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Gibson Custom Hummingbird Deluxe
Taylor Builder's Edition 717e
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Playability
78
Sound
88
Build
94
Value
72
Score
87
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Playability
73
Sound
88
Build
85
Value
67
Score
82
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Gibson Custom Hummingbird Deluxe vs Taylor Builder's Edition 717e

Reasons to Get
Gibson Custom Hummingbird Deluxe over Taylor Builder's Edition 717e

Release Year
2020 vs 2019
From a more recent year
Neck Profile
Acoustic Rounded vs Acoustic Taylor Standard
Comfortable neck with more grip
Pickups Brand
LR Baggs vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Nut Width
1.725'' (43.8mm) vs 1.75'' (44.5mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Paint Finish
Nitro vs Poly
Thin finish that creates aging marks faster
Scale Length
24.75'' (628.7mm) vs 25.5'' (647.7mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm) vs 15'' (381mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings
Value Score
72 vs 67
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Taylor Builder's Edition 717e over Gibson Custom Hummingbird Deluxe

Neck Profile
Acoustic Taylor Standard vs Acoustic Rounded
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Nut Width
1.75'' (44.5mm) vs 1.725'' (43.8mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Paint Finish
Poly vs Nitro
Resistant paint that ages well
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm) vs 24.75'' (628.7mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Fretboard Radius
15'' (381mm) vs 12'' (304.8mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Avg. Weight
4.875lbs (2.2kgs) vs 5.1lbs (2.3kgs)
Tends to be lighter

Other Key Differences
Gibson Custom Hummingbird Deluxe vs Taylor Builder's Edition 717e

Saddle Material
Bone vs Synthetic Bone
Different Saddle Material
Bridge Material
Traditional belly up vs West African Crelicam Ebony
Different Bridge Material
Nut Material
Bone vs Black Tusq XL
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Gibson Custom Hummingbird Deluxe vs Taylor Builder's Edition 717e

Back Material
Rosewood
Same Back Material
Sides Material
Rosewood
Same Sides Material
Body Wood
Spruce
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Mahogany
Same Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Ebony
Same Fretboard Wood
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Hollowbody
Warm tone, lighter and acoustic sound
Switch Positions
0
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
0
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
0
Same tone control
Number of Frets
20
Same maximum octave
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Type of Frets
Medium
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • Solid Top Wood
  • Solid Side Wood
  • Solid Back Wood
  • High-Quality Nut
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Locking Tuners
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Gibson Custom Hummingbird Deluxe is probably the better product overall with its final score of 87 compared to the Taylor Builder's Edition 717e's 82 score, although not by a lot.

The Gibson Custom Hummingbird Deluxe wins when it comes to playability, build quality, value for the money. On the other hand, the Taylor Builder's Edition 717e has the upper hand when it comes to.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel that the Taylor Builder's Edition 717e is easier to play.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

Both meet 3 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players. If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, you can't go wrong with either of them.

New Player Friendliness

Gibson Custom Hummingbird Deluxe
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Soft Strings
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Taylor Builder's Edition 717e
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Soft Strings
  • Locking tuners

Nevertheless, when it comes to choosing an instrument, you should pick the one more compatible with your personal style. Still, below we'll try you to give you our results as objectively as it's possible to help you decide.

Gibson Custom Hummingbird Deluxe Overview

  • From Gibson Custom's 2020 Modern Collection series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 24.75"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Solid Sitka Spruce top
  • Solid Rosewood back
  • Solid Rosewood sides
  • Mahogany neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: LR Baggs VTC (Preamp/Active)
  • Traditional belly up bridge
  • Acoustic Rounded Set neck
  • 20 Medium frets
  • Grover Rotomatic w/ kidney buttons tuners
  • Weight around 5.1lbs (2.3kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Taylor Builder's Edition 717e Overview

  • From Taylor's 2019 700 series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 15" Fretboard Radius
  • Solid Sitka Spruce top
  • Solid Indian Rosewood back
  • Solid Indian Rosewood sides
  • Tropical Mahogany neck
  • West African Crelicam Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Expression System 2 Electronics (Preamp/Active)
  • West African Crelicam Ebony bridge
  • Acoustic Taylor Standard Set neck
  • 20 Medium frets
  • Taylor Nickel tuners
  • Weight between 4.65lbs (2.1kgs) and 5.1lbs (2.3kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Sound Quality Comparison

The most important thing that will determine the tone of an acoustic guitar is the wood. Let's take a look at the differences between both .

Woods Used in Both

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany
Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony
Spruce wood pattern used for guitar building
Spruce
Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood

Mahogany is a fairly rare wood nowadays. It's used mostly for bodies due to its relatively lightweight. Gibson popularized it with their Les Paul guitars during their golden years, so this wood has a lot of good reputation behind it. The most expensive type comes from South America and it's still used by Gibson even today. Find out more about Mahogany.

Ebony is a high-end wood, so it is not cheap. It's only used for fretboards because it's also very heavy. It does an excellent job as a durable material while looking elegant. Find out more about Ebony.

Spruce has a light color with tight grain patterns. It's very stiff but relatively light. It's known for producing a well-rounded tone with a broad dynamic range. Find out more about Spruce.

Rosewood is an almost purple-looking wood that is used mainly for fretboards since it's heavy, rare, and expensive. It's sometimes used on acoustic guitar bodies to create stronger warm tones. Find out more about Rosewood.

Winner: Tie.

Electronics

Both come with electronics that allow you connect them to an amplifier or interface for recording.

Winner:Tie.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Gibson Custom Hummingbird Deluxe
Sustain 95
Versatility 85
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 88
Taylor Builder's Edition 717e
Sustain 95
Versatility 85
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 88

Build Quality Comparison

When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the Gibson Custom Hummingbird Deluxe compares to the Taylor Builder's Edition 717e.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. Both in this comparison where made in United States.

The United States is considered one of the best electric guitar manufacturers in the world. A guitar made in this country is supposed to have world-class quality control. Nowadays, guitars made in other countries can beat some of the ones made in the US, but most of the time, this country offers the best you can get. Of course, that comes at a price.

Winner: Tie

Nut Material

If you want your guitar to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.

The Gibson Custom Hummingbird Deluxe has a Bone nut. It's a type of nut found in high-quality instruments. They sound similar to Ivory since they give a lot of sustain and a bright sound (at least when striking open strings). The only problem they can run into is that you may get a bone piece that simply doesn't sound as well as others because that's just how natural materials are.

On the other hand, the Taylor Builder's Edition 717e comes with a Black Tusq XL nut. TUSQ nuts are usually the highest quality you can get. Black TUSQs are made from a special slippery material that helps the strings get back to its original position (one of the keys to tune stability).

Winner: Tie.

Fret Material

Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.

Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.

Winner: Tie.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. The Gibson Custom Hummingbird Deluxe's are Grover Rotomatic w/ kidney buttons while the Taylor Builder's Edition 717e's are Taylor Nickel

Winner: Tie.

Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:

Strengths & Weaknesses
Gibson Custom Hummingbird Deluxe
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Electronics
  • Bone Saddle
  • Solid Top Wood
  • Solid Side Wood
  • Solid Back Wood
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Taylor Builder's Edition 717e
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Black Tusq XL Nut
  • Electronics
  • Synthetic Bone Saddle
  • Solid Top Wood
  • Solid Side Wood
  • Solid Back Wood
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Gibson Custom Hummingbird Deluxe
Quality of materials 96
Features 85
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 94
Taylor Builder's Edition 717e
Quality of materials 81
Features 75
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 85

Playability Comparison

Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a guitar might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.

Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a guitar feels in your hands.

Nut Width

Gibson Custom Hummingbird Deluxe Nut Width
Gibson Custom Hummingbird Deluxe Nut Width
Taylor Builder's Edition 717e Nut Width
Taylor Builder's Edition 717e Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Taylor Builder's Edition 717e has the wider nut with 44.5mm (1.75'') vs 43.8mm (1.725''). This is a 0.7mm (0.025'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Taylor Builder's Edition 717e, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

Gibson Custom Hummingbird Deluxe's Scale Length
Gibson Custom Hummingbird Deluxe's Scale Length
Taylor Builder's Edition 717e's Scale Length
Taylor Builder's Edition 717e's Scale Length

The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.

The Taylor Builder's Edition 717e has the longest scale: 25.5". The Gibson Custom Hummingbird Deluxe is only 24.75" long. This is a 0.75'' (19.1mm) scale length difference.

This longer scale means that the strings need more tension to get in tune. This is good if you want to avoid fret buzz, which can happen when the strings are too loose and touch the frets while vibrating. This is especially important when playing in lower tunings. This will also let you reduce the gap between fretboard and strings (low action) to make them easier to press down. However, this higher tension will also make it harder to perform bends and vibratos as the strings will feel stiffer.

This also means that the frets have a longer separation between each other, so this will make it harder for people with smaller hands when playing some chord positions.

Another characteristic of a longer scale is that it makes the guitar sound 'snappier' or brighter. This is due to the extra separation between harmonics and overtones produced by the tension. This influences tone more than any other factor (except the pickups).

Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.

Neck Profile

Gibson Custom Hummingbird Deluxe Neck Profile
Gibson Custom Hummingbird Deluxe's neck profile
Taylor Builder's Edition 717e Neck Profile
Taylor Builder's Edition 717e's neck profile

No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.

In this case, both have different neck shapes:

The Gibson Custom Hummingbird Deluxe has a U type of neck. This is also referred to as ''baseball neck'' because of its shape. It's usually thick, which is why some people with big hands like it. However, they can also be thin, similar to a C shape, but with more shoulders for a better grip.

The Taylor Builder's Edition 717e, on the other hand, has a C neck. This is what you'll find in most modern guitars. Most people feel like the thickness of a C neck is simply the less intrusive one for playing fast, while at the same time allowing you to grab the neck easily for resting if you want to.

Fretboard Radius

Gibson Custom Hummingbird Deluxe Fingerboard Radius
Gibson Custom Hummingbird Deluxe's Fingerboard radius
Taylor Builder's Edition 717e Fingerboard Radius
Taylor Builder's Edition 717e's Fingerboard radius

Most guitar fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.

In this case, the Gibson Custom Hummingbird Deluxe's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Taylor Builder's Edition 717e's. This extra arc will make playing chords easier in this model. You won't be as likely to mute the strings, especially if you have big hands. However, playing single notes and bending will be easier on the Taylor Builder's Edition 717e.

Still, both tend to favor soloing over chords, so if you're looking for a guitar for playing rhythm, you might want something else with a radius closer to a Stratocaster's 9.5''.

Hand Size Comfortability

Everyone has a different hand size, and that's why it's recommended to try a guitar before buying, even if others tell you that it's comfortable to play. However, we can know whether a guitar favors small or large hands just by knowing its exact measurements.

And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Gibson Custom Hummingbird Deluxe favors large hands more than the Taylor Builder's Edition 717e.

Gibson Custom Hummingbird Deluxe:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Taylor Builder's Edition 717e:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Gibson Custom Hummingbird Deluxe and Taylor Builder's Edition 717e Frets Size
Both have a similar Medium fret size

Both have a Medium fret size. If you like feeling the fretboard when you play, but also appreciate some easiness to press down the frets, this size offers a good balance for that.

Final Playability Scores

Gibson Custom Hummingbird Deluxe
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 70
Playability 78
Taylor Builder's Edition 717e
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 80
Playability 73

Specs Side-by-Side

Gibson Custom Hummingbird Deluxe vs Taylor Builder's Edition 717e
General Gibson Custom Hummingbird Deluxe Taylor Builder's Edition 717e
Brand: Gibson Custom Taylor
Year: 2020 2019
Strings: 6 6
Made in: United States United States
Series: Modern Collection 700
Colors: Natural Burst Natural
Left-Handed Version: Yes Yes
Body
Type: Hollowbody Hollowbody
Body Material: Solid Sitka Spruce Solid Sitka Spruce
Sides Material: Rosewood Rosewood
Back Material: Rosewood Rosewood
Bridge: Traditional belly up West African Crelicam Ebony
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Grover Rotomatic w/ kidney buttons Taylor Nickel
Fretboard: Ebony West African Crelicam Ebony
Neck Material: Mahogany Tropical Mahogany
Decoration: Mother-of-pearl Parallelograms with brass border Arrowheads, Mother of Pearl
Scale Size: 24.75" 25.5"
Shape: Acoustic Rounded Acoustic Taylor Standard
Frets: 20 Medium Nickel Silver 20 Medium Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" 15"
Nut: Bone Black Tusq XL
Nut Width: 43.8mm (1.725'') 44.5mm (1.75'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: LR Baggs VTC (Preamp / Active) Expression System 2 Electronics (Preamp / Active)