Gibson Acoustic Comparison | Hummingbird vs. Dove 

I have always favored the Dove over the hummingbird as I love the transparency of the Maple in combination with the Dreadnought platform and full scale. When you strum it just has this grind to it that is rare to find in other guitars. Bass response is full and clear and never muddy. If you find a good one it's a keeper. There is a reason that Dave Grohl Plays an Elvis Presley dove onstage.

The first time I ever played / listened to a high end guitar was in 1973. My friend had just bought a Hummingbird for $500. Hooked me on guitar right then, and I have never stopped.

Chris, a great review as always. To my ear, you were spot on regarding the tone of the guitars. I particularly enjoyed this review because it brought back some incredible memories. Many moons ago (mid 1980s) my wife and I sung in our 9:30 church folk choir. The leader of the group was Frank F. who was an amazing musician. He had played professionally for many years, both in the U.S. and in Europe. For a time, he was in a band that opened for the Beatles. Anyway, Frank played a Hummingbird. It was the first personal experience I had with a guitar and it was beautiful. One of my fondest memories was one day we showed up at church at the appointed time, about an hour prior to the service, to practice. The church basement was locked. We decided to warm up out in the parking lot. I lived in a climate where it was cold and it was winter. Frank broke a string while trying to tune up and the bridge pin popped out and landed in some snow. We couldn't find it. Finally, Frank broke off a little branch and used it as a bridge pin. I'll never forget standing next to him singing and looking at this small tree sticking out the the bridge of his guitar. Frank has since passed but thanks for triggering some cherished memories.

I'm glad the Dove doesn't have the old tune-o-matic saddle! Both are awesome, but I've wanted a Dove for 50 years!

I own a 1976 Gibson Dove (cherry sunburst) that was my late father's. Elvis had one exactly like it except his was a 1975 I believe.

I think I prefer the Hummingbird. It just has that perfect tonal balance and crisp sound that I find doesn't even beat the dove. Though the Dove is louder, I can give it that.

I have owned both, and I sold them but then really wanted a dove back...so I got it! Maple is better than mahogany to me in acoustics

I have the Epiphone Dove Pro and it sounds pretty good. But the Gibson Dove is one of the most beautiful looking and sounding guitar out there. Hope to get one someday

Watching this. It's amazing how smooth you play the hummingbird and the dove sounds clunky. You're a great player but I could hear the longer scale and higher tension come through in you playing. I love the sound of the dove but I also see why the hummingbird has sold more.

my takeaways from this video: 1) Mahogany sounds very different than mahogany 2) I'm not the only one that appreciates the necks on acoustics

Being a forever blues(wo)man, the Hummingbird is for me (although I love the MOP inlaid work on the Dove.) And I must say, Chris, that your playing has come along and is sounding amazing; keep up the good work!! Also, I'm glad to see ... ah, hear, that you are still playing that song. You've heard of comfort food, well, that song is genuine comfort music. When working around the house, I'll find myself humming it to myself. Thanks for everything, Chris. Always glad to hear from you, and Alamo Music. :)

Excellent review. I ordered a new Dove on the very first day they became available again. I had been waiting for them to build them again. It took awhile for it to arrive. Serial number 009. But it looks and sounds incredible.

Played a Dove today before I saw this video. Loved it. The Dove playing and tonality makes it lean more toward the ballsey-er side for rock, blues and things with a punch. It had an extremely comfortable and playable neck. Best balance of definition, punch and clarity on the bass notes that I've heard on any acoustic I've played and very nice all the way up the neck for picking and fingerpicking. Very fun to play.

I am all in on the maple. The Dove is the one I would take home today. I have a Gibson Cascade with Maple. Love it!

Man do I love the sound of a maple back and sides acoustic. I would have to go with the Dove overall.

9.38 this section on the Hummingbird is just bliss. My ears love it. Sounds amazing and well played 👏👌

My uncle has a 1979 Dove. It's gorgeous.

Also different scale length. Both great guitars. To me, very retro sixties style. I have a custom shop Dove in heritage cherry burst. I love the acoustical dynamics of maple (think SJ200) and the aesthetics of the Dove.

Dove has a richer and fatter sound, so Dove for me.

Wow, this is an outstanding comparison. As close to "apples to apples" as one can reasonably get. Because of this, I was able to hear the difference between Mahogany and Maple. This illustrated to me why I have gravitated towards Maple over Mahogany consistently. It also demonstrated that Sitka Spruce is a wonderful tonewood.

Thanks for the video. I didn't realize the Dove was so different from the other Gibsons. Both guitars sound great! I'll take one of each!

Beautiful playing and review. I think one needs both.

The Dove and the Songwriter would be an interesting comparison since both are 25.5” scale length.

Holy JEEZUS that ending! HOW COULD YOU DO THAT?!?!?!?! Dude, WTF! That had better have been an all laminate guitar!

I love my ‘97 bird. My favorite of all my tool!

I love maple jumbos, but have always preferred the mahogany Hummingbird over the Dove. Because of my hearing loss, glassy highs annoy me and my ears crave mids. I do like the Dove bridge better, though. Incidentally, the Epiphone Hummingbird Pro is a superb value.

I'd like to see a comparison of the hummingbird Dove and Songbird all together

They're both beautiful works of art but I cannot afford the real thing so I bought an Epiphone Dove Pro which is 10% of the price and is just splendid. I was amazed how big they sound for such little money. Although I prefer it unplugged it's still got that acoustic electric power if you need it. I will keep it forever, even if I get round to buying a Gibson Dove, the Epiphone is still brilliant and always will be.

At 06:53 you misspeak and describe the Dove as having Mahogany back and sides, but it's maple.

I owned a beautiful older Dove in flight and a more recent Hummingbird - and sold the Hummingbird, preferring - besides the beauty of the instrument - the transparent, clear sound of the Dove. But in this comparison, I went with the accommodating sound of the Hummingbird. I, however, do not play this big type of instrument much any more. I, today, prefer smaller body sizes and more intimate sounds. Maybe my age... ;-)

I think it's time for Gibson to make a new bird model. 'The Eagle'. Rosewood back and sides, adi spruce top, standard scale, 13/4 but width, forward scalloped bracing. Classy retro eagle pickguard. It would be an instant buy for me

That's some great playing and recording equipment right there. They both sound amazing. I'm a bit biased towards the Hummingbird, though.

Very nice comparison!! (Not sure if you forgot to mention that the Dove is a 25-1/2" scale, while the Hummingbird is a 24-3/4" scale).

The dove always feels like it’s Christmas themed to me.

Beautiful and informative playing demos. Thank you. Wish I could buy a Dove.

Thank you for your great work and comparisons! You do great demos. Would you consider please adding just picking each string slowly at the start and letting the sustain play out? I particularly want to hear the low E and A. Thank you, in advance, for your kind consideration of this request.

I had a Hummingbird back in the Seventies and without committing suicide I sold it because of Bills. I wished I would have robbed a Bank. I have had Beautiful Martins D-35, D-28, D-18 and they were all Beautiful. I can still play at 72 just like I did in the Seventies and on and on and on. If you are interested when you're young work your Ass for one or have rich mommy and daddy for it. Just get it and learn how to play and you will never regret the great times of beautiful sound.

So difficult to decide which is best - of course they're different each in their own way. To my ears the Dove probably has the edge on articulation, but that iconic Hummingbird top makes it so appealing.

Great comparison! This was very useful. I was thinking the Hummingbird would clearly win my favor. I love mahogany guitars as a rule. But the Dove had a richness and substance. Loved your playing on the fingerstyle tune in "G" on the Dove. Beautifully played! What is that song? I am now more open to considering a Dove.

I've always noticed that the Hummingbird has a velvet hum overtone that the dove doesn't. The Dove a bit more transparent and has a clearer heavy bass. That is what I hear.

The Dove and The Gibsons (And most guitars) show you where the harmonics and the tones are by the 3 rings on the inlays around the sound hole and the sweep of the strrum pattern points on the pick guard. This allows you to use the harmonics to create the grace notes that make the melody worrk and be more fun to play. Thinlk of it as triplets in or out if a given finger position. The Dove lets you do that because of the fiddle like tone of the maple back and sides, in my opinion.

That was some beautiful playing...

My brother owned a dove a friend of mine a hummingbird they were both very unique in sound both great guitars.

hummingbird shorter scale lenght ?

Neither of these guitars are for the shy, that's for sure! Both have nice classic tones. I'm surprised you didn't mention the difference in scale length. No pricing yet for the Dove on your website. That's scary, considering the price of the Hummingbird.

The Hummingbird sounds a bit more open, the Dove more intimate at present. Time will tell on both. I know what you mean about overtones. I do like the way maple accentuates the fundamental. I have a jumbo maple Guild - from the early 70's. I love it for that reason, but it now needs a neck reset. I have been playing dreads with mahogany B & S for a while now, waiting out the pandemic to get the blond jumbo fixed. I miss it. By the way, the Dove has a 25.5" scale length; the Hummingbird a 24.75".

I recently played both models & my feeling was that the Hummingbird sounded like a beefed up J45 while the Dove sounded very similar to a J200.

I have a Epiphone Dove Pro plays just as good you should compare them Epiphone and Gibson hummingbird and Dove Pro

This & your other, similar vids are extremely helpful I love the aesthetics of the Dove but the Hummingbird sounds perfect to me.

Hummingbird has a warmer sound over the dove. I would play the hummingbird in the blues. And the dove in country or rock. Just me..

Ok, I have owned (or still have) 3 Dove's and 2 Humm's. This helps a lot for comparison, and obviously the feeling differs with the dates of birth, NOT for a vintage argument, but into the construction itself. The Dove is the top of range, with a maple body giving a mix of transparency and projection, very comfortable and with a super look. The quality of the sound is unique and I remind (to young people) that the "Famous Hummingbird of the Stones" was a Dove ! ! ! In fact in 64, the production of Humm's had problems, and series were released with a Dove body and a Hummingbird's neck and scratchplate. This explains "the fantastic sound". Then, it is true that the 70's (red) Presley re-issued as the "Love" was the first Gibson hi-level assembled in Nashville with Kalamazoo parts, it included a Custom ebony neck slim and comfortable, from the Les Paul black beauty stock. The ebony slim bridge was more responsive and strongly fixed to the table at the opposite of the Hummingbird's wrong series. I have a '72 (full Kalamazoo), a '76 (assembled in Nashville) and a '95 (early series in Bozeman). I do not like the thickness of the Bozeman's necks and bridges. My 76 "Love" is definitely THE BEST ONE. A B-band film-pickup was added, without saddle modification, this is really the best way to keep the guitar full acoustic. The Hummingbird was a cheaper guitar and the mahogany body is not a bad idea. The neck is less comfortable than the "custom Doves". The sound is sweet, but the trick came from the period where Gibson was not allowed to use the double bracing. With a simple bracing, the sound was fabulous but the guitar terribly fragile. I'm not sure that an original Humm never repaired could exist today, if yes, do not play it and use strings 09-46 ! The guitars of the period 65-69 were affected by a lot of bridges ungluing, Gibson produced a "sandwich" bridge for replacement under warranty, and two screws hidden under an abalone disc. But the biggest injury was the simple braced table that took a "S" profile with strong strings. Some were repaired by clever luthiers, (look the reflect of the table with a strong light, tracks are often visible), bracing was redone, therefore it's no longer a Hummingbird. The scale changed at several periods for the Humm' depending upon the neck stock available, this has also an effect to the sound. Another curiosity is the color, natural color was very scarce. The color used for the table, then the number on the headstock, or the color of the scratchplate, were different on a full Kalamazoo and a Nashville assembled with Kalamazoo parts (period 70 to 76) because of the local equipment. The color "Cherry sunburst" was synthetic and stable on all Doves, then on Nashville Hummingbird. The early Kalamazoo Hummingbirds were using a natural color which used to fade with the light after a decade. My two Humm's are from 73, one has faded and is equipped with a transparent light brown pickguard, it was the routine at Kalamazoo. The second one has kept the color (like my Doves) and the pickguard is dark, this one was finished at Nashville. Both of them have the double bracing and had never problems, the sound is at the same level of quality. After 74, the difference regarding quality increased between Dove and Humm's. The worse period was the beginning of the eighties. So, when Bozeman opened I bought one ! The only points I could criticise to Bozeman's series, is first the choice of the thick "C" neck shape, then the blemish orange color which can't compare with my old Hummingbird. Why not the original color ? Ok, of course, every taste is respectful, there is not a single answer to the question "Dove or Hummingbird" ... for my part, it is Dove, but I keep a Hummingbird with me too. For the guitar teachers: the Epiphone Hummingbird is the best choice to advise to beginners, not the Dove, so good that they can kepp it as a spare, after buying the true one, or a Dove Love !

Your video solidified my choice to purchase the 2020 Hummingbird.

I think I want both

i used to love the gibson gospel because of the maple back...looks like i have to test out the dove

I am so waiting for a comparison between (are you ready?) the Gibson J45 vs. the New Epiphone J45! Can you do this?

I had a 76 Dove Custom and gave it to my 18 year old nephew on the condition he would never sell it. It was given to me by my dad. Well, you know teenagers. It's still in the family, just someone' else's family...I deserved that. SMH Anyway, I'm back on the market and was curious about the Hummingbird. I just had a cochlear implant in June 2023 and was going to get back to playing. I currently have a mint Martin 000-15M that's been played maybe twice. It is my 2nd. Sold the 1st, missed it so much much, that I bought a new one. GIBSON As far as sound, the tone of the two, the Dove still produces a wide tone, with sharp finishes and bluesy smacks, but played softly, can sound crystalizing , almost angelic. The tone finishes like a sustained piano chord in fading. The Hummingbird like you said. Sort of cozied up with high and low tones that bottom and top out with a soft, gentle, and somewhat dull landing. Easy on the ears in a mellow inclusive setting. My style and voice sill compliments the Dove best. I still have the Martin for those other times. It's solid mahogany and delivers closer to the Hummingbird. Very helpful Demo! Thanks!

IMO - Hummingbird all the way. I like the thunderous lows of a Hog.

YAY!!!!! Great comparison!!! Are you going to do one on the OM-sized Gibs? I really want to hear that because I am really swooning after that 1942 Banner one!

The biggest difference is the scale length, the Dove is 25.5", the Hummingbird is 24.75". This gives the Dove a brighter snappy sound and the hummingbird a warmer sound.

My God I am pooping myself listening to this Dove. Although you misspeak a couple of times calling it mahogany rather than maple, I LOVE your videos. Great job.

I IMMEDIATELY liked the Dove. Great review. Thanks

Dove has a 25.5" scale length and the Hummingbird has a 24.75" scale length.

The fact that the when playing it, the actual dove on the pick guard is holding on to a branch while horizontal, kills the dove for me!😅

Wow. This is about the hardest decision of my life. The Dove does have more treble . But the Dove does have the warmth . Both articulate instruments! My answer is I need both.

Great video, nice playing too!

Is it possible to do a comparison with like the GS Mini and other travel guitars against full sized guitars like a J45 just to see really how much of a difference the body sizes have and to see if it’s worth getting a full sized one

I prefer the pickguard design of the dove simply for the more visible bird that stands out more

Thanks for a decent demo. Most video demos of lower-end guitars like the Dove don't bother to mic them properly (just use their cam's shitty built-in audio) so it's impossible to get a sense of what they really sound like. Appreciate you making the effort to do a proper demo.

Not a maple acoustic fan in the studio, but I liked the Dove better. I would rather the Bird on a solo (guitar/vocal) set, but I'd prefer the Dove in a group, or almost any other time.

Definitely two beautiful guitars. My favorite is the hummingbird. However, much too expensive to buy.

Curious to know if you took lessons or are self-taught...? (PS - Can't wait to have a Dove!)

Great comparison. I think it’s also important to mention the strings used, would be nice to know…

I have played everything...but a Dove. And ever since I saw trey Hensley use one a lot playing bluegrass I been dying to try one. Had no idea the Dove sounded so good and powerful flatpicking bluegrass!! If your not familiar look up trey hensely and the black guitar he plays a lot is a Dove

Hummingbird would kick a doves butt! 😂 great video i just bought a HB, salivating as i wait for it to get to the shop!

I have a Hummingbird my dad bought new in 1968 . I play it all the time and it is in very good condition. He would of bought the dove but it was I think $100 + more and he couldn't afford it at the time, but I do believe the Hummingbird is right up there with the Dove or any others of that caliber.

I. Getting my hummingbird back this month.

you need to compare the Songwriter Deluxe to them (not the standard or studio models.) Same guitar but Rosewood Mahogany and Ebony on fretboard and bridge.

Of the two the dove sounds better to my ears, but neither sounds like a D35 and 3 pieces of rosewood on the back and that’s why my money is on a Martin.

Love my Hummingbird AND I and that shirt!

I had to watch this twice because I thought I missed it, but you didn't mention a major difference is the Dove has a longer scale length than the Hummingbird. Both iconic guitars that sound great but for some odd reason I don't like playing either.

I have a 1964 Gibson, and it sounds just as good, if not better, than these newer models.

Dang???????? I WANTED TO SEE THE BACK OF THE HEADSTOCK OF THE DOVE!!

I’m not a fan of the hummingbird I like the Dove over the hummingbird neither of them turn my crank overall. Exceptional guitars but Not my favorites. On top of that to much over the top flash. Great run down Chris thank you sir.

I closed my eyes listened. I think Hummingbird is more balanced between bass and trebble and it sounds more confident. but that's just me...

I'll be hitting up alamo again after I pay off my j45 and getting a dove as well

I like birds that kill other birds. So, I ll go for the White Falcon. Love and Peace! Very good performance btw :)

Great review. How does a gibson firebird acoustic compare to the traditional dove since both are maple back and side?

That hummingbird sounds amazing! I played one a while back that sounded like it was stuffed with blankets. This one really sings

theres a hummingbird rosewood version, should compare those to really see any differences.

If they want to be truly original with the Dove they need to bring back the tune o matic adjustable bridge like the early years Doves as an option. I personally prefer that bridge myself. I like old school ( think old triple deuce carburetors on the early Pontiac G.T.O.’s that you can fine tune same with Gibson’s adjustable bridge)I’m still going to buy a new dove because it will probably be my last high dollar purchase. But early specs would be preferred.

How do their neck profiles compare? I got rid of my HBird because I grew to not like the shallowness of the neck. I like something chunkier.

which one do you think its better for strumming ?? or which one would you buy if you only do strumming? Thanks

I've always wondered why Gibson didn't make a maple dreadnaught now I know they do. Yes I had forgotten about the dove. I've never played one but I love the tone and eye candy. I have a j-45 that's great. I like the shorter scale length on my j-45 but I would love to play the dove and compare.

I like the Dove over the Hummingbird, but my God that Red tint on the Maple is such a WASTE of Beautiful Wood! I absolutely HATE that colouring. Just leave it as a Natural Finish and you'd sell those Doves like hotcakes in the morning!

the Dove sounds like its a bit to aggressive, you hear the maple .. I think mapel works better on j200 style

Great review and playing! Love the Hummingbird, cheers.

Wow that DOVE

9:47 what song is that, i need to learn it OoO

great video - but you didn't compare stairway to heaven - just joking.....excellent guitars both of them and you articulated well the differences.

Hummingbird has more of a coloured sound, like it's been eq'd. Great if you like that sound but the Dove might just be a better recording tool.