Gibson Acoustics

[lemonade93]

Hi guys, I was just wondering

I mean i'm not being biased against Gibson or anything, but my friend recently bought a Gibson Hummingbird Modern Classic and I was really really really dissapointed. I was expecting a real resonant guitar that produces a beautiful sound, but what i heard was the sound of a laminated guitar. The Back and Sides felt like they were laminated and not with gloss finished, so I was just wondering, what do you all think of Gibson Acoustics, and is it possible that my friend got a lemon and if you own one, whats your experience?

 

[relinquish69]

I love Gibson acoustics. The thing about most Gibson acoustics that I've realised is that you don't really hear good tones when you are listening to it but when you play one it's a whole different story. Their guitars sound different from Taylors and Martins that's for sure. When it comes to acoustic guitars, people tend to generalise by brands but that's just for easy reference.

I suspect your friend got a lemon but one thing is for sure, you need time to realise the beauty of a Gibson acoustic. my pick goes to the Gibson SJ200. love it but haven't got one yet!

 

[AaronSoFat]

each gibson acoustic is hand made i believe. even in guitar gallery, my friend was trying out acoustics. one sounded bright as hell and the other sounded dark. depends on what you like i guess. I love both kinds. and plus, they're really well made so they play really well.

 

[relinquish69]

I tried Gibson Doves in Flight once. It looked awesome and the tone was unbelievably good! too bad the price was slightly above 5 figures.

 

[ShredAddict]

A Gibson Dove would be nice to have if only it weren't so expensive. You get what you pay for after all. sigh.

 

[EugeneSmasher]

Man I'd love to have a Gibson L-00.

Sure there are 'lemons' coming out of Gibson's factory, but then there are 'lemons' from other brands too. Like that horrid ICT700 I tried once...

 

[relinquish69]

One more thing I would like to emphasize is that there is a big difference between regular production and custom shop models. The same theory applies for their solid body electrics. That is why people are willing to fork out the few thousand dollar difference.

 

[novocaine]

ok i think i'll chime in since i own a Gibson acoustic. I recently bought a Gibson SJ200 Elite 2011 model and when it came, it sounded muted and a tad 'closed', the sound was quite dull. When plugged in, it was totally unbalanced, my treble string sounded as though they were in JB while my bass strings overwhelmed the sound.

Before i got this guitar, i already decided to send it for a setup and switch to FMI bridge by Jarvis (you can read all his works and reviews in the G4C forums) and once i received it, that's exactly what i did.

I picked up the guitar the very next day and was totally awed. He tonerited the guitar, set it up, put in a customised FMI bridge and the sound totally opend up, it was bright and clear, the setup was perfect to my needs (low without buzz). He also took time to balance the Fishman Ellipse pickups and they sounded super! It's what a simple setup can do, it's all the difference! You can read up on all his reviews and work here, i'm sure the multitudes can testify to this:
http://www.guitar4christ.com/index.php?option=com_jfusion&Itemid=24&jfile=viewtopic.php&f=27&t=8308

So i suggest you ask your friend to contact Jarvis and send the Hummingbird for a setup. He is such a friendly and sincere person, only wanting to help you enjoy the best of your guitar - that the costs of the setup and FMI bridge change are really made wonderfully reasonable (anyway it's nothing compared to the price you paid for the Hummingbird i'm sure). So yupz, that's my experience with my Gibson acoustic.

As a disclaimer, i'm no acoustic player, very casual in fact. I'm all metal and have spent 95% of my guitar playing on the electric guitar. So even to my untrained ears, i could appreciate the difference in the acoustic tones.

 

[CyanideJunkie]

One more thing I would like to emphasize is that there is a big difference between regular production and custom shop models. The same theory applies for their solid body electrics. That is why people are willing to fork out the few thousand dollar difference.

On that note: Ed Roman

I bet Ed just eats this kinda stuff up with a huge smile...

 

[ShredAddict]

I believe that Gibson custom shop acoustics are in a league of their own like relinquish69 mentioned. when you try a Gibson for the first time, we would be a little intimidated hence hold back on your playing in case you put some damage on that beauty. After you get over that phase, try it again.

However, try when you have the money to buy one. Gibsons are expensive and shop owners don't like people to try too often. They are very expensive after all.

 

[champion]

Gibson guitars are normally good till they go thru our weather...the worst thing that can happen to a Gibson acoustic is this...

Never try stringing it up with Elixir strings..coz it will make your guitar sound like crap.

make sure the action is tweak to the correct height and the neck is straighten..and you should be fine..many a times a simple tweak can bring the hummingbird back to its tonal potential.

i recently did a review of two hummingbird...and I've played more than 50 Hummingbirds ..to me they should sound like what is on the video
below..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpkynsUS-38

cheers Jarvis

 

[lemonade93]

Hmmmm saw your vid, super informative, but the guitar sounds nothing like the one you tested :O. Thats a first, no Elixir strings? I LOVE elixirs been using them for super long thanks btw

 

[keithtan]

Why no elixir strings? :O

 

[jtww01]

Because, Elixirs will muddy the tone up a little, thats what I would think. the coating on Elixirs mute the tone somewhat and on guitars like taylors they sound fine, because they help balance the sound out a little. but I guess on Gibsons, they just kill the tone.
That said, I haven't played a nice Gibson Acoustic yet. The price for the most part really didn't justify me buying any of them, they tend to be unresponsive, it really felt as if I needed to drive it even harder than I should to make it ring. Unlike the Martins and Taylors I've played, no Gibson has made me want to keep playing it. If I walked into a shop and was ready to slap 5k or more down a guitar, it better floor me right there and then, rather than to think oh it's ok, I'll mod it and it'll sound awesome after that. Also, Gibson is renown for having issues with QC, so another reason for me to pass on them. but this is merely my personal preferences of course.

 

[ShredAddict]

I think it depends on the guitar. For Gibson Acoustics, I recommend Daddario EXP acoustic strings. They sound fuller and definitely adds to the warmth.