How the Gibson Hummingbird Changed the World ★ Acoustic Tuesday

The Gibson Hummingbird is one of the most iconic guitars in the world. From it's breathtaking design to its innovative construction, there's an aesthetic and comfortable quality that is unmatched by other guitars. Find out why everyone from Billy Joe Armstrong to Keith Richards plays the Gibson Hummingbird.
This entire episode is dedicated to talking about the Gibson Hummingbird. I want to celebrate one of the most eye-catching guitars and talk about alternatives that still hold up to the Gibson Hummingbird.
To start this Hummingbird themed episode, I want to talk about the TOP 5 reasons why you should at least consider playing a Gibson Hummingbird.
Reason #1: All current Gibson Acoustics are made right here in Bozeman, MT
Now, I'm currently living in Bozeman, so there's a little bit of a bias, but I still think this is significant. The Bozeman factory has a very high standard for production, especially when making as many guitars as they do!
Supporting the local economy and builders/technicians in my community is always a plus. Be sure to watch the episode to see the inside look at Gibson's Bozeman factory!
Reason #2: Gibson's flagship square-shouldered dreadnought is the Gibson Hummingbird
Before 1960, there wasn't a Gibson square-shouldered dreadnought that was mass-produced. Martin seemed to dominate the market prior to 1960, but when the Gibson Hummingbird came out, it changed the market forever.
Differing from Martin's square-shouldered models, the Gibson Hummingbird had pizzazz and a completely different aesthetic look that has captured the hearts of guitarists for the last 50 years. When you pick up a Gibson Hummingbird, you're holding history...and I think that can't be ignored.
Reason #3: Aesthetics Trifecta
After talking about the square-shouldered design, I realized that the Gibson Hummingbird really captures an aesthetic trifecta. What do I mean by that?
The first thing that makes the Gibson Hummingbird a beautiful and balanced guitar in its looks is the split parallelogram inlays on the neck. The contrast between the classic, rigid lines of the inlay on the smooth rosewood neck is just awesome to look at.
The second notable visual quality on the Gibson Hummingbird is the cherry burst top. The color of the Hummingbird's top is unmistakable, copies widely, and is absolutely gorgeous.
The third quality that completes the trifecta is finely engraved pickguard. There's a little bit of a hippy-vibe, a country-vibe, and a nod to the beauty of the natural world. There are very few guitars that are so clean, classic, and iconic.
Reason #4: Comfort
You might have heard about the scale length of the Gibson Hummingbird, but if not, just now that this guitar is incredibly comfortable and suitable for players of all sizes.
The first thing that makes the Gibson Hummingbird is the scale length. The scale length is 24 3/4 inches as opposed to 25 1/2 inches on other dreadnoughts. The Gibson Hummingbird also a very slim nut-width. This allows the string spacing to be smaller, accomodating small hands and fingers.
The final thing that makes playing the Gibson Hummingbird incredibly comfortable to play is a slim, tapered neck profile. For a guitarist with smaller hands that wants the sound of a big-bodied dreadnought, you can't go wrong with the Hummingbird.
Reason #5: The Birth of a Gibson Series
Think of the Gibson Hummingbird as the lead domino in a trend of Gibson guitars. To me, the Hummingbird kicked off Gibson's dedication to birds.
It all started in 1960 with the Gibson Hummingbird. From there, we move to the Gibson Dove. After that, there was the Gibson Doves in Flight, the artistic take on the Gibson Dove. After that, we moved to the Gibson Firebird acoustic with phoenix engravings. Then, we move to the Eric Church Hummingbird model. And that's just the acoustic guitars dedicated to birds!
There's a lot more that I talk about on this special episode of Acoustic Tuesday dedicated to the Gibson Hummingbird, so be sure to watch the full video or catch the show notes on acousticlife.tv today!
★ Request your invite to Tony's Acoustic Challenge today: tonypolecastro.com/al-request...
★ All show notes and links: acousticlife.tv/at134
★ Get the show: tonypolecastro.com/get-acoust...

[@michaelstanger6907]

Hi, Tony... I played a 1961 Hummingbird for almost a year ca. 1963. The guitar belonged to a lady from Seattle who was a Dot Records A&R rep who also performed as "Bonnie Guitar", touring around the northwest, mostly playing Elks Clubs. She loaned the guitar to my brother, whose Gibson had been sent back to the factory for repairs after taking a fall. Bonnie said she got her Hummingbird from a factory rep, as Dot was a big country label at that time. According to her, Gibson designed it to be a singer's guitar specifically, and was aimed directly at the Country music market. At that time, the J-200 was extremely popular as a singer's guitar, but it was large and long-scaled and very expensive. Gibson had a semi-fancy model that was popular with country singers, the Southerner Jumbo, but it was aging as a model, and the Martin Dreadnoughts were taking it's place with the singers as well as catching on with the burgeoning folk music singers. The Hummingbird, with its flashier looks, short scale, and more affordable price, was Gibson's answer to a hole in their model line. The J-200 by then had the electric guitar's Roll-A-Matic bridge installed on them as stock, which allowed for very easy action, but all the metal killed the guitar's tone. Bonnie's guitar was one of the very first made, so I don't know if it was a 1960 or a 61. She said the adjustable bridge with a ceramic saddle was brand new, and was designed to give the guitar stronger volume and better tone than the one on the J-2000 while allowing the action to be adjusted for easy playing. She used flat-wound strings on hers, and the action was set very low. She also amplified it with an early DeArmond sound hole pickup she removed before loaning it to my bro. Apparently, Bonnie owned 2 of them, along with several other Gibsons. Her guitar was an all-red sunburst with no yellow. The cherry sunburst was very popular in the Country market at the time, but the J-200 had to be ordered as a custom to get it, and the SJ never offered it as an option. The Hummingbird was colored red specifically for the cherry sunburst. The all-red burst was an option, but is very rarely seen, as was a Tobacco sunburst. The Hummingbird was a huge success, but didn't sell to the Folk music market as well as expected, so in 1962, the Country & Western model, which was always the same as the SJ, except it had a natural top with no sunburst, was changed to a square-shoulder dreadnought shape, with the same short scale, red body, but a natural top with a non-engraved Hummingbird pick guard. The C&W sold well to its intended market, but was never the hit the Hummingbird was. It was actually the second red Gibson made, but was followed shortly after by the Dove, which was intended to compete with the Martin D-28 and D-45. All were intended to be singer's guitars. The Dove also got the Tune-A-Matic bridge, but the C&W got the same bridge as the Hummingbird. The Dove never was as popular as the Hummingbird; it was almost as expensive as a J-200, so if a singer wanted the long scale and flashy looks, they paid the extra and got a J-200 instead. A friend of mine was living with my family at the time, and after playing Bonnie's guitar, he bought a C&W. The ceramic bridge worked very well; while the Gibsons never had the Martin's punch or complex tone, their volume was good, and their sound was more mid-range, and the fundamental note's tone was more pronounced with a dry woodiness that recorded very well. They also sounded good in a band, and were very good as a finger style guitar. Gibson always had a loyal following in the South, so it was interesting how they responded to the growing Dreadnought market. I was young then, and mostly a folk musician, and I never saw much difference between Country and Folk music. But for a lot of young folkies, the Gibsons were guitars that really appealed to the kids who played the blues or were playing in the rock bands of the time as well as going acoustic and doing folk songs once in a while. All solid so well that eventually even the Southerner Jumbo became a square Dreadnought. The Gibson body shape is slightly more square than Martin's, and is slightly larger in width. The short scale adds sweetness to the tone the long scale doesn't.

[@jbeechjt]

Something you might not know is that in 1963 some of the hummingbirds were made from a Dove body, because they ran out of hummingbird bodies, and had an abundance of dove bodies, because they didn't sell as many doves. I own a 1963 Gibson Hummingbird with maple back and sides with a 25.5 in scale length.

[@PatrickBall]

Speaking of "Awesome" - what an outstanding show today Tony, featuring three very outstanding birds. The Gibson Hummingbird, the BlueBird Cafe, and the McDonnell Douglas Skyhawk A-4MII. I'm humbled that you posted the photo of my "tiny" guitar collection (for now). Yes, I'm dreaming big - looking to add a Martin to my collection or should it be the Hummingbird. Maybe both, yea right (don't tell my wife). So many beautiful possibilities. As James Allen so eloquently wrote, "Dream lofty dreams, and so shall you become." Thanks again. Guitar Geeks Unite!

[@erynmichel]

Thanks for the feature, y'all! Love this show. Can't wait to come up to Bozeman again soon.

[@DoDifferent]

And before that in Kalamazoo, Michigan where my Mother worked at the plant that made them!

[@grasscreekbank]

Hi, thanks. Beside the beautiful look and sound of my hummingbird, I also love the smell of the fine wood.

[@aseltzer144]

Hi Tony. As the ever grateful owner of a 1973 Hummingbird, which I’ve owned since 1978, I truly enjoyed this episode. I hung on every word. I first learned about the Hummingbird from an issue of a long defunct magazine called Frets. I dog-eared the page of that review and longed for that guitar ever since. One day, after seeing a used model in the front window of a music shop in Cambridge Massachusetts, that dream became a reality. Even though I have acquired a few more guitars over the years this guitar remains as joyful to own as I imagined it would. My vintage of Hummingbird does however differ a bit from the specs you seem to suggest define the model. Mine has block fretboard inlays, similar to those on a Les Paul. More unusual is that mine uses the 25.5 inch long scale neck which Gibson made for a period in the 70s before reverting back to the short scale neck. As suggested in your episode, mine is from the Kalamazoo factory. Again, Tony, thanks for dedicating an episode to the Hummingbird and for the enthusiasm and research you put into it.

[@phk2000]

I’m lucky enough to have one of these babies! Hopefully I’ll be able to play it well enough to do it justice one day!

[@GlynMacLean]

I’m just in the process of buying a Gibson Hummingbird downunder in Perth, Western Australia and really appreciate this video.

[@armasxu]

hi from perth

[@LearnerChess]

The cost I found for a Gibson Hummingbird Standard 2019 is $3,849.00 for a Vintage Cherry Sunburst and Vintage Sunburst, with the Ebony selling for $4,149.00. Seems to be the exact same guitar, except for the color. Anyway, the cost accounts for why I don't own one. Instead, I bought an Epiphone look-alike when it was on sale for $249. Only the ebony was on sale. Reviewers said it sounded flat when not plugged into an amp. What I think it has going for it in a big way is that it looks GREAT and it's structurally excellent - one well made guitar! If you add the cost of an acoustic amp to the price, which is now $369, you've got an excellent low cost guitar. It's nice having a guitar in this price range that is this sturdy and beautiful.

[@daddio307]

Thanks for such a great show! Let's also celebrate the 12 (and 8, and 9) string guitars. I like this format. Thanks.

[@ron1ndon]

My first American made acoustic is a Gibson Hummingbird honeyburst. I love that guitar! It’s so pretty and sounds so nice. It’s the reason, I’m having my Preston Thompson in a short scale also. I think subconsciously it’s also why I chose a redwood top. That reddish brown look just speaks to me. Keep up the good work Tony!!

[@kurtmackenzie7349]

Love the show! Was never a acoustic guy till I found my grandfather's 58 J 50. The bottom end on Gibsons are incredible. Just got to play my first Hummingbird and started shaking because I knew I had to bring it home, amazing guitars!!

[@Tonetwisters]

I am blessed to own a J-200 from 18 December 1991. I have heavy electrics on it, and it is spectacular. I sold Gibson acoustics in the early '70s and picked out a real nice H-Bird for my brother-in-law, and it is still gorgeous.

[@michaelmcinerney1290]

Great recommendation regarding blackberry smoke.been listening to them on tidal.great group. Been listening to there latest live album that's a current release.And as far as a hummingbird is concerned I played one at my local music store.great easy action and fantastic sound and 2nd to none build quality.will save hard to buy a Gibson hummingbird in the near future.

[@jdubbs9655]

Thank you for this video. Though it isn't a Gibson, I purchased an Epiphone Hummingbird Pro - Faded Cherry Sunburst and have been quite pleased with it. A purist may not share my opinion but I have no regrets. Keep up the great work Brother and Beard On!

[@davewinstead5871]

Greetings from Sheriff Dave, Tony! After watching this episode of Acoustic Tuesday, I feel better about owning my Hummingbirds and my Dove's in Flight guitars and not so much remorse about not owning a Martin. I still would like to have a Martin someday though. Great show!

[@michaeljb6779]

Great show Tony! Thanks!

[@egr9613]

I have to say I love when Acoustic Tuesday features a primarily electric artist going acoustic. I discovered Blackberry Smoke when they opened for Zac Brown in Atlanta somewhere around 2012. They are fantastic and do a fine job playing acoustic. Likewise with Chris Knight who was featured several shows back. Musical acts like these two make up the bulk of my listening and I'd love hear about more artists like them. On another note, Tony, you're killing me with the guitar specific shows. I like to think I'm happy with my small guitarsenal of one really nice and one beater guitar but after the blues, Martin, and now Gibson episodes, I'm feeling the beginning stages of guitar acquisition syndrome (GAS). I plan to play the heck out of my guitars to try and fight this urge. We'll see how it goes.

[@MikaHakkinen83]

How did you do?

[@trollstjerne]

Great episode Tony! For non Gibson hummingbirds, check out the Sigma SDM-SG5 or the Sigma SDM-SG5+ Limited. Same type of wood (all solid) and they pretty much looks the same, but at a fraction of the cost.

[@duffermod1]

Hi Tony. Fantastic show as always. William Duff here from Belfast. Just wanted to say please take care of yourself and family and we all love you and the show. If you can keep the show going as usual fantastic but don't put yourself in harms way. Love you. Guitar Geeks unite and take care.

[@rtgray7]

Two really great shows in a row!

[@SirLeDoux]

That is the acoustic guitar I have-natural finish with quilted maple back. Love love love it-and speaking of loving something...I love your videos especially Acoustic Tuesday. You are the Man Steve-Guitar Geeks Unite!

[@supermarioxs1]

I recently got the honeyburst or Heritage Cherry as Gibson calls it. I absolutely love it 😍!!! I am very blessed to have one. I love it all , The look, the feel and the sound. This was a work in progress cause it didn’t appeal to me at first but I am a fan now… I had to see it and play it , touch if feel it if you will to really appreciate it !!!

[@robertrees5799]

Personal note... while I might be classified as a “Martin Fanboy”, one of my prized guitars is a Gibson J-185 Custom made in Bozeman. Through communication with Rick Gembar, this particular one probably was originally made (and ultimately rejected) for Miranda Lambert. It is transparent red with a cutaway and Fishman PU system. BTW, it is a 2006 model...extremely loud and bright!

[@ericoswood1856]

My Gibson Hummingbird is absolutely my favorite acoustic guitar. I guess I’m a guitar geek.

[@darrelldoran509]

Absolutely incredible , I wish my skill level could justify it .

[@heatherhiggins5016]

Who says it has too if you can afford one you can justify to yourself not one else should have an opinion

[@darrelldoran509]

@@heatherhiggins5016 If you have the money honey , you go girl , I am a tech , I'll make sure it sings for you .

[@squirelova1815]

The most awesome solo I've ever heard anywhere was an acoustic one played by Robbie Blunt on Robert Plant's 'Moonlight in Samosa'. It was done on a rented Gibson Dove (maple backsides) according to Mr. Blunt's quote.

[@bettertvreceptionwithfoilf7100]

Okay, you live in Bozeman, but I live in Kalamazoo. The 1961 Hummingbird was made in only one place, and it was here in Kalamazoo, Michigan. BTW, Kalamazoo has still some of the best Electric guitars going, made by The Heritage, in the old Gibson building. The Gibson employees that stayed in Kalamazoo created The Heritage, as an homage to this iconic factory, and city. You didn't even mention it? Wow.

[@StoicTrader-]

Relax bud

[@bettertvreceptionwithfoilf7100]

Yeah I think Klingons landed in Bozeman and that's what put them on the map.

[@bettertvreceptionwithfoilf7100]

Sweet guitar! ..and someone at Heritage is an awesome salesperson as well LOL. 🎸 jam on!

[@tinman8518]

I agree the classics were all made here in Kalamazoo.Yes there really is a Kalamazoo!

[@hardluckharris]

Thank you for including Blackberry Smoke. I saw them in Panama City Florida. They put on a great show.

[@mattcottrell3336]

Tony I did the same with the Gibsons when I was a kid. I would sit in study hall dreaming of owning an SJ 200 like emmylous or a hummingbird. Now I have a songwriter and a hummingbird studio in walnut. Hummingbirds name is wally and Songwriters is Rosey. I'm sure us guitar geeks will understand. Great job Erin Michele. Beautiful song and great voice.

[@jhorsty]

Tony commented on how Keith Richards played a Hummingbird.I dug out my Rolling Stones Anthology Volume 1 Song Book circa '75 and sure enough.A younger, fresh looking Keith playing one not in one but three B+W photos!!! Lots of great old songs encapsulated in there as well.Glad I took it off the shelf.

[@halfstarhotel]

Love that you got turned on to Blackberry Smoke. I can’t get enough of them. It’s funny you couldn’t describe their sound. They have a credo (that’s actually on a tee shirt) “Too country for rock, too rock for country”. Perfect! Each album is better than the last IMHO Cheers!

[@5150show]

Absolutely brilliant thank you

[@troutbumjoe]

Tony, thanks for this episode on the Hummingbird...I love the Hummingbird. I just heard you say you're not a fan of Eric Church. I wasn't either when he first came out but I finally got the chance to see him at the Grizzly Rose and wow what a show. 15 years later, he's one of my favorite artists, I encourage you to listen to On the Rocks: Live & (Mostly) Unplugged - this was a show he put on at Red Rocks. He's guitar skills are very interesting. Thanks again for all you do!

[@glennmassengill3532]

Never played guitar but own my grandfather’s 1963 Gibson Hummingbird sun burst with double pick guard. Beautiful guitar for sure! Hopefully my daughter will want to learn to play.

[@whiskeytangofoxtrot9403]

it's never to late if you can physically handle it.

[@markdunne2288]

Great stuff Tony, well done. Thank you. I have a Bird, luckily enough. Got it last year. Amazing! Having said that, luckier still, I also have a 2017 SJ 200 and it’s even more amazing!!! Needless to say I’m still on bread and water, and will be for a while 😀. But both these guitars are extra special, and more than worth if, if at all possible. Love your show, keep up the good work!

[@GBLahLah]

The hummingbird projects frequency equally from each string, they say when you play a chord on the hummingbird you hear every note within the chord. This helps it to cut through the mix and always be prominant. However the J45 doesnt project frequency equally from each string, some are more prominant than others. When you play a chord on the j45 you hear the chord. This however isnt necessarily a bad thing as it gives the j45 character. Owning both guitars theres always a time a place and a song for each. One thing I did note on the 2018 hummingbird the factory strings are awefull!! I like the nickle, 11's on it now and the sound difference is tremendous. Ive met a few guitarists who were alittle dismayed by the hummingbird until the strings were changed then they fell in love. Also own a 2013 vintage series hummingbird and that is very sweet indeed, be interesting to see how it ages though as its already pre aged in manufacture. Bless Guys &Girls

[@janrandles8683]

I lived in Nashville 1980-1984 in the Green Hills area not far from the Bluebird Cafe. Used to love going there as there was always great performers. It was not difficult to get in there then. Brown's Diner was also an iconic place where you could run into John Prine, who was a regular there. Great burgers too. Different days in Nashville before it became too expensive.

[@vadenk4433]

Hummingbirds did switch to a 25.5 scale length in 1966. Most people don’t realize it cause there’s not much on the internet about it. My 68 is a 25.5 and I’ve seen some sources that say they were switched in 66 to the Dove scale length. So something to think about if you’re buying a vintage bird.

[@joshuaallen8920]

I love the Hummingbird it's my dream guitar I just got the inspired by Gibson Epiphone Hummingbird yesterday and I love it I know it's not the real deal but its close enough to it and very affordable

[@fredstevens799]

Got the same guitar a week ago and my mind is totally blown! I wasn't sure if I could actually tell a "real" "good" guitar from the many average instruments I have played and own, especially an on-line purchase... no doubts left! This is the nicest playing, nicest sounding (by a mile!) and nicest looking acoustic guitar I have ever encountered! (yes, I have played Martins and Gibsons, Yamahas and more) Sounds even better plugged in! (nobody demos this part - the piezo system is fantastic!) I am looking to learn some more songs and technique just to do it justice - already added three more tunes to my quiver! This is a guitar I can grow into! As to "real deal", outside of the very respectable name inlaid on the beautiful old-school headstock (I upgraded the tuners to locking Klusons - gold - basically drop-in replacements) the classic split-parallelogram inlays are REAL mother-of-pearl, not "pearloid", as in so many, even high-end guitars, the construction is all solid tonewoods (sitka spruce top, mahogany back and sides), not composite. Carved bracing inside. The nut and compensated bridge saddles are REAL BONE not plastic and the controls for the piezo (vol & tone) are hidden inside the sound hole not cut into the top bout. The binding (top and back and neck) is beautiful and carefully done. The neck needed a spot of relief but the factory setup was otherwise perfect - string height action at the 1st and 12th frets totally dialed in and the intonation was dead on. There are many Gibson vs Epi - "inspired by" comparisons of the Hummingbird on you tube now, and it is pretty obvious the experts are impressed and find it difficult to criticize the new Epi. I got a smokin' deal from a store in NH (including a requisite (in my mind) hard shell case and am currently a very happy camper!

[@karenrattray5232]

Hi Joshua, I also got the Epiphone hummingbird inspired by gibson and I can’t tell the difference with the Gibson. Saved a ton of money.

[@donaldisgrigg7785]

Nice production Tony........

[@TJDarnell1231]

Checking in from Knoxville, TN. You managed to pick two things that I can't make my mind up about, the hummingbird and Blackberry Smoke. I don't know why but that huge bat wing pick guard drives me nuts. I know its a classic guitar but man that pick guard just doesn't accentuate the curves of the guitar. The engraving is beautiful but I just get hung up on the shape. I really love some of the acoustic stuff from Blackberry smoke but I can't go very far down the KZbin rabbit hole with them without it coming off the tracks. Still a great show today!

[@grantbaker371]

Tony I bought a new Hummingbird faded. It's my new favorite. So full and balanced.

[@GarysBBQSupplies]

Hooray for Bozeman! :)

[@markwarren3060]

My first steel string was an early seventies bird that a friend found in a pawn shop in Cheyenne for the grand sum of $200. I recently gave it to my son who lives in Memphis and is a lot better player than I. His first acoustic was an Epiphone Humming Bird. There was a different nut width in earlier models. Around 1.5 " as opposed to the 1. 11/16th in later and present models. I sent it to Gibson for a rebuild and so I know it's original. I collect Hagstroms now. Love your show and have been watching you since you were broadcasting from the music store.

[@warmonger9100]

Black Berry Smoke! Their song, One Horse Town, is flat out amazing. The best is, there are two live performances on KZbin, of that song. One performance, they are all playing Taylors. The other performance, they are playing Gibsons and Martins. The performance perfectly displays the differences in the guitars. Love that song.

[@thaddeusfields4360]

Love that you stated “different” instead of better/worse when all those instruments are nice. To my ear I’ve preferred Taylor. Gibson then Martin. I always wanted a Martin but the others sounded better to me. I have a Taylor Grand Orchestra and just ordered a Hummingbird!

[@jsenear]

I have owned and played one for over 10 years. Now they have the "Epiphone Hummingbird inspired by Gibson" in the $800.00 price range. I am writing on 9/26/2022.

[@1daltizer]

I am a TAC member and I have a Gibson Hummingbird in a Honey burst. I do love it.

[@kjgas6945]

Great show Tony!👍👍🌋💥💣💥

[@jamesmorrison2063]

Always wanted a Hummingbird. I'm a Martin guy, but always wanted a Hummingbird. Or a SJ200!

[@romainbertrand253]

Hi James, I went to the shop 1 year ago to buy a Humingbird. I went out of the store with… a Martin HD 28. The "long scale / short scale" thing makes a lot of difference in the sound. I cannot say one is better than the other. I found and still find the Martin HD 28 more open. I really hear all the notes in chords even in the bottom notes. I imagine it's a question of taste and style of playing.

[@jamesmorrison2063]

@68’ Rumble Bee Maybe. The SJ-200 has walnut back and sides. The J-200 has maple back and sides. There are a couple other differences. Binding vs no binding, etc. I'd like to hear the difference sometime.

[@aquagrump]

I have a Epi version of a hummingbird. I love it. Feels and plays good and of course looks awesome. Mine was a pawnshop find, It was about 5 years old when I bought it with zero play wear. (In the year I've had it you can tell it's loved and played) The pickup likewise is awesome and clean while taking a peddle well. While I would love to have a real hand made Gibson I would be afraid to play it. Especially at some of the honky tonk dive bars I play in. As I was listening to this video I learned of Jimmy Buffet's passing. So I will be playing all those great Buffett songs on my Humming bird.

[@Jamalama555]

So cool to see where ones guitar was made :)

[@s.a.t419]

cant believe this only has 54000 views geez whats this world coming too!! Beautiful guitars and great channel and video keep up the good work!

[@robstonezone354]

Love the Hawks Jersey!

[@tanukibrahma]

My first good acoustic guitar was a 1972 Gibson hummingbird and I wrote a lot of songs on it. But the last time I tried one at guitar Center it didn’t float my boat so I got a 45 traditional, which was fantastic.

[@wiggokarlsen2976]

Thanks, Tony, for dedicating an entire AT to the H-bird. I'm happy to have owned one, a 2012 honey burst. It was probably the best looking guitar in my entire collection, along with my two Ibanez Doves from '75 and '77 (Law-suit models?) I bought the '77 brand new, way back then, and have kept it ever since. I have, however, handed the Gibson HB over to my son. He's a far better guitar player than I've ever been, and he really deserves that 'Bird...

[@MatthewHawkMusicRocks]

I went to the Bluebird and signed up for open mic on my first Nashville visit as a late teen (before the era of cell phone videos). I lived 14 hours away at the time. I ended up not being able to play and they gave me a rain check that I would be guaranteed to play next time I went. It’s been 2 decades and I haven’t been back 😭😎😳😂.

[@mwilkinson5474]

Blackberry Smoke, Gibson Hummingbird, love ‘em both. Satisfies on many levels, bless ‘em.

[@patcross5799]

Tony, great show today, and happy St. Paddy's day! My thought on hats, YES, and my thought, ball caps are important during the summer and warmer months, but beanies are even more important during the cooler months.... so please don't limit the selection. Keep up the good work, and avoid the virus... That lead singer reminds me of somebody, but who? (edit to add- Nathaniel Ratliff and Levon Helm's love child?) Speaking of harmonies, WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO FEATURE LANEY LOU AND THE BIRD DOGS? My first acoustic, was a Kay Hummingbird thing, it almost cured me of ever playing an acoustic for life, it did work, (kind of) after I set it up for playing slide. Keep up the good work.

[@geertzwager1309]

Well Tony,... after years of saving money and dwelling about wether to buy a Martin or a Gibson, I watched your episode #133 (on Martins) and at last bought me my 'serious' acoustic guitar (for my financial situation anyway): a Martin D-21. Since then it seems like the universe is playing tricks on me: all I see and hear everywhere is Gibson acoustics! Still happy with my Martin though.Great show!!

[@chriscarr983]

Inspired by Gibson. Hummingbird. A stellar build

[@janosistvan5226]

I have a less expensive Gibson Gospel, Not a loud guitar but the actions adjusted and plays beautifully and the sound is right on.. Its a curved back Guitar.. 1970-1976? year... Love it. Dream guitar Gibson Humming bird or a Lowden with Sinker top, Black walnut back and sides size 50, so many good Guitars out there... Blackberry Smoke... Excellent...

[@michaelaiello9525]

I used to not like the bling of Hummingbirds and J-200’s , but now I would be ecstatic for life if I owned a Hummingbird or a J-200. This would be 90 % based an sound and quality of feel , but the looks of Gibbies have grown on me. Please dear Lord, as a guitar fanatic, I must experience the Gibson Humminngbird.

[@philmansfield8825]

I'm starting to appreciate the bling after playing Martin for 40 years

[@thaddeusfields4360]

Just ordered a Standard - Vintage Burst ❤

[@graemethorne4540]

Hi,been listening to BlackBerry smoke for sometime and they sure are Awesome,and I love the humming bird nice guitar..

[@danejames7098]

Wish they had the moustache bridge, really love that

[@tomformanek3312]

My first exposure to a Hummingbird was watching Eric Andersen in the 60's. While most of them were burst, Eric's was natural. It is now in a museum in NYC looking gloriously like hell. As a kid I grew up in NJ. Up the turnpike they were building Guilds, pre-Westerly. A company that should warrant it's own show (hint). I saw Jim Ringer in the Bottom Line and fell in love with the D-40 he was playing.

[@Hankboomer]

i bought a very strange model, i think they call it a custom humminbird koa ... it is beautifull. i had it a undecent price (low) because of a saddle problem i guess. When fixed this guitar is just amazing

[@B1B904]

Yamaha FG 300. Not sure if they still make it but it was a straight up hummingbird copy. I have one my dad bought in the seventies. It has the electric style bridge like Gibson’s of that era and sounds really good..close your eyes can’t really tell the difference!

[@alestev24]

Original 1960 Hummingbird? Should one really play that while wearing a leather jacket with metal zippers, unless it is your own personal instrument?

[@tresblack4739]

I was thinking the exact same thing...and someone in the instrument business, especially that store, should know better!

[@StefanGBucher]

Bah, humbug! It's not a museum piece. If you can't play your guitar wearing a leather jacket, then what's the point of learning guitar? 😉

[@alestev24]

@@StefanGBucher The key words in your comment are "your guitar". Think about that.

[@StefanGBucher]

@@alestev24 I know. I know. Mind you, he works for the store, the store owns the guitar, so if the store doesn't mind putting some extra relicking on their inventory, who are we to judge?

[@MrEd-kk7uj]

You are sooooo right ..........

[@DJ51011]

I would work at Gibson had they stayed in Kazoo. I drive by that place on occasion and dream of what it could have been like.

[@tinman8518]

Hey, Heritage will put you on the payroll. lol

[@DJ51011]

@@tinman8518 Somehow I don't see that happening lol

[@JonnyBoss83]

I love Gibson acoustic guitars. I just wish I could get into short scale lengths. For me the SJ200 and Dove are the way to go. Long scale and I love maple as a tone wood. But I do think the Hummingbird is the best looking guitar out there.

[@Moonshot568]

I am a proud hummingbird true vintage daddy.... with my Martin D41 .. happy family.

[@redbxstr]

MOON SHOT Same here. I have my few Martins, favorite is my D41 and just purchased a ‘20 Montana Hummingbird Standard. One word = WOW!

[@maxwellfan55]

I own a Gibson Hummingbird. It's a limited edition cherry burst True Vintage, which is rare, less than 200 I believe. A lot of care and skill was put into making it, even the case. It's amazing. It's the second TV Hummingbird I've owned and this particular one beats the pants off the first one. When I played it in the store I just had to have it, so I did. The store was kind enough to hold onto it for me till I returned a couple of weeks later with the cash. I sold other guitars and borrowed to buy it. Tony pretty well sums it up tonally and aesthetically so I won't go there. But will add this. Yes, despite its square shoulder size, it is surprisingly comfortable and super easy to play. A lot is due to the neck, it's slim and sleek, it's a Gibson acoustic neck. I love Gibson necks. They never make you feel playing the guitar is any effort. So you can play longer. Enough said. I would say the Gibson Hummingbird is the quintessential singer's accompanying guitar. Get a good one and it really does "Hum" like a hummingbird, it sings along like a bird. Never overpowering, perfectly balanced. And I mean perfect. I use 12's PB, but it could go 13 for extra thump. Downside? As Tony says, it ain't loud and powerful like a Martin dread. But it wasn't designed to be. So get a rosewood dread. For live, acoustic sessions it won't cut through if there's lot of background noise, like a pub, for that you'll need rosewood. It ain't versatile, ok for fingerpicking, but not great. This guitar's a light flat-picker, a killer strummer. So what d'you do? Get a Hummingbird and a bunch of other cheaper guitars to do the other jobs. Gibson and the Hummingbird are inseparably linked. If you're an acoustic guitarist, you have to have one. Play and sing Lay Lady Lay on one and you'll know just what I mean.

[@ericecklund676]

I learned to play guitar on a red sunburst Kay which was a Sears sold copy of a Gibson Hummingbird. My Dad bought that for me in 1969 and I strummed it hard learning all of the cowboy chords in a Mel Bay songbook. Which is probably how a lot of kids started on guitar in the late 60's. No way was Dad going to spring for a real Hummingbird if I wasn't serious about learning it. Of course, that first guitar gave me a good case of GAS, but I've slowly grown out of getting Jumbo sized guitars for sofa playing. Now I'm content to sit on the couch with a 000-28. Thanks for a great trip back to my youth!

[@Wobbz9413]

I had a japanese Kasuga hummingbird copy in the 70s. Wish I still had it! Was a brilliant guitar to learn on.

[@jonerickson2358]

I grew up in Bozeman and after the Navy, in 1970, I worked with the guy from the Little Creamora Violin Shop. His shop was in the old Bozeman Hotel and we were gutting it out to make it into a hippy mall. He had two rooms on the fourth floor. He couldn't make a living with violins so he switched to The Flat Iron mandolin, his own design.. Gibson loved his work and bought him out. Then they liked Bozeman so well, they moved the company to Bozeman. Good choices in both cases. I do not know if the factory is still on the north side.

[@joshsmith1618]

Blackberry Smoke Live in Atlanta is on amazon prime too btw.

[@juana1483]

I've played one too, but own Gibson J45, and Martins.

[@jvejar]

It’s softer sounding than a Martin ... Perfect for vocal accompaniment

[@kennethbradshaw6130]

As the previous poster said, this is an old thread but i just found your sight while looking up Hummingbird info and wanted to add my 2 cents. First of all great video. Towards the end you are mentioning non-Gibson Hummingbirds to look out for; One that I thinks you missed is the "lawsuit" Hummingbird made by Lyle. This is their ones that still have the Gibson-like scroll inlay in the headstock as opposed to the later ones that no longer had this feature. I have a '69 or'70 originally bought by my mom for my dad in 1970. It has it's bangs and bruises as any guitar that has been lovingly played at least weekly since then should have but, still looks and plays beautifully. Look at Trigger (Willie Nelson's guitar) Anyway, yes this is a japanese made guitar but the "lawsuit" guitars were really well made with all the same materials (spruce top, mahogany for the rest) just with metric measurements. I have had several owners of Gibsons tell me they can't tell the difference between their $3000 guitar and mine in sound or quality. If you can find one, it should be fairly inexpensive. Most go from $100 (bruised) to $300 (top condition) so really affordable. Well, that's my 2 cents worth and your channel and web site have a new fan.

[@eugenemitchell4513]

the bird has great balance, every open note/chord and for all fretted stuff

[@hoffpauirconcrete.semperfidCC]

Just letting you know you can get the hummingbird dark that is not an eric church model i actually ordered one it wasnt cheap and took a while to get but its amazing it came from the custom shop

[@jkdjose]

I played one and was like wow

[@richardcrilley11]

I recently bought a rosewood Deluxe. No regrets. I was going to buy one in 1974 and didn’t. I have regretted that decision since that time. My Hummingbird is one of 40 that I own, and yes it is my favorite.

[@daddio307]

wow. 17+ minutes before the opening credits. That's a new record!!!

[@kurt8263]

BlackBerry smoke been arrrround, huge fan of them for years.

[@wojciech432]

Hi Tony, great show! Check out SIGMA DM-SG5, which seems to be a budget copy of Hummingbird with all essentials - short scale, mahagony b&s, pickguard.

[@jimmycollette9209]

I bought a j-45 in 2020. I had never played a shorter scale length guitar until then. My main guitars have been martins. I was not aware of the shorter scale length when I bought it. All I knew was it played easier and sounded better than the d-18 I went to buy. I would like to play the bird and make my own opinion.

[@1daltizer]

I have the Gibson Hummingbird Honey burst. I also have the Gibson Hummingbird Avant Garde. I love both.

[@nickspitzley8539]

I'm curious about the Inspired by Gibson Epiphone hummingbird. the demos seem really nice. But I'm not sure if I want the stigma of such an iconic guitar. Kind of expected for a guitar player to own?

[@ruchirsajwan]

I dont know whenever I hear Mark say, I imagine the next line - "We are coming for yeah"

[@StephenOshea]

ii do like these guitars . great name for a guitar and they sound awesome

[@jsphillip60]

I sure would like to have a nice Hummingbird to go with my awesome Gibson J-45!!

[@craigakey1523]

I bought the Epiphone Masterbuilt! $849.00 and is the bomb! sounds so good and plays like an Electric. Such a sweet buy can't go wrong with it!

[@mickeyunderwood7911]

Love the Gibson Hummingbird. My finances prevent me from owning one at the moment. I have thought about looking at the epiphone hummingbird pro.

[@SirLeDoux]

Mickey Underwood lol I read your post so fast I thought it said “ my fiancé’s prevent me from owning one” lol. I was gonna tell you to trim a few of those Fiancé’s so you could buy one. Have a great one and keep saving away for one-they sound/play great.

[@peezysmith5245]

SirLeDoux Exactly how i read it, i was like ditch her/him! 😂

[@thebeefmaster74]

I don't know much about the Gibson Canadian plant but I own one. Would love a video on that

[@user-kq1hg3eo6l]

Funny, For my Birthday, my wife got me the Epiphone inspired by Gibson "Hummingbird" WHAT A GUITAR! It looks just as good as it sounds and it more than half the price of a "Gibson Hummingbird" Unbelievable. For those who can't afford the "Gibson Hummingbird" get the Epiphone". I later did some research about the Guitar. So many players love it and bought it. And I also read that some folk think the Epiphone sounds better than the Gibson! WOW!!! That's Heavy man!

[@garychambers5850]

Epiphone recently put out a Hummingbird inspired by Gibson. I've watched a few videos on them. There's hardly any difference between the two. I cannot afford The Gibson so I plan on purchasing the Epiphone Hummingbird very soon! Its a beautiful sounding acoustic guitar. But don't take my word, go visit one of your on-line music stores and see for yourself! 🥰🎸

[@vadenk4433]

Nitrocellulose and better wood. Solid wood instead of laminate. Those are the differences plus American labor

[@The_Robs]

@@vadenk4433the Inspired by Gibson Epiphones are all solid wood, and amazing guitars.

[@DarrylMarketteMusic]

Tony, I have a Hummingbird issue that nobody including Gibson cant help me with. My Hummingbird was originally delivered to Wildwood Guitars in Louisville, Colorado. It was sold in December of 2021 to the collector I purchased it from. This never played guitar was absolutely flawless in every way. Can someone explain to me as to why or have any idea what I can do about all the paint coming off of my hummingbird pickguard from simply resting my two pinky and ring fingertips on the pickguard while I finger pick it. I have literally played this guitar all of an hour or two. Why is the beautifully ornate hand painted pickguard not covered in lacquer to avoid this? To say I am shocked and or completely disappointed is an understatement. This just doesn’t make sense that Gibson has been making this guitar for 60 some years and the paint wears off after playing it once or twice from one's fingertips. Please let me know what I need to do for next steps to get this repaired and corrected permanently as I am in love with this guitar but will not be able to use it any further without completely devaluing the guitar. SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME!!