Watch It First
Some guitars are famous for how they sound. The Hummingbird is famous for how it looks, and it has been turning heads since 1960.
That hummingbird pickguard is one of the most recognisable bits of design in acoustic history. Put one on a stand and people walk over to it.
Gibson’s original costs about the same as a used car. Epiphone’s version does not. So how much of the magic survives the price drop? Let’s have a look.
The Short Version
This is an all-solid-wood Hummingbird with proper looks and a real Fishman pickup, for a fraction of the Gibson. It punches miles above its weight.
A few years ago the affordable Hummingbird was laminate. This Standard model is solid top, back and sides. That is a big deal.
All-Solid at This Price Is Wild
Solid spruce top, solid mahogany back and sides. On a guitar wearing the Hummingbird name and this kind of price tag, that would have been fantasy not long ago.
Solid wood matters because it resonates more and matures as it ages. You are getting a guitar that will sound better in five years, not a plateau.
If you are still comparing options at the budget end, it is worth a look through the best cheap acoustic guitars for beginners, but honestly the Hummingbird Standard sits a class above most of that list.
The Looks (Because You Know That Is Why You Are Here)
Cherry Sunburst, that engraved hummingbird pickguard, split-parallelogram inlays and multi-ply binding. It is unapologetically flashy and I love it for that.
Build Quality
Tidy. Binding is clean, the finish is even, and the bone nut is a nice touch at this money. Nothing about it feels chintzy in the hand.
The Epiphone Deluxe tuners are smooth and stay put. No complaints there.
The Neck
Rounded C profile, 24.75-inch scale, which is a touch shorter than a lot of dreadnoughts. That makes chords feel a little easier and the strings a little softer.
So How Does It Sound?
Warm, woody and balanced, with that classic mahogany midrange. It is not as loud or as boomy as a rosewood dread, but it is more focused and vocal.
Strums ring out sweetly and it records beautifully. It handles easy Springsteen songs and easy Taylor Swift songs with real character rather than just getting the job done.
Plugged in through the Fishman it is clean and natural, easily good enough for open mics and small gigs.
The Niggles
The battery for the pickup is not included, which is a slightly cheeky omission. Grab a 9V when you order.
Some players find the sunburst a bit much. Fair enough, taste is taste, and there are plainer Hummingbird finishes if you want one.
And it is a mahogany dreadnought, so if you want huge scooped bass and shimmering highs, a rosewood guitar will get you closer to that.
Who Is It For?
Anyone who wants a gorgeous, gig-ready acoustic with a famous name and a real pickup, without spending Gibson money. Also a superb step-up from a first beginner guitar.
If you are also eyeing an electric for the other side of your playing, the Epiphone SG Standard is a cracking companion, and left-field shoppers should nose at the Godin lineup too.
The Specs
- Type: dreadnought
- Top: solid spruce
- Back & sides: solid mahogany
- Neck: mahogany
- Fingerboard & bridge: rosewood, split-parallelogram inlays
- Scale: 629 mm (24.75″)
- Nut: bone, 42.9 mm
- Frets: 20
- Electronics: Fishman Presys VT
- Finish: Cherry Sunburst, gig bag included
- Thomann article no.: 634975
Verdict
The Epiphone Hummingbird Standard is one of the best-value name-brand acoustics going. All-solid, plugged-in ready, and dripping with vintage cool.
It looks like a million dollars and costs a tiny slice of that. If the styling grabs you, stop overthinking it. This is a lot of guitar for the money.
