Members Rich Posted August 8, 2012 Members Share Posted August 8, 2012 One wner. No fretwear, no dents, no paint crazing or finish sinking into the wood, and plays like it was set up by a good luthier. Best of all, It's from 1973/74. It weighs nothing next to my 70's westerly guilds. I really love it.Here are some pics I took the day I found it at a local mom & pop's music store. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Terry Allan Hall Posted August 8, 2012 Members Share Posted August 8, 2012 Nice Hummingbird Custom! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Rich Posted August 8, 2012 Author Members Share Posted August 8, 2012 Thankee Terry!I may put a k&K mini western under the bridge and rock it live through my new LR Baggs Venue DI. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Michael Martin Posted August 8, 2012 Members Share Posted August 8, 2012 I have the exact same guitar! Same year even. I have loved it forever and will always. Enjoy! What did you pay for it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Rich Posted August 8, 2012 Author Members Share Posted August 8, 2012 Out the door for $1500 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Opa John Posted August 8, 2012 Members Share Posted August 8, 2012 Can't go one day without learning something around here. I've always thought all Gibson Hummingbirds had the split trapezoid fret markers and two screws in the truss rod cover. I would've probably thought that one was a fake if I'd seen it hanging on the wall somewhere. Live and learn, I guess. I actually "passed" on a Hummingbird clone that was immaculate (and dirt cheap) simply because it had rectangular fret markers. Saw it on craigslist just a couple of weeks ago. Now I know.....thanks for posting that. You got a great deal, BTW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gary Blanchard Posted August 8, 2012 Members Share Posted August 8, 2012 That is a beautiful guitar. Congratulations! I had a hummingbird copy years ago; I have always loved that look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Michael Martin Posted August 8, 2012 Members Share Posted August 8, 2012 Originally Posted by Opa John Can't go one day without learning something around here. I've always thought all Gibson Hummingbirds had the split trapezoid fret markers and two screws in the truss rod cover. I would've probably thought that one was a fake if I'd seen it hanging on the wall somewhere. Live and learn, I guess.I actually "passed" on a Hummingbird clone that was immaculate (and dirt cheap) simply because it had rectangular fret markers. Saw it on craigslist just a couple of weeks ago. Now I know.....thanks for posting that. You got a great deal, BTW. Apparently Gibson did the rectangle inlays for awhile in or around the 70s, because 60s H-birds and later H-birds have the trapezoids. I actually prefer the rectangles, but maybe that's just what I'm used to. To me the trapezoids look out of place on an H-bird...a bit janky.In other news, in Rome I just traded a cheap EKO dread for a 70s Suzuki H-bird copy. The Suzuki badly needs a neck re-set. So maybe I'll make it a slide guitar, 'cause it's as pretty as it is {censored}ty! BTW it does have trapezoids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kiowa1 Posted August 8, 2012 Members Share Posted August 8, 2012 Hi Rich. The number of screws in the truss rod cover threw me too. I found a like guitar on this website. Check it out. This raises red flags for me. Click on the small image of the headstock and see what you think.http://www.gibsonacoustic.net/for-sa...4-75-hard-case Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Michael Martin Posted August 8, 2012 Members Share Posted August 8, 2012 Originally Posted by kiowa1 Hi Rich.The number of screws in the truss rod cover threw me too. I found a like guitar on this website. Check it out. This raises red flags for me. Click on the small image of the headstock and see what you think.http://www.gibsonacoustic.net/for-sa...4-75-hard-case I think Rich's is legit--my H-bird, which is positively the real thing, looks just like this one. Mine has three screws in the truss rod cover. Presumably you could check the serial #--on back of headstock, stamped into the wood. Mine is A406110--Rich's guitar would likely have a number close to that one.BTW here's a photo of mine: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frets99 Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 Unbelievably sweet!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted August 8, 2012 Members Share Posted August 8, 2012 Sweet. Congratulations. Happy New (Used) Guitar Day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Smoky T Posted August 9, 2012 Members Share Posted August 9, 2012 nice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kiowa1 Posted August 9, 2012 Members Share Posted August 9, 2012 I stand corrected. I guess you DO learn something new every day. And, by the way, congratulations on a beautiful guitar, Rich. Enjoy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Rich Posted August 10, 2012 Author Members Share Posted August 10, 2012 The dealer thought it might have been fake too, but he checked the number on the back of the headstock and it is a legitimate gibson. The first three frets are going to need reshaping, as the former owner seems to have masters G,C,D chords. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Michael Martin Posted August 10, 2012 Members Share Posted August 10, 2012 Originally Posted by Rich The dealer thought it might have been fake too, but he checked the number on the back of the headstock and it is a legitimate gibson. The first three frets are going to need reshaping, as the former owner seems to have masters G,C,D chords. I'm original owner of mine, although it was an in-store demo for a year or two before my Mom bought it for me at a large discount off normal price. I had it re-fretted long ago, but miraculously (considering its age) it has no need of a neck re-set. There is some "crazing" in the finish and the red color on the top as well as the red-brown color on the hog back has faded slightly over the years, but overall it has aged very gracefully (unlike its owner ). I too have always been amazed by how light this guitar is, as compared with other dreads. And I love its sweet dark tone, which has become more full and balanced over the years. I'm sure you will fall deeply in love if you haven't already. Congrats on a great find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Opa John Posted August 11, 2012 Members Share Posted August 11, 2012 Originally Posted by Opa John Can't go one day without learning something around here. I've always thought all Gibson Hummingbirds had the split trapezoid fret markers and two screws in the truss rod cover. I would've probably thought that one was a fake if I'd seen it hanging on the wall somewhere. Live and learn, I guess.I actually "passed" on a Hummingbird clone that was immaculate (and dirt cheap) simply because it had rectangular fret markers. Saw it on craigslist just a couple of weeks ago. Now I know.....thanks for posting that. You got a great deal, BTW. Correction.......I meant to say "parallelogram".....not "trapezoid", but I know you guys knew what I meant. So don't laugh at me. You'll be old someday yourself.......if you're lucky!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tony Burns Posted August 12, 2012 Members Share Posted August 12, 2012 One of my favorite Gibsons -nice guitar ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Rich Posted October 21, 2012 Author Members Share Posted October 21, 2012 Most guitars I bring home only live here temporarily, but I'm still loving this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members OldTwelver Posted October 21, 2012 Members Share Posted October 21, 2012 Congrats on the new old Hummingbird, Rich ! Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Rich Posted October 22, 2012 Author Members Share Posted October 22, 2012 Here's a better picture ...and my wife got me a kegorator with a keg of sirra nevada summerfest beer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Heartstring Posted October 23, 2012 Members Share Posted October 23, 2012 Is that reflection of the silhouette of the nude hottie your wife? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wkendhacker Posted October 23, 2012 Members Share Posted October 23, 2012 Huzzah muchos Goats to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarcapo Posted October 24, 2012 Members Share Posted October 24, 2012 Was it double X braced that year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Rich Posted November 12, 2012 Author Members Share Posted November 12, 2012 Was it double X braced that year? Not sure. This guitar isn't particularly loud, but it sounds really pretty and the notes sustain really nice. I read somewhere that gibson changed the bracing in this particular model year and it adversely affected tone. I stuck a k&k pure western in it and plan on using it live, as it sound pretty good through our pa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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