Gibson Hummingbird Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1966)
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Gibson Hummingbird Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1966), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # 423830, sunburst top, natural back and sides finish, mahogany back, sides and neck, spruce top, rosewood fingerboard, black tolex hard shell case.
This is a well-worn but nice playing example of a Gibson Hummingbird from 1966, one of the Kalamazoo company's most distinctive 1960s flat top creations. This fairly fancy flat top was introduced in late 1960 as Gibson's first square-shoulder Dreadnought nearly three decades after the company's venerable round-shoulder Jumbos first appeared. This new model was positioned above those in Gibson's line, just below the super flashy 17" J-200 super jumbo.
With a nod to Martin's popular Dreadnought shape this new Gibson was timed just right for the folk-era acoustic boom; it quickly became a popular model and the even flashier square-shouldered Dove was added in 1962. Initially The Hummingbird was offered only in cherry sunburst finish, a natural top option was added in 1963. This Hummingbird was built in 1966, when 794 were shipped from Kalamazoo. The list price 1966 was $285, plus $60 for the deluxe hard case.
The boxy shape of the mahogany body may have been inspired by Martin but the look is Gibson all the way. The multi-bound top has a distinctive "hummingbird in flight" pattern engraved on the large tortoise celluloid pickguard and filled with yellow toner creating a unique decorative look. The rosewood bridge originally had the adjustable saddle construction Gibson made increasingly ubiquitous at the time as a hedge against warranty repairs. The mahogany neck has a 25 1/4 scale, longer than most Gibson flat tops, with a bound double parallelogram inlaid rosewood fingerboard. The nut is the narrow width adopted in 1965, and this neck has a particularly slim profile for much of its length. The wide headstock has Gibson's distinctive "crown" inlay under the inlaid pearl logo, and mounts gold plated Kluson Deluxe tuners.
The Hummingbird was a ground breaking design for Gibson, opening up a new chapter in the company's flat-top history. While a large guitar, it was not as powerful or wide-range sounding as many earlier Gibson flat tops but offered a tight midrange-rich sound that makes them ideal as recording guitars for rock and country bands, a role they still are prized for today. The Rolling Stones in particular became associated with the model, Keith Richards having been duly immortalized with one on the inside cover of the HIGH TIDE AND GREEN GRASS collection issued in March 1966. The Hummingbird remains ideal for that situation, as well as songwriting and recording in general, and can also light up any stage. This is a well-played but still lovely sweet-sounding guitar to play, hear or just listen to.
Overall length is 41 in. (104.1 cm.), 15 13/16 in. (40.2 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 15/16 in. (12.5 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 25 1/4 in. (641 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/8 in. (41 mm.).
This mostly original Hummingbird is somewhat worn-in showing its share of typical wear but still a fine player. The finish remains original showing noticeable checking overall, dings, dents, scrapes and a couple of deeper pick wear spots into the wood on the top off the edges of the pickguard. There also minor pickwear to the edge of the soundhole. The back and sides have dings, dents and scuffs but no really heavy wear; the back of the neck has feelable checking with just a very little finish worn away. There is heavy checking to the headstock with some small areas of finish flaking away.
The guitar remains crack free, with some sort of small patched area on the bottom treble side of the neck heel. The neck has never had or needed a reset. The pickguard and bridge have been reglued; the original adjustable ceramic saddle, adjustors and retaining bolts were all removed and replaced by a large compensated bone saddle. Internally a couple of braces look to have been reglued; the original fairly large maple bridgeplate is intact. If not the cleanest Hummingbird out there this is very good player with a sweet, midrangey sound and a particularly slim neck. It resides in a slightly later (1970s) purple-lined Gibson-logo HSC in solid shape Overall Very Good + Condition.
This is a well-worn but nice playing example of a Gibson Hummingbird from 1966, one of the Kalamazoo company's most distinctive 1960s flat top creations. This fairly fancy flat top was introduced in late 1960 as Gibson's first square-shoulder Dreadnought nearly three decades after the company's venerable round-shoulder Jumbos first appeared. This new model was positioned above those in Gibson's line, just below the super flashy 17" J-200 super jumbo.
With a nod to Martin's popular Dreadnought shape this new Gibson was timed just right for the folk-era acoustic boom; it quickly became a popular model and the even flashier square-shouldered Dove was added in 1962. Initially The Hummingbird was offered only in cherry sunburst finish, a natural top option was added in 1963. This Hummingbird was built in 1966, when 794 were shipped from Kalamazoo. The list price 1966 was $285, plus $60 for the deluxe hard case.
The boxy shape of the mahogany body may have been inspired by Martin but the look is Gibson all the way. The multi-bound top has a distinctive "hummingbird in flight" pattern engraved on the large tortoise celluloid pickguard and filled with yellow toner creating a unique decorative look. The rosewood bridge originally had the adjustable saddle construction Gibson made increasingly ubiquitous at the time as a hedge against warranty repairs. The mahogany neck has a 25 1/4 scale, longer than most Gibson flat tops, with a bound double parallelogram inlaid rosewood fingerboard. The nut is the narrow width adopted in 1965, and this neck has a particularly slim profile for much of its length. The wide headstock has Gibson's distinctive "crown" inlay under the inlaid pearl logo, and mounts gold plated Kluson Deluxe tuners.
The Hummingbird was a ground breaking design for Gibson, opening up a new chapter in the company's flat-top history. While a large guitar, it was not as powerful or wide-range sounding as many earlier Gibson flat tops but offered a tight midrange-rich sound that makes them ideal as recording guitars for rock and country bands, a role they still are prized for today. The Rolling Stones in particular became associated with the model, Keith Richards having been duly immortalized with one on the inside cover of the HIGH TIDE AND GREEN GRASS collection issued in March 1966. The Hummingbird remains ideal for that situation, as well as songwriting and recording in general, and can also light up any stage. This is a well-played but still lovely sweet-sounding guitar to play, hear or just listen to.
Overall length is 41 in. (104.1 cm.), 15 13/16 in. (40.2 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 15/16 in. (12.5 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 25 1/4 in. (641 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/8 in. (41 mm.).
This mostly original Hummingbird is somewhat worn-in showing its share of typical wear but still a fine player. The finish remains original showing noticeable checking overall, dings, dents, scrapes and a couple of deeper pick wear spots into the wood on the top off the edges of the pickguard. There also minor pickwear to the edge of the soundhole. The back and sides have dings, dents and scuffs but no really heavy wear; the back of the neck has feelable checking with just a very little finish worn away. There is heavy checking to the headstock with some small areas of finish flaking away.
The guitar remains crack free, with some sort of small patched area on the bottom treble side of the neck heel. The neck has never had or needed a reset. The pickguard and bridge have been reglued; the original adjustable ceramic saddle, adjustors and retaining bolts were all removed and replaced by a large compensated bone saddle. Internally a couple of braces look to have been reglued; the original fairly large maple bridgeplate is intact. If not the cleanest Hummingbird out there this is very good player with a sweet, midrangey sound and a particularly slim neck. It resides in a slightly later (1970s) purple-lined Gibson-logo HSC in solid shape Overall Very Good + Condition.