Gibson introduced the Hummingbird in 1960 as their first square-shoulder guitar. Designed for vocal accompaniment, its warm, honeyed tone fits around a singing voice without overpowering it. Gibson probably intended the Hummingbird to appeal to country and western players, but in the early '60s, this new model found a market among younger audiences and especially folk fans. Later, it became the go-to acoustic songwriter for rock n' rollers (ahem, Keith Richards).
This Gibson Hummingbird Mystic was made in the Bozeman, Montana Custom Shop in 2019. It features the classic square-shoulder Hummingbird body with rare Mystic Rosewood back and sides. The Spruce top has a stunning Vintage Sunburst that fits the Hummingbird pickguard nicely. The vibe is quintessential Gibson! More in line with the modern Bozeman-made stuff, the nut width measures 1.735", and it's a full-feeling C carve. Plenty to grab onto, but nowhere near "baseball bat" territory.
Rosewood Hummingbirds are rare, but it's a nice choice for the design. Like many classic Gibson guitars, the scale length measures 24.75." It feels comfortable and manageable, and the shorter scale gives this rosewood dreadnought a sweeter, less-cutting sound than other American-made axes. There's a roundness to the Hummingbird that is not lost with the Rosewood construction. If anything, the clarity of the Mystic Rosewood may be the perfect fit for the template—depth balanced with shimmer, and a tone profile that is characteristically Gibson.
This 2019 Gibson Hummingbird Mystic is gently used and shows some minor signs of play and use. The worst are a ding on the bass side by the endpin input jack and a few marks across the back from a zipper or something (see photos). It has a factory-installed LR Baggs Element pickup under the hood, so it's ready for the stage or the studio. One corner of the pickguard has been reglued, and the original Tusq has saddle has been replaced with a hand-fit unbleached bone saddle. There is a strap button on the heel. It includes its original hardshell case and paperwork.