addition to, not as a replacement for, the Hummingbird).
What I love about the Hummingbird, beyond its considerable sentimental value, is simply that it is a gorgeous instrument that plays beautifully. I'm still in love with it after 25 years. I still marvel at how wondrously beautiful it is. I don't hate anything about it except the fact that my ex-wife broke it long ago.
I've heard guitars described as metaphors for dicks and as metaphors for women--this one is definitely female. I love it so much because it's like the perfect woman--incredibly, agelessly gorgeous, but sweet and giving too. I've often thought that if my house ever catches on fire and I got my wife and kids out safely, this is the only possession for which I would risk my life to save from the flames.