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Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2017 1:07:44 GMT
Just blinked and missed getting a Squier Bass VI for £150 then came across a Japanese 70s Suzuki copy of a Gibson Hummingbird - but with a zero fret (I like zero frets. They sound good and keep the action low and consistent). But what's that logo doing on the headstock - ouch!  I've never bought an acoustic online before and all of my instincts are screaming 'don't do it' but I'm a sucker for Hummingbirds as marit knows and there seems to be a bit of online fuzziness about whether Suzuki guitars are the great undiscovered gold or complete online goose chases. I'm hoping that if it's a total egg box I can return it as I can see something very odd about the bridge pins. They appear to be top loaded! I'm not joking. They are brass and, instead of going into the guitar the string ball ends appear to be exiting the bridge pins on the downside of the bridge. Now that is common on a classical guitar but on this dreadnought either means that somebody has replaced the pins with some kind of toploader ones, drilled through some brass ones or else, for some reason that only he/she/it can explain, has poked the strings down the bridge pins and back up the other side again. It's truly weird. Stand by for shocking developments if I pull the trigger.   |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2017 2:16:13 GMT
PULLED IT...OH NOOOOOOO!
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Post by dodger on Mar 1, 2017 8:39:18 GMT
Good luck Defjef!hope it's more bird than turd! I've got a Terada J200 which was probably made nearby and it's not bad at all
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Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2017 8:50:18 GMT
Cheers dodger . I didn't sleep a wink last night! But, having released the tone on my 70s 12 string Epiphone earlier this month (it's sounding gorgeous when recorded as a Nashville tuned tracking guitar) I'm hopeful that the folks who love these haven't led me up the Japanese garden path. It almost certainly won't sound like my long departed real Hummingbird but I'm hopeful for something good. |
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Post by dodger on Mar 1, 2017 11:44:22 GMT
If it's been played a lot it's bound to sound nice and airy and even an Epiphone Hummingbird is about £230 these days. Vintage is great too! Looks gorgeous but I see what you mean about those bridge pins - it's not one of those fancy systems that are joined under the bridge and claim to make the tone better? I was thinking of something like those power pins?
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Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2017 12:09:04 GMT
Yeah, I looked at those power pins and didn't get the idea. Must admit I've read a lot of luthier sites recently and am surprised to find none of them have any concerns about through bridges instead of pins. I was convinced there'd be a lot of talk about break angles, torque and connectivity but quite the opposite. Many seem to feel that the lack of torque is a good thing in allowing the top to respond. I have no idea but I'm more intrigued about them than almost anything else - aside from that Gibson logo!
It seems the only reason that zero frets and adjustable bridges may have been largely superseded is that because they appeared on low end Japanese imports they were regarded as signs of cheap instruments and, therefore, poor items. They certainly allowed the Japanese manufacturers to export in quantity without ever having to do a setup because the thing is already set up at the nut end and easily adjustable at the bridge. It seems to me that the Japanese simply looked at the problem and found a well engineered solution. There's loads of babble about zero frets being bad but I would refer them to Brian May (the PHYSICIST and occasional guitarist) who put a zero fret on his Red Special in the 1960s and seems to like it.
I have read one bad review of ALL Suzuki guitars and everything else has been highly positive and fascinating so I could be in for a treat.
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Post by dodger on Mar 1, 2017 13:00:25 GMT
Good luck Defjef - hope you're pleasantly surprised!
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Post by marit on Mar 2, 2017 11:15:10 GMT
Ooooo nice one, @defjef!!! Hope all is good! That is one odd looking bridge. Can you replace that yourself? I'd suggest ebony bridge pins for the 3 bassy strings and water buffalo horn for the upper three  |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 2, 2017 12:12:43 GMT
It's an odd one alright marit . I'm hoping it's been done for a constructive reason by someone who was aiming for a particular improvement. Not just because the bridge plate broke!  |
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Post by marit on Mar 2, 2017 15:39:04 GMT
It's an odd one alright marit . I'm hoping it's been done for a constructive reason by someone who was aiming for a particular improvement. Not just because the bridge plate broke! I hope that too, @defjef. Where did you get it from and how much was it (if I dare ask). |
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Post by dodger on Mar 2, 2017 15:44:42 GMT
It's an odd one alright marit . I'm hoping it's been done for a constructive reason by someone who was aiming for a particular improvement. Not just because the bridge plate broke! I hope that too, @defjef . Where did you get it from and how much was it (if I dare ask). I meant to ask too marit! |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 2, 2017 16:07:07 GMT
Got it from Cash Generator in Walthamstow, London. Made an offer of £96 down from £125 and got it. It was advertised as a Gibson Suzuki Hummingbird which shows how confused they were by that logo.
Suzuki never made instruments for Gibson. In fact Gibson tried to shut them down in the early seventies for being too accurate in their copies which is a laugh 'cos no Hummingbird ever had a zero fret or an adjustable bridge. I 'm assuming they changed the bridge shape to this Japanese smile one around that time to avoid any more charges of copying. I have seen this guitar with an even more Gibson like bridge shape.
Anyway, they seem to get big thumbs up around the internet and if it even approaches the sound of my beloved original 'bird I'll be smiling although there's little about the construction that suggests that it should!
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Post by dodger on Mar 2, 2017 16:30:50 GMT
For £96 if it's a half decent beater it will be alright! I hope it's more than that though - is it on its way to sunny Wales?
It definitely looks the part!
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Post by dodger on Mar 2, 2017 16:46:06 GMT
Just watched a few youtubes for similar guitars; this fella says he prefers his to a real Gibson J45:
His touch is bit heavy but it sounds pretty good
this one sounds great:
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Post by Deleted on Mar 2, 2017 16:59:11 GMT
It's on it's way dodger . And with that colour it'll light up South Wales and Devon too. In fact they may not even need to carry on building the Hinkley Point nuclear power station. God I hope it looks as sweet and orangey as the guy's in the top video. I always worry when people say that their two beans' worth guitar is better than their three grand Gretsch or whatever but well....you never know. I certainly preferred the real Hummingbird to a J45. |
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