Gibson Hummingbird 1980 Natural Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar Vintage
Description
This 70s vintage guitar is characterized by its crisp, hard tone, but it also possesses a warmth typical of mahogany, giving it a more mellow feel.
The edgy, dynamic, and articulate sound is a distinctive characteristic of Gibson guitars from this era.
The Hummingbird model, produced from 1960, became a popular model due to its flamboyant design and distinctive, powerful sound. Through several model changes, it remains a highly sought-after main Gibson model.
Early models, especially those from 1965, command a significant premium and are now extremely difficult to obtain. A major model change occurred in 1970, with the position marker design becoming square and the bridge shape changed to a regular belly.
The most significant change was the internal bracing structure, which adopted the double X-bracing unique to this era. The tone shifted from the thick, rough sound of the 60s models to a harder, more articulate tone. At the time, the drastic change in tone caused a decline in its value, but now, as a vintage instrument, its distinctly different character is highly appreciated. Above all, it has excellent volume.
Around 1986, the factory moved from Nashville to Bozeman, and the model reverted to standard bracing, meaning this particular type was only produced for about 15 years. The distinctive Double X model has become rare and its price is increasing year by year.
This particular instrument is from 1980. While it has a beautiful, aged amber color, the paintwork remains in pristine condition. It has a nice, moderate level of wear.
The crisp, hard sound truly shines when played with slightly stronger picking, but even single notes have a clear, resonant tone.
The top is spruce, the sides and back are mahogany, and it features a rosewood fingerboard and bridge.
The tuners are Grover Keystone knobs with nickel finish; they show some tarnishing but operate smoothly.
The neck angle has been reset and adjusted while retaining the original nut and frets, making it easy to play.
The original frets are wide and low, and although they have been leveled, there is still plenty of height left, so a refret is not necessary yet.
The pickguard is original and in good condition.
A strap pin is installed on the neck heel.
There is paint peeling near the 1st and 2nd frets on the back of the neck, and paint wear across the entire back of the neck.
There are some superficial pick scratches on the left side of the soundhole, and some minor scratches, but considering it's an instrument nearly half a century old, I think it's in very good condition.
It's a regular grip neck with a nut width of approximately 42.5 mm.
The truss rod is working well and has plenty of adjustment range.
At the 12th fret, the string height is 2.2 mm for the 6th string and 1.6 mm for the 1st string, making for a very easy play action.
It produces a slightly hard and rough tone. I think the sound is even cooler when heard up close than when played by the person playing it.
Set to a low action, it's well-balanced for delicate fingerpicking, producing a strong, distinctive tone with a solid core.
Setting the string height a little higher and playing it aggressively might give it a wilder, harder sound, making it great for rock-style playing.
The unique, core tone, which is absent in recent reissue models, is really cool.
It comes with the original Gibson hard case.
Product Details
Gibson/HUMMINGBIRD NT
Color: Natural / Wood Grain
Condition: B+ (No problems for normal use)
Year of Manufacture: 1980
Top Material: Spruce
Side Material: Mahogany
Back Material: Mahogany
Accessories: Hard Case
The edgy, dynamic, and articulate sound is a distinctive characteristic of Gibson guitars from this era.
The Hummingbird model, produced from 1960, became a popular model due to its flamboyant design and distinctive, powerful sound. Through several model changes, it remains a highly sought-after main Gibson model.
Early models, especially those from 1965, command a significant premium and are now extremely difficult to obtain. A major model change occurred in 1970, with the position marker design becoming square and the bridge shape changed to a regular belly.
The most significant change was the internal bracing structure, which adopted the double X-bracing unique to this era. The tone shifted from the thick, rough sound of the 60s models to a harder, more articulate tone. At the time, the drastic change in tone caused a decline in its value, but now, as a vintage instrument, its distinctly different character is highly appreciated. Above all, it has excellent volume.
Around 1986, the factory moved from Nashville to Bozeman, and the model reverted to standard bracing, meaning this particular type was only produced for about 15 years. The distinctive Double X model has become rare and its price is increasing year by year.
This particular instrument is from 1980. While it has a beautiful, aged amber color, the paintwork remains in pristine condition. It has a nice, moderate level of wear.
The crisp, hard sound truly shines when played with slightly stronger picking, but even single notes have a clear, resonant tone.
The top is spruce, the sides and back are mahogany, and it features a rosewood fingerboard and bridge.
The tuners are Grover Keystone knobs with nickel finish; they show some tarnishing but operate smoothly.
The neck angle has been reset and adjusted while retaining the original nut and frets, making it easy to play.
The original frets are wide and low, and although they have been leveled, there is still plenty of height left, so a refret is not necessary yet.
The pickguard is original and in good condition.
A strap pin is installed on the neck heel.
There is paint peeling near the 1st and 2nd frets on the back of the neck, and paint wear across the entire back of the neck.
There are some superficial pick scratches on the left side of the soundhole, and some minor scratches, but considering it's an instrument nearly half a century old, I think it's in very good condition.
It's a regular grip neck with a nut width of approximately 42.5 mm.
The truss rod is working well and has plenty of adjustment range.
At the 12th fret, the string height is 2.2 mm for the 6th string and 1.6 mm for the 1st string, making for a very easy play action.
It produces a slightly hard and rough tone. I think the sound is even cooler when heard up close than when played by the person playing it.
Set to a low action, it's well-balanced for delicate fingerpicking, producing a strong, distinctive tone with a solid core.
Setting the string height a little higher and playing it aggressively might give it a wilder, harder sound, making it great for rock-style playing.
The unique, core tone, which is absent in recent reissue models, is really cool.
It comes with the original Gibson hard case.
Product Details
Gibson/HUMMINGBIRD NT
Color: Natural / Wood Grain
Condition: B+ (No problems for normal use)
Year of Manufacture: 1980
Top Material: Spruce
Side Material: Mahogany
Back Material: Mahogany
Accessories: Hard Case