Gibson - Hummingbird Ultima Heritage Cherry Sunburst

The Gibson Hummingbird Ultima Heritage Cherry Sunburst is a folk guitar that reveals its character from the very first notes. Its ebony fingerboard, with a radius of 12" (304.80 mm), guides the fingers across a dense, even surface, whilst the 24.75" (628.65 mm) scale length gives the strings a familiar tension and provides a solid foundation for chords.

Since 1894, Gibson has upheld its American craftsmanship. First introduced in 1960, the Hummingbird has made its mark with its square-shouldered dreadnought silhouette, recognisable by its generous body and rich tone. With the Gibson Custom Ultima range, this guitar enters a whole new dimension, combining collectible woods, exquisite inlays and high-end craftsmanship.

The AAAAA flamed maple top gives the Gibson Hummingbird Ultima Heritage Cherry Sunburst a crisp attack and rich projection. The AAA curly maple body, complemented by an AAA bird’s-eye maple back and sides, brings clarity to the bass notes and depth to the chords. Beneath the high-gloss nitrocellulose lacquer, the Heritage Cherry Sunburst finish brings out the depths of the wood’s grain.

The decorative work extends this richness right to the edges, with multi-layered abalone purfling around the top and back. The tortoiseshell Hummingbird pickguard features a silver and orange embossed design. On the fingerboard, the Tree of Life in abalone and mother-of-pearl complements the vine motifs and the Gibson logo in abalone. The mother-of-pearl truss rod cover, edged in white, completes this composition down to the finest detail.

The two-piece maple neck, featuring a central walnut strip, has a substantial rounded profile that fills the palm. Its joint with the body is secured using a dovetail joint glued with hot animal glue, a traditional luthier’s method that facilitates any future work on the neck after several decades.

The 20 standard frets sit on an ebony fingerboard edged with a purfling, echoing the purfling on the head. The bone nut completes this assembly, sitting in direct contact with the strings.

Beneath the body, the raised-belly ebony bridge features a bone bridge saddle, the material of which aids the transmission of vibrations. The 6.35 mm mother-of-pearl inlays provide a distinctive visual touch, whilst the TUSQ tuning pegs ensure the strings are held securely in place.

The gold-plated open-back Waverly tuners extend the luxurious character of this Gibson Hummingbird Ultima, right down to the gold-plated hardware. The guitar comes with its Gibson Custom hard case for transport and protection.