❌SOLD❌Gibson Hummingbird Square Shoulder Dreadnought Sunburst, 1967

Gibson’s Hummingbird was launched in 1960 to compete with Martin’s successful square-shoulder D models, and was next to top of the line just below the J-200.

Immediately popular particularly with singer-songwriters and carrying a distinctive hand-painted pickguard, the Hummingbird was used on many popular recordings, sometimes to surprising results. For example, The Rolling Stones’ ‘Street Fighting Man’ features a Hummingbird recorded on an overdriven Philips cassette recorder, with Charlie Watts using a portable practice kit. Other recordings, like ‘Angie’,  record the Hummingbird more conventionally. 

While near top of the line, this model is built with Mahogany for the sides and back – other premium models might use Rosewood – paired with a Sitka Spruce top. The neck is Mahogany, with Rosewood for the bridge and bound fingerboard. This example is early enough that Brazilian Rosewood was used, and is close to the end of that era, with embargoes on that wood being put in place. Inlays are Mother of Pearl, with a Gibson logo on the head and split-parallelogram position markers. The top carries its iconic hand-painted pickguard. It’s fairly thick, and Gibson explains that it adds some ‘natural compression’.

This Gibson Hummingbird dates to 1967 and was built, Union Made, at the Parsons Street shop in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It has recently been serviced at The Twelfth Fret Repair Shop, receiving a fret dress, setup and a new bridge sub-plate. It appears to have had a neck reset – the binding is cut at the 14th fret, where the neck joins the body. These two points mean that this guitar plays quite well.

The Hummingbird’s finish uses a natural top, executed in nitrocellulose lacquer; the back, sides and neck are Gibson’s Cherry stain. It is in good shape and original. There are a few small marks on the top and back, and the finish is worn through on the back at the bass waist.   As well, it’s worn through on the neck where the owner rested his thumb between the first and second frets.  A fret dress has recently been done.  Internally, a sub-plate has been added to  account for normal wear to the bridge plate.  

This is a very nice guitar to play – the action is great and it has that full, rich Gibson sound.

The original Gibson hard shell case is included.