By Johnny Zapp

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Musicians have special bonds with their instruments. Guitars become “partners,” and much like a car or motorcycle, they are extensions of their owner’s personalities. Some cats even name their guitars. As a music industry professional, I have quite a few guitars, basses and drum sets. Gear naturally upgraded as I got older.  As a child, I always dreamed of owning Gibson, Gretsch and Martin guitars, but what adolescent has that kind of cash?!  Now those are the logos that adorn all of my instruments.

Friends and family members that are not musicians have always asked me why I need so many different guitars.  Truth be told, they are all different.  They all embody different personalities and characteristics of their own.  When I was a kid, there were three guitars in particular that I swore I would own before I died, and I did, for awhile.  A ’56 Les Paul Gold Top, a Gretsch 6120 with a flame top and a Gibson Hummingbird in Heritage Cherry.

In 2008, the trifecta was completed by the acquisition of my 2007 Gibson Hummingbird True Vintage. This instrument was detailed to the exact specifications of the original 1960 model, but was brand new, and documented for me to love and break in. An absolutely flawless example of quality handmade American craftsmanship. This was the guitar Keith Richards used on Let It Bleed in 1969, for cryin’ out loud!  I tracked what would become my biggest film and TV single to date with this guitar, “Poor Pitiful You”. That song was featured in 19 televised PGA Tour events and also won a Billboard magazine songwriting award in 2009.

In 2010, I had to make a difficult, but mature, decision. I had to clean house (orhum3 studio, in this case). As much as I hated it, I knew it was the right thing to do. I sold the Hummingbird, a Gibson Firebird and my 1953 Chevy BelAir.  When I found a new home for the Hummingbird, I made a gentlemen’s agreement with the buyer that should he ever decide to sell it, he would give me first right of refusal.

Fast forward to September, 2013. Time to buy back my beloved 6-string. As luck would have it, the buyer sold it to someone else without contacting me. Nice. I thought we were gentlemen here? An EBay search proved unsuccessful also. This particular model had been discontinued, in favor of a modern version.  There are plenty of actual ’60s pieces out there, but I am looking to replace what I had. I prefer the newer ones so that I can break them in, make them my own and create history together. I “retired” from playing live music back in 2007, but I am staring some live acoustic gigs right in the face in the next few months, and I’d sure love to have my Hummingbird back.  Perhaps you ROCK RAG readers can help me out.

hum2Let me give you the specifics:

Although mine was a 2007, a 2007-2010 will be acceptable.

Gibson Hummingbird TRUE VINTAGE in Heritage Cherry

All Acoustic, NO acoustic/electrics. The case: tan with a pink interior. (See photos)

The serial number of my old guitar is 00857029, for those of you that know how to decode Gibson serial numbers.

The model number is SSHV HCNH.hum4

 

 

 

 

Your help would be appreciated. Thanks much, folks!

Cheers~ Zapp

JOHNNY ZAPP WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TheChivalrousLifeWebsite | ITUNES

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