Epiphone vs. Gibson Hummingbird

[Tweak]

http://www.zzounds.com/a--3745/item--EPIEAHB/sid--showroom





http://www.zzounds.com/a--3745/item--GIBSSHV/sid--showroom


Does 10% of the price mean its only 10% as good or useful?

Compare the Epi Hummingbird with the gibson. I think the epi would make a really nice gift. (So would the Gibson, if you were rich or something).

[Rick Levine]

I was looking at Gretsch semi hollowbodies at GC recently. They all looked to be constructed the same, but they ranged from $600 to $4000. Why is a new Strat that the manufacturer sandpapered going for $2000?

[chiefnobum]

The Epiphone is 100% usable, and for someone starting out or that has a crap acoustic, or isn't too crazy/anal about acoustics, it would be great. It has a solid spruce top so that's a good start. I've played them both and the Epiphone didn't sound as good, but it wasn't terrible...just meh. All of them are different, but the Epiphone wasn't setup the best and didn't play as nice. That obviously can be changed with a good setup. There's other guitars I would pick before the Epiphone, but if you want a guitar that sounds ok and looks really nice, then you can't complain. It won't last forever, but it's a great place to start.

The Gibson Hummingbird sounded and felt like a Gibson. It has that dark, full tone and is built like a tank. You could buy it and never have to replace it because it will last forever. There's more attention to detail with the Gibson which you can tell up close. From far-away, it would be more difficult, but the build quality is just a step up.

Spending a lot of money on an Acoustic can be dicey. Yes, having a really nice acoustic gets you some kudos/respect from other knowledgeable guitar players. Yes, you will notice the difference playing it. Yes, you will likely be able to tell the difference in tone when playing depending on who you are playing with and what the monitoring setup is.

Will 95% of the people be able to tell the difference in sound between these two guitars? No. Maybe the 5% would if someone compared them while you were playing an acoustic show, but most people who even notice these sorts of things will be listening to hear if you are a good guitar player or not. A good guitar player can make a $50 guitar sound respectable. A bad guitar player cannot make a $5000 guitar sound respectable. In the studio, there may be a bit more of a difference, but again, most people aren't going to be able to tell the difference.

That's the case for a lot of things, though, and having good tone is not really meant for everyone else. It's mostly about you being comfortable with the sound, playability and looks of a guitar (although looks shouldn't matter, but they do). That should be why you spend money.

So I guess, like everything else on these forums, it depends... Those minor differences between these guitars can be a massive difference for some and minor for someone else. It depends what you are used to having a guitar sound, play, and look like.

[musikron]

Which HB model are you talking about Tweak? They have an "artist" model and I think another as well as the Standard. I am talking Epiphone here. I think the Artist is built to better specs, but lacks the ornate looks of the original.

[jportman]

Guitars of the same make/model often vary widely in sound/quality.

Other than a few Taylors I have played in stores, two high dollar guitars from the same maker will sound/play differently. Taylors seem to be remarkably consistent as do CA (Composite Acoustics).

Same goes even more the lower in price you go.

I have two perfectly good acoustic guitars that record/play well, have nice tone, look good and neither one cost more than $300 new.

I also have a new CA Cargo that I popped $1100 for. I never buy a guitar lightly and only when the "magic" occurs. IE, you play it and something "happens". You feel it, it moves you, etc. Yeah I know, not very scientific.

My best advice is to ignore the label on the headstock and start comparing them to the sound you have "in your head".

In any case, the label makes much less difference than you might think. No two guitars are alike. My personal theory is that on any given day, the stars may align to create an exceptional guitar, no matter who makes it or where. Of 1000 units from the same assembly line, 999 might be average or worse and one will be "special". That's the one you want.

Play them. Keep playing them until one screams "you need me". Then buy that one. If you can't afford it, keep looking until you can.

YMMV, just free advice.

[chiefnobum]

I think it depends. As far as playability and fit&finish is concerned, I definitely agree. It's not the best idea to buy a guitar over the internet as they are all slightly different and you have to find one that YOU like. One guitar of the same make and model may be perfect for you and you might hate another. However, the variances in tone between more or less expensive acoustic guitars is immediately apparent. A cheap laminated guitar is not going to sound anything like a solid wood guitar. However, I do agree that once you get to a certain point in price, it is really about personal taste. I personally prefer the sound of my $800 Seagull to some $3500 Gibsons. Did the Gibsons sound bad? Nope - but it wasn't the sound I was going for.

The other thing to take into account when playing guitars at shops is how old the strings are. They make a massive difference on the tone of a guitar. Often times the cheap guitars sell more quickly and are less played than the expensive ones. Lots of shops don't regularily replace the strings on the guitars which means the expensive guitars sit longer with and get more playing time from all sorts of people without selling because they are more expensive.