Gibson Les Paul Melody Maker

Plain and simple santa maria body painted in red with a rough quality with a cedar neck painted in red.One P90 pickup,one volume and one tone control.Very lightweight guitar but has a character of its own.

Soundwise this guitar can do amazing things.Full on tone has a searing lead sound-back off the tone and you have a great rhythm sound.Can be used effectively in rock mode-a little more difficult to play clean.

This feels like it was made by my friends dad-quite amateurish but it all works and surprisingly well!

Should last the distance but will mark and dent easily-but so what?

1 year warranty.

I have a number of guitars and this sits well with them-it is not special but is fun to play.
I bought it to get the P90 sound and that makes it worthwhile.

This was my first ever guitar which I bought from a second-hand guitar shop in 1973. Double cutaway design, blood red in color with a large black pickguard, two single coil black pickups, 2 volume and 2 tone knobs and a 3-way selector switch. The paint job had begun to crack when I bought it in 1973, which gave it incredible character. Even more impressive was the fact that the paint had worn off on the back of the guitar due to heavy use by the prior owner (he loved wearing those huge belt buckles). Other than that, the guitar was light on features (no tremolo bar, no humbuckers) but had all the basics you could possibly want. The most impressive thing about it was the fact that it had the name GIBSON on the head. Over the years, that became more and more impressive. Unfortunately, it also impressed the thief who broke into my parents house and stole it from me.

BACKSTORY
I carried the guitar everywhere and played in a few bands off and on during high school. I later learned that the prior owner was a guy named Stuart Swanlund who I went to high school with (he was a year older than me). He had traded in the Melody Maker for a much nicer Les Paul at the time. He was also a very impressive guitarist, one of the best blues/rock guys I have ever heard. I was not surprised when I saw that he later joined the Marshall Tucker Band as lead guitarist after Toy Caldwell met an untimely demise (God rest his soul). Stuart told me that he hated to give up the Melody Maker and he was glad that it was serving me well.

The guitar had a rattly neck pickup that could be annoying at times. I had often contemplated fixing or replacing it, but being sentimmental, I learned to appreciate the odd character of the rattling pickup.

The guitar produced pure tone. I loved to play it with both pickups engaged for a deep throaty sound, but would often switch back and forth depending on need. The bridge pickup had a very bright tone to it, perfect for that early Beatles sound. The neck pickup was more lush in tone. Both of them together produced the best overall sound.

The first amp I used was a crappy no name amp I bought for $20. Later that year (1973) I found a Fender Deluxe Reverb for $200 and the marriage between guitar and amp was on.

The lack of humbuckers was later deemed a liability by my fellow bandmates as most new guitars of the day had humbuckers, but I refused to change. As a ryhthm player, the guitar was perfect. However, the guitar was never able to give me the brute power I longed for whenever I had a chance to play lead.

The guitar had incredible action. Movement up and down the neck was smooth and effortless. As I mentioned before, the neck pickup was loose, but that was from years of use and was just something I learned to deal with. The paint job had cracked on the guitar and I'm pretty sure it was the original paint job since the wear on the back of the guitar (down to the base mahogany) revealed no other layers. But who really cares abot what the paint looks like? What I want is an instrument that doesn't kill my fingers and that gives me great sound. That is what the Meoldy Maker did for me.

I never had a problem with keeping the guitar in tune. I could play all day, case it, uncase it, hit it against the door frame, shake it, stretch the strings from here to Kalamazoo and the darn thing would stay in tune. I later bought an acoustic Epiphone that was and still is a piece of unadulterated crapola. I thought all guitars held their tuning like the Melody Maker, but I was sadly mistaken when it came to the Epiphone FT-350, but I digress.

Solid hardware for such an inexpensive entry-level guitar. I used it on many gigs, including a tour across Europe. Never had a backup and never needed one. The pickup only rattled when I was shouldering or unshouldering the guitar, but never when I was playing.

As for the finish, well, I mentioned earlier the paint had cracked on it and that the paint had worn off the back, but the wear on the back was because the prior owner wore cast iron, shoe-sized belt buckles with a sand-paper finish. What do you expect?

I'm sure the guitar is still out there somewhere, giving someone great service. If you bought it, just know it was stolen and please return it to me immediately. If you stole it from me, then may you burn in hell for an eternity and remember: you can't take the guitar with you, you scumbag.

I would have been cluless as to how to even contact Gibson back in the day. With so many great local guitar techs today, why would anyone even want to consider sending their axe back to the manufacturer?

I have been playing off and on for the past 30 years. After my Gibson was stolen, I went through a bit of downtime, but my future wife bought me a nice Yamaha acoustic that I have used quite a bit over the years. Moved to Georgia in 1993 and left the Yamaha in the case for over 10 years. No time for music - for some reason I started using computer games as a way to blow off steam. What a freaking fool I was.

So one day about 5 months ago, my 18-yr daughter brings home a new boyfriend who is carrying a guitar over his shoulder. He said he wanted to share his passion with us and then proceeded to play several songs for us. It wasn't until he butchered "Over The Hills and Far Away" when I had finally heard enough. I took the guitar from him and played the song CORRECTLY and handed it back to him. It didn't matter that my virgin fingers were nearly bleeding after submitting them to the torture of a heavy gauge string on a Sigma guitar (ugh!). By golly, I had to show the dude how to do a classic tune right. My daughter gasped and said, "Wow Dad, THAT sounded a lot better!" That was when I realized how badly I missed my guitar playing days. So I took the Yamaha out and got busy relearning everything. I finally have my calouses back and it feels awesome!

The fever it at high pitch now - I have the Deluxe Reverb in the shop getting a cap/tube job and I just bought a brand new Telecaster. I can't wait to get those two together this weekend.

By the way, The insurance company gave me $250 to replace the Melody Maker back in 1981. I was unable to find another Gibson guitar at that price and thus chose not to buy a relpacement. And now I see vintage Melody Makers selling for $1,000. It's enough to make me want to vomit. If I had it to do over, I would have bought a used SG (which were selling for around $350 back then). The moral to the story: if it gets stolen...GO BUY ANOTHER ONE!

Basics: mahogany body, cedar neck (according to the Gibson website), set neck, rosewood board with abalone dots, one P90 in the bridge stock...that was to change. Ebony satin finish. Nice, thick neck, damn near as thick as the body, with a nice carve to it.

Stock, this guitar rocks for just about any style, maybe not jazz, but whatever... I saw this up at GC and saw the price tag and had to have it. Stripped down, nothing you don't need, and slightly menacing in a Johnny Cash kind of way. I like the fact that the guitar wouldn't seem out of place at either a death metal show or a blues jam.

9? Maybe there's no maple top, no neck pickup or associated switch, no sunburst finish, but I don't want any of that stuff anyway. Here, the features are as much about what's not there - i.e. big ol' routes taking away tone-giving wood - as what is.

Stock, the P90 sound was great - big balls and good definition. However, too much noise with the gain turned up. So out came the router, followed by a Duncan Custom humbucker. Many will cry out 'sacriledge!' at such a move, but fuck 'em - my guitar gets hot rodded my way. The sound now is huge and full, but with great definition. The guitar is now a hardcore or metal player's wet dream for distortion sounds - your Les Paul just got sidelined - but I give up nothing in the clean sounds department or during effects use. I tune down to D and occasionally drop the low string to C, and I'm never wondering where my definition went.
'
Bottom line? Quit pining for that 'Paul, all you need is right here.

While the tuners at first seemed cheap, they've given me no problems so far, although some grovers will be in the near future. Wiring was neat, at least before I went in and removed half of it. People bitch about the finish, but that neck gets nice and slick after you've been playing it for awhile, and so does the lower bout where it contacts your arm. Apparently, it's not the dumb idea that everyone thought it was. And for the price? For a USA made guitar? Please.

Solid as a rock. No reason to doubt it at all. And I don't doubt that the finish will age well.

Never tried, but we've now come to the downside: dealing with Gibson's corporate ass.

If you like stripped down, mean playing machines that will absolutely destroy other guitars in your eyes, get one of these and find bliss. If you're more concerned about fancy tops, transluscent candy finishes and vine inlays...for this price, better contact Jay Turser. If Billy Gibbons had only a few bills to fill the void of Pearly Gates, he might well get this guitar. For players only.

I KNOW everyone is like a KID WITH A NEW TOY with these reviews but here goes

Mine is a like Dark red mabey a BLOOD red or mabey a cross betweed blood+wine I think it will go better with the clothes i have than the yellow one, though i DID think i prefered the yellow the; black is boring. Tuners are kluson tuners. I like the neck its kinda chubby. features? its bare bones
AND
BARE BONES R U L E S!!!!!!!!!

well i started playing the opening strains to Aerosmiths' "moving out" you know back when Aerosmith had every rite to have some PRIDE (NOW they have every rite to be ASHAMED and prob have MORE pride then they ever did back then) back when they were one of the best bands i personaly think they were better than zep
Anyway they SUCK in capitol letters now a TRAGIDY worse the the fall of the roman empire .
POINT IS "moving out" sounded awsom even in MY lame hands
I love this rig .I KNOW "a kid with a new toy"
SUE ME
iTSA rocker like aerosmith on the 1 album

mine is used so its set up nice no buzzes
I very much like the satin finish i like the red cuz its subdude
its not like LOUD(the finish)the guit can be if you want obliviousy
One of my FAV parts is the WEIGHT its LIte
Why do people thing you have to have a guit that weights a f@##$ing TON to get sustain(?) like i owned a OLD artist and it weighted a TON but i LOVE this i SWEAR some companies figuar" well we are charging a arm and a leg for this we better make it heavier"THIS GUITAR SUSTAINS VERY NICLY I LIKE THE SOUND WHEN PLAYED UNPLUGGED
ITSA gibson and has the integrity of a gibson

I bet it will last forever
The onley thing i wish on this guitar is
I wished i paid 99.00 like that OTHER GUY
sue me i am a cheapo
I would be STEALING IT at that price but..I could live with my self just fine

havent tried
i presume gibson will be pretty good

well i started playing like 14 years ago
Like the other guy said onley if it showed
I would ABSOLUTLY get another itsa a cheapo(cashwise NOT qualitywise)) gibbo whats not to love

2003 TV Yellow Model.
1 black P90 pickup.
1 Volume 1 tone.

If you are into vintage rock or straight laced punk n roll type to broken blues music this is what you are looking for. From the Kinks to Johnny Thunders this is a rock n roll classic. I am so impressed Gibson reissued these babies, especially with the les paul jr body. my only gripe is they look kinda weak withouth a pickgaurd, so I slapped on a black les paul jr pickgaurd on it. Great guitar for the price. they could have chargerd me $200 more and i would still have payed it. Nothing says rock too me than a tv yellow les paul jr.
If you'd like to hear this baby rock check out my bands web page www.theheatersmusic.com im running it through my fender deville.

I play mine through a 1993 fender blues deville 410. only a tuner tremelo and booster pedal. If you have played a P90 before you know what this sounds like. Vintage vibe for days.

I have seen some people have issues with the factroy set up. Mine was fine. I LOVE the grainy TV yellow finish. It absolutely fits the character of the guitar. No frills, no high gloss paint job, this baby will chip on the corners.... I cant wait.

Solid body Gibsion with a P90... As solid as it gets.

Dunno

Great guitar at a great price. I am thinking about buying a second.

Features are simple and handy, being in a line like the post and selector of a Tele. Although I've not experience any problems here, some may want to get some kind of 90 degree angle cable plug. Oh well. I had a '59 Melody maker that, after 3 well served years, was traded off and I have regretted it since. I had never really heard a P-90 by itself until this,and I was able to think back to several songs that I love and were recorded with P-90 equipped guitars. I also keep forgetting the Epi Casinos the Beatles used, although I have to say that this Melody Maker is hotter and has sharper teeth. This guitar is stripped down, lean and mean. I used to have an original '59 Melody maker thae body seemed thinner, but had been seriously modified and refinished before I had it. My old Mama was the lightest, fastest and most comfortable guitar I'd ever owned and I regretted trading it away for other stuff.

If Steve McQueen's "Walking Tall" character were a guitarist, this is the guitar he would walk tall and Whoop Ass with, because that's all its designed to do. No nonsense, just Gibson Quality woods and construction and the hottest O.G. pickup ever made. I said I'd never used P-90's and I wonder WTF I was thinking this whole time. Oh yeah, I was a humbucker junky for years because I couldn't stand Strat single coils. lol!

Neck is perfect, not the smoothest, because of the grainy satin finish, but flat and straight. Out of the box the action a little high, like another anecdote I read here.

One pickup, one volume and one tone is all you need. Since it's a P-90, the vintage vibe is through the roof, but it's so tonally flexible, I give this guitar a 10 in features because it wasn't advertised to have more than it does and, what do you know, they're all there. For what it does have, it has the best for the guitar.

Suits my music style(s) well which are Mew/MuMetal, AnarchoPunk, SlopCore, Blues, Jazz, Acid, Funk, anything I can wrap my mind and spirit around. This ax can really Grind out some heavy, snarling lows and sparkle-fizzy highs in the HiGain channels, and the cleans bring me back to the hours I spent at the vintage/used shop trying out different amp and guitar combos before settling on my old '68 silverface Bassman, Another one I wish I hadn't parted with. I just purchased a VOX AD30VT and I have so much tonal variety it's not even funny, yet I am often led to fits of maniacal laughter by this guitar through that amp. This is my first electric guitar in years(my last was a Fender Mexican Strat) and I'm glad I waited for this one. The P-90 is so flexible. It is noisy, but that's why I'll probably get another guitar for quiet later on. Then again, this is Rock 'n' Roll, and quiet is for squares! So, the only dislike is the niosy P-90, but I already expected a noisy P-90, so it's diong its job very well.

As mentioned before, the action seemed a little high out of the box, but ya' gotta love those Tune-O-Matics and the action was down in no time. A little buzz on the 5th string and more on the 6th, but only above the 12th fret, which I can live with. The Fit was amazing. I could tell that the body is more substantial than my old '59, and this one has square edges like a les paul. When I put it on my right leg, the body wants to pull it over, but on the right leg, it's fully secure and, for me, it easier and also like the classical players do it. By the way, I consider the Melody Maker to be a model unto itself, mainly because it is destinguished by the narrow headstock and by light weight overall. The finish is fine.

Some other guy was ranting on and on about the cheap finish, cheap small plastic tuners and the thin headstock and waaaah! If you want high gloss, buy a high gloss Les Paul. If you want bigger and probably also plastic tuners, buy another model. If you want a bigger headstock, buy anything but a Melody Maker because it's part of what MAKES it a Melody Maker! Gibson is not putting out crap. Take a look at every other guitar in their line if you anything but a stripped down, balls to the wall tone juggernaut. This thing has literally allowed my playing to improve greatly in the barely a couple weeks I've owned it. It's so fun I can't put it down.

I don't play live yet. Hope to some day, but I don't see why this guitar wouldn't hold up. If I were to use it as a backup, my main ax would also be a Melody Maker. Haha!

the hardware is great so far. The butterbean tuners are a little small and don't give much leverage, but there's nothing I would change unless it broke. It feels solid and like I don't have anything to worry about for a long time.

N/A

I've been playing for about 18 years. The only other gear I own is a VOX AD30VT modelling combo and an L.R. Baggs Para Acoustic D.I., both great products. If my Melody Maker were lost, I would buy another in a heartbeat. I love the weight, the feel of the neck, the resonance I can feel in my belly when I strum chords and the tonal capability of the P-90. Nothing I hate. Favorite feature...that it's an affordable Gibson!

2004 model, tv yellow. others have described it well, so i won't do it all again.

it's a basic guitar and that is EXACTLY what it's supposed to be.

i LOVE p-90 pickups. this has amazing tone, which suits my blues-rock style perfectly

factory set up was great. no complaints.

don't see any flaws on the guitar anywhere.

my only worry is the headstock. the steep angle could snap if dropped. came with a good padded gibson gig bag, but i'm going to get a hardshell case to protect the headstock.

everything else is solid as a rock. this should last forever.

why would i need them?

i have been playing for over 30 years. i can compare this to les paul junior type and melody maker type guitars, including epiphone coronets and olympics from the 60's

basically, this is a les paul junior, with a 60's melody maker neck and it has the bonus of a tune-o-matic bridge and stop tailpiece.

it has the "feel" and the "tone" that i love. i would get another, if this one gets lost or stolen.

i wish it came with a pickguard, but i'll add one later.

a made in the us set neck gibson for $325. this is EASILY worth every penny. NOTHING at this price comes close. get one, get one today!!!!

2003 TV Yellow model. Solid Santa Maria/Mahogany body/neck. Single dog-ear P-90, vol, tone knobs. Gibson Kluson-style tuners with plastic butterbeans. 22 frets. The most simple electric guitar you can imagine since the old Esquires. This guitar has no features, so I give it a 10, because that's what you're buying it for.

It's pretty much of a one-trick pony, but's a helluva trick. P-90 pickups are terrifically versatile; a little roll-off on the tone and a little tweak of the volume, and you've got a whole new sound. You can get clean and ringing jangle tones, a muted dark sound, or the biting, gritty trademark p-90 thing, plus several places in between all these, depending on your amp settings, etc. P-90s are bright, but not "Tele bridge" bright. They're midrangy, but not anonymously murky like standard humbuckers. If the P-90 were introduced today, I swear they'd be proclaimed the "hottest new innovation in electric guitars" by all the trade mags. I was afraid when I bough this that I would miss having another pickup, but that hasn't been the case. On the contrary, no toggle or three-way is kind of freeing--it's like going back to your one-speed bike after riding with gears for a long time; you start to wonder why you ever bothered with the added complexity.

Well, it's ugly. The wood hasn't seen any filler. The finish is dull. The paint hasn't been applied very evenly, or very thick where it has been applied. The body is about half as deep as a Les Paul carved top. The only nuance of "style" are the abalone dots, which almost look out of place here. That said, it has the most awesome workhorse vibe you'll ever buy new; it's stripped and chopped like an old Mercury hot rod with grey primer. Not for show, just for go. Mine came slightly second-hand, and the action is great. No buzzes, but easy playing. The neck isn't as chunky as I was expecting, but it's no skinny puppy; surprisingly comfortable. The fret ends are cut well, but I kind of miss the rounded edges of my US Telecaster.

This thing has virtually no moving parts. When the nukes finally fall from the sky, all that will be left on earth will be cockroaches and Melody Makers.

I have no idea.

30+ years playing, lots of styles, mostly in the vein of 70s - 80s powerpop, but occasional forays into Americana, pseudo-jazz, post-rock, and just about everything else. This guitar will be good for slide, and for retro-sounding lead work. I play it through a Hot Rod Deluxe and for recording through my hard-disk home studio. I like the classics, and have a Fender US Tele, a Martin acoustic, a few lap steels, a tenor sax, and now this. I kind of needed a Gibson to round out the collection. Let me tell you, it's hard to find a US-made guitar with P-90s today. Reverend, Godin (Canadian), a high-end Hamer... otherwise you're pretty much stuck with Epiphone or Dean, which aren't bad, but they cost MORE than this Gibson, and that somehow doesn't seem right. Plus they have the notorius shoddy electronics. Call me a cheapskate traditionalist, but if a $300 USA Gibson with a genuine Gibson P-90 isn't enough for rock and roll, something besides necessity is driving your guitar decisions. Me, I can pass on the AAAA high-gloss carved top and the now-generic 496/498T pickup configuration, and with the $1500 I save in the process I can get hair plugs and a tattoo and live the rock god fantasy that way, instead! The fact is, you wouldn't be reading this far if you didn't already intuitively know that there's something intriguingly cool about these bare-minimum little axes. So go for it. Even at full retail of $425, what do you have to lose?

# What year was it made? Where was is made? 2003 USA

# How many frets? 22

# Solid-Top? Laminated top? looks like a spray painted finish! faded black!

# Which controls are given volume, tone

# Pickup configuration? 1 dog-eared P-90! that's all you need!!!

# Make and model of pickups? gibson

# Finish black!

# Body style based on a Melody maker with no pick guard! Single cutaway with cheap thin lookin' headstock!

# Bridge style Tune-O-Matic

# Tuners cheap gibson plastic ones! WTF?!?

# How does it suit your music style (and what is that style)?
Johnny Thunders rocknroll! Perfect! That's all you need! 1 pickup, that's it!

# What amps and effects are you using it with? Mesa Boogie combo!

# Is it noisy? On what settings? sounds great!

# Rich/Full sound? Bright sound? hot sharp sound! bright!

# How well was the guitar set-up at the factory? (How was the action?)
the action was kinda high! I just can't understand how Gibson could send out these guitars like that!

# How well were the pickups adjusted? alright!

# Did the guitar contain any flaws? cheap finish, plastic tuners and small headstock, other than that, it's an awesome guitar!

* Will this guitar withstand live playing?
yes

* Does the hardware seem like it will last? probably!

* Is the finish good enough to last, or does it seem thin and easy to wear off with lots of playing? cheap finish!

* Are the strap buttons solid? yeah, but like all stupid Gibson mentalities, is that a word?!?! the front straplock is at an angle, so you have to buy straplocks! That's where they getcha!

* Can you depend on it?yeah, I should, it's a gibson!!!

* Would you use it on a gig without a backup?it's the backup!

N/A

# How long have you been playing? 17 years!

# Is there something you wish you had asked before buying this guitar?
Why Gibson is puttin' out crap?!!!

# If it were stolen or lost, would you buy it again or get something else?maybe, if there just wasn't anything else left on the planet!

# What do you love about it? it's simplicity! one pickup, 2 knobs!
lightweight!

What do you hate?cheap plastic tuners, small headstock!

What is your favorite feature?p90 pickup! this is how a real les paul junior should be actually, double cutaway, tv yellow, wraparound bridge and grovers!

# Did you compare it to other guitars?yeah, the black was cooler than the cherry! P90's rule!

# Anything you wish it had?grovers, tv yellow finish, wraparound bridge, pickguard!

# Anything else you'd like to share?Gibson is going downhill!

2003 I believe is the year of manufacture. By now you know the features: Mahogany body, Spanish Cedar (Mahogany Family) neck with rosewood fretboard, etc, etc, ...and of course a very vintage sounding P90...the king of all pickups. Let me say that this version of the Melody Maker is more like a Les Paul Jr. Junior!!! I owned a mid-80s LP Jr. that I am sorry I sold. The only thing missing on this LPMM is the weight of the Les Paul Jr. I once owned. This baby sings with the best of 'em. It couldn't be any simpler, really. Nothing gets in the way of you and the music the guitar produces. This is a minimalist guitar....and in this case
with this LES Paul, LESS IS MORE.

Now this is where it shines: for any of you over 45 the band names I am going to mention say it all: Humble Pie, MOUNTAIN, Allman Bros.,
Free, early Savoy Brown, early Fleetwood Mac, if these bands bring to mind a certain guitar tone that you love...go and buy one of these without delay. Mate it with any decent Fender amp or a Marshall and you are in business. I use a Fender Cyber Champ and it blends nicely with al of the various tones that amp offers. And talk about Gritty.......whew.....it has bite...it is like a vintage Tele on steroids....

as for the rest of the info.....each guitar is different and each has to be set up to your liking....
go for this baby...if you want, biting, stinging sustain for days...
if you want the chunk and the warmth....and the fuzzy feeling of a hot Gibson with no frills....this is the ticket.....for me..I am back in 1968....wish I was...for sure....'cos now I got the sound...I have always wanted....
ya gotta love those P90s man....FAR OUT...

I have been playing since 1966.....and I know the sound I wanted...I tried all of the ensuing sounds of the various eras...and you know what...fuck'em....it's good to be back where you belong....
peace, man...peace