Gibson Acoustic Hummingbird Elegant Koa Honey Burst Modern

A Precious Interpretation of a Gibson Icon

Introduced in 1960, the Hummingbird has become one of the most recognizable acoustic guitars in history. As Gibson's first large square-shouldered model, it has influenced generations of singers, accompanists, and songwriters with its visual personality as much as its rich and versatile voice.
This Hummingbird Elegant Koa Honey Burst offers a more sophisticated take. Part of Gibson Custom's Artisan Series, it retains the strong codes of the original model while elevating them to a higher level of refinement. The koa wood provides an immediately striking aesthetic identity, while the abalone ornamentation, gold hardware, and glossy nitrocellulose finish clearly place this guitar in the category of prestigious instruments.

For Which Guitarists and Repertoires?

This Gibson is primarily aimed at intermediate, advanced, and expert musicians seeking an acoustic guitar with character, capable of both accompaniment roles and more expressive parts. Its premium positioning also makes it an excellent choice for the discerning guitarist who wants an inspiring instrument from the very first play.
Its Hummingbird format is particularly suited to styles where harmonic richness and midrange presence are important: folk, pop, country, acoustic rock, chanson, voice-guitar accompaniment, and studio playing. Thanks to the onboard electronics, it also integrates very easily into stage settings, delivering a natural sound that respects the instrument's acoustic personality.
The relatively short scale length contributes to overall comfort by offering a softer playing sensation under the fingers. For driving rhythms, nuanced arpeggios, or singing fingerpicking, this Hummingbird Elegant Koa maintains a very musical response and a true elegance of touch.

A Full, Bright, and Evolving Sound

The combination of a AAA Sitka spruce top and koa back and sides gives this guitar a particularly appealing sonic personality. The Sitka spruce provides the foundation, dynamics, and projection expected from a great Gibson acoustic, with a clear response that retains definition even when played harder with a pick.
Koa, on the other hand, colors the register with beautiful clarity in the upper spectrum, a crisp attack, and precise note-to-note articulation. It is a sought-after wood for its natural brightness, but also for its ability to gain warmth over time and with playing. This results in a guitar that already sounds open, with sparkling highs, while promising more softness and depth as it matures.
The square-shouldered Hummingbird format favors generous projection and well-controlled bass without overpowering the mids. The result is balanced: enough body to support vocals, enough definition to distinguish arpeggios, and a pleasant sustain that highlights both open chords and melodic lines. The dovetail neck-body joint reinforces this sense of acoustic cohesion and organic response.
Plugged in, the guitar retains this identity. The L.R. Baggs VTC system, with an Element under-saddle pickup and internal preamp, is designed to reproduce the instrument's tone as naturally as possible. Volume and tone controls, discreetly placed at the edge of the soundhole, allow quick adjustments of the signal without compromising the top's aesthetics.

Technical specifications

Type	electro-acoustic guitar	Fret type	standard
Format	Hummingbird	Radius	12" / 304.8 mm
Top	AAA Sitka spruce	Scale length	24.75" / 628.7 mm
Back	koa	Nut	TUSQ
Sides	koa	Inlays	split parallelogram
Binding	single-ply on top and back	Inlay material	abalone
Body finish	glossy nitrocellulose lacquer	Headstock	Gibson logo and crown in abalone
Color	Honey Burst	Bridge	Belly Up
Aesthetic detail	"three-string" marquetry center strip on the back	Bridge material	rosewood
Neck	mahogany	Bridge saddle	TUSQ
Profile	Round	Bridge pins	TUSQ
Neck-body joint	dovetail	Tuners	Grover Rotomatic
Fingerboard	rosewood	Hardware finish	gold
Fingerboard binding	single-ply	Pickguard	Hummingbird motif, tortoiseshell finish with gold and silver accents
Number of frets	20	Bridge decoration	abalone dot inlays