Gibson Melody Maker

1959 gibson melody maker. solid mahoganhy . original sunburst finish (did the 59' come in anything else?) single vol and tone controls. beatiful thick grained brazillian rosewood fingerboard.single bridge pickup(the fat one)

i play SRV style blues, country and classic rock. i am currently using this guitar through a mesa boogie 45 1x12 with a mesa theilman 1x12 extension cabinet. it's got a really hot pickup which is extremely noisy within 5 feet of the amp. this is the only guitar i have ever owned that i can put in front of my face and sing into to the pickup and it comes through well enough to be heard in a club. talk about character!on a straight clean channel (1)it has a beautiful almost acoustic sound for rhythyms. on my really dirty channel(2) this thing squalls like a bobcat with his ass on fire.

i bought this guitar last year from a retired musician (bass player)who had bought this to put up as an investment.it was basically like it left the factory. i took it to nashville's premier guitar tech Dub Hollowell and asked him to make it as good as it could be without changing anything that would affect the value. the original bridge (non-compensated) although in remarkable condition lacked any accurate intonation qualities so it had to go.we tried a compensated replacement but the spuds had pulled forward enough that a happy medium was all that could be achieved. so i decided to go with a badass intonable which put it spot on. the cheap plastic nut was in poor condition so he carved me a bone nut. the open gears were terrible and the buttons slipped on a couple of them so a repro set of jr. style klusons were installed(NO extra holes) he also polished the frets. the result is a near mint player that is the envy of every gibson player in nashville that sees it. he did also tell me a very interesting bit of gibson trivia. there are some red streaks showing through the yellow in the burst. this is where they actually beat plaster of paris into the slab by hand to fill the heavy grain in the wood. which is why the 50's models juniors and melody makers have a remarkable tone and sustain. in another 40 years or so the red will completely take over the yellow.

very rarely will this guitar see the outside of my studio. everything works like it did when it left the factory without any pops or anything so i guess you could say other than the cheap nut and tuners they put on the so called student guitars it is built to last just like the $50,000 LP bursts of the same year.

maybe i'll drop by someday and show them how their daddys built guitars. it might be fun to see what they say.

i have been playing 34 years and have used various other guitars including univox special editions, fender jaguar(my first guitar) a carvin dc150 and epiphones.if it were stolen i would buy another in a heartbeat. this is the most fun i have ever had with a guitar.

This guitar is a '66 Gibson Melody Maker with a cherry finish and black pickguard. 22 Frets, 1 volume pot, 1 tone pot, 1 original single coil bridge pickup, rosewood fretboard, double cutaway model. I've added a Leo Quan Bad-Ass Bridge, and new tuners. It has a fat neck, but not very wide, and it came with a hardshell case. I give it rating of 5 for features, because it's very one dimensional b/c of the one pickup.

This guitar suits me just fine for some styles of playing--blues and the mellower rock stuff. I use other guitars for more aggressive rock, as it doesn't sustain as well as other guitars and just has a mellow, vintage sound that wouldn't do justice to the aforemetioned types of music. I run it through a '66 Vox Berkeley Super Reverb, except for practice in which I run it through a Vox Pathfinder. It's not too noisy for a vintage guitar, it sounds like a cross between Les Paul Junior and a Telecaster (Kind of like a Tele on the bridge position, without the biting brightness--more of a warm sound). This guitar sounds fantastic when played clean through either amp. I either play it clean or semi-dirty. Although it only gets one type of sound, I like the sound that it gets. I'm sure it could get different sounds if run through different amps.

When I bought it at a vintage guitar shop, it wasn't set up very well. The bridge was on upside down, and so the strings had a "loose" feel to them. I immediately brought it to the guy who works on all of my guitars, and he replaced the bridge and tuners as the orginal bridges with the cool looking vibrato arm just don't stay in tune very well. The pickup sounded great, but just needed to be raised a bit. This guitar has some slight wear and tear, but for a '66 it looks fantastic. The volume and tone pots work great. After the adjustments this guitar plays really, really well, stays in tune most of the time (occational problems with the "G" string (no pun intented), and still looks very classy.

This guitar definately withstands live playing, although I plan to trade it in for a 70s Gibson ES-335. The ES-335 would score a 10 in all of these catagories, so nothing against this guitar. It was the bottom of the barrell Gibson back in the 60s, so for the price, it's an outstanding piece of craftsmenship that has stood the test of time.

Haven't dealt directly with Gibson, yet.

I've been playing for about 16 years, have been through several guitars and amps, but this is the first Gibson I've owned, and am very impressed. I agree with most that Gibson produced great guitars until the mid 80s, and now their products, with some exceptions, of course, are not as high quality and are way over-priced. Right now I'm into old Gibsons and new Fenders. If this guitar were lost or stolen, I would be very sad, but like I said earlier, I plan to trade it in for an ES-335. Overall I'm very happy with the purchase I made, and now that I've played it for a while I'm ready for something new.

1965 Gibson Melody Maker USA Standard double cutaway. red with one single coil pickup in the bridge position. Trapeze bar bridge with grover tuners.

This was my first"real" guitar. It was perfect for a beginer playing rock. I used an old Carvin Bassmaster 120 and Fender Dual Showman cabinet. Never was noisy. Clear and Bright. I did add a Carvin M22 humbucker to the neck position. I also had a friend make a Frank Zappa pre amp for it. I know it ruined the value of this little axe, but i was into FZ and wanted to emulate him. (is that possible?) Also i couldn't afford a SG!

This guitar played perfectly from the gitgo. Always stayed in tune. I had my dog knock it over one time and snap the neck clean off from the body. It was my fault for not casing it after practicing. Being poor I couldn't take it to a pro so I sanded down the neck and body, put some good wood glue on it and put it in a vise. The thing came out amazingly straight and true. It still plays great today.

I played this guitar for a number of years through the 70's and early 80's. It kept on tickin and definetly took a lickin. I lost this guitar to a "friend" of mine in the mid 80's. I found it in a pawn shop a few years later. This idiot had taken it and chopped on the cutaways and body and headstock to make it resemble some sort of weird Dean guitar. He also painted over the natural red finish. Even through all of this, it still sounds great and plays well. I don't gig with this axe. I use a G&L S500 for my main rig now.

Never had any problems with it.

I've been playing for 35 years. I currently use the G&L for my main guitar and a fender Lead 2 for a backup. I run it through a Carvin Belair vintage tube amp. ADA delay and Tubeworks OD pedal. I was glad to get this guitar back just for the sake of it was my "1st". It's not worth much, but I'll keep it forever.

Received on my 14th birthday in November, 1965, it was "new" but I don't know if it was a 1964 or 65 model. Cherry red, with two pickups, all original. Two volume and two tone switches, with a three-way toggle at the bridge. The original tremolo bar is in place, stubby but with an elegant pearl-colored plastic handle, it is only used when I don't care if I am in tune afterwards. Original tuning keys get true and stay that way for amazing periods of time. The head stock was split many years ago, and repaired. (I remember hearing this was a common occurance for these guitars.)

I play a wide variety of music styles, and until I started running this ax through a POD and a plain vanilla amplifier, I was more likely to use my accoustic. However, stripped of the constant nasality of the sound as it came through the Crate and Peavy amps I had been using, to my delight I heard a clear and even beautiful-sounding instrument that responded to the POD's variety of settings with amazing versatility.

Left to itself, it can be either tubby (on the low-tone pickup) or wanky (on the high tone), but mixing these pickups and manipulating the tone settings can get that variety. Add the POD's capabilities, and I am able to crank some nasty over-driven sounds, or alternatively sound really jazzy and cool, especially playing octaves.

After 35 years, it stays in tune and makes a wide variety of pleasant and rocking sounds. That has to be a tribute to the Gibson technicians who built it, because it has been altered not at all, and serviced no more than a handful of times in all those years.

This guitar has not had hard use for many years, so I cannot comment on most of this, other than to refer to the previous category.

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I am a songwriter who is approaching a modicum of guitar playing expertise many years after it might have had an impact on how I make a living. This old friend has seen me through a lot, as a teenage garage band member intoxicated with the British invasion, an erstwhile blues cat, an eighties jazz-punker, a 90s neo-country lead guitar player, a writer of standard tunes. I feel I am paying it back by playing it decently now. It is repaying me with a pretty wonderful array of sounds, ease of play, and amazing durability.

However, it is a solid body electric, and there is no fooling you on that. I semi hollow body would be in my future

1.) 1965, USA
2.) 21 or 22
3.) solid I believe
4.) volume, tone, and there is a tap that has been added.
5.) 1 single (paf style) humbucker.
6.) Gibson (see above)
7.) Passive
8.) Body-mahogany, neck-maple (?)
9.) red metalflake (refinished)
10.) double cut-away
11.)compensated stop tailpiece
12.)replacements, non-locking schaller
13.)VERY thin neck, not 3/4 scale, but shorter than my SG

1.) This suits my style well. (Basically rock)
2.) Gibson Scout or Fender Bassman w/Danelectro FAB Tone
3.) Really quiet until played
4.) Very bright sound. Pretty decent sustain but thinner than my SG
5.)The guitar can probably make more sounds than my talent (or lack thereof) allows. It does a great "snotty" punk rythm.
6.) I love the light weight. I'm not crazy about the tailpiece even though the intonation is pretty good.

The one I got (although I love it) would be considered a Frankenstein by most guitar guys. Since nothing but the body,neck,and fingerboard are original... I can't say.

1.) YES!
2.) Yes
3.)Finish is good.
4.) I replaced the strap buttons and put Schaller locking ones on.
5.)Most definitely.
6.) I would never do a gig without a back-up.

1.) I've now been playing guitar for about 14 months. I have been a drummer for 27 years. I also have a 1994 SG standard, a 1987 Gibson WRC (super-strat kind of thing), a 1987 Japanese Squier Strat, a 1967 Fender Bassman w/BIG 2x12 cabinet, a 1960's Gibson Scout amp, a Peavey "Classic 20", and mounds of effects and other jazz I pick up at pawn shops...
2.) Do you have another?
3.) I would try to replace this, but with the heavy mod's it might be tough.
4.) I love the modifications. Melody Maker tuners weren't good. I don't know about every club, but most I've been in play havoc with single coil p/u's, so the humbucker that has been added is a plus. And the red metalflake finish is cooler (to me) than the original I'm sure this one had. But, I hate that it's not original because if it was I could sell it and buy 2 of these. My favorite thing is the "slinkiness" of the strings. Bending is EASY on this. It doesn't help my technique when I pick the SG up, but I'm still a guitar infant.
5.) I wish it had a case with it. I guess I have to buy one.

my 65' melody maker,
u.s.a
22 frets
solid top
1 volume, 1 tone
2 double hums
gibson p.a.f's
passive piskups
wood?
natural wood
sg style
tune-o-matic
thin neck

I've a '67 melody maker, sg body, pelham blue, 2 single coils, maestro tailpiece--a fairly rare bird, I'd say. Tons of features? Geeze, how many do you need? And you gotta love the cheesey old case it came with.

i play rock, blues, honky tonk, and weird hybrid stuff. I run this baby through a '64 vibro champ. It's hard to beat the sound of a gibson through a fender tube amp. I know--I've tried. Throw in some danelectro pedals and there's no sound i can't get that i want. The maestro beats any other whammy bar I've used, and I've used 'em all.

This axe shows normal use and wear--well-seasoned fretboard but not worn out.

This guitar is a keeper and a workhorse i'd use anywhere, with and for anyone. It's got crunch out the ass or it's sweet as soda pop--action and intonation are flawless after lo these many years. Appears to have had gears replaced once. Although I'm not a big fan of slide switches, this one functions well.

I don't think there's more than 4 repairmen I'd let touch this axe should the need arise, 3 in oklahoma, 1 in ny city. Not that there aren't lots of decent repairmen--i'll just stick with the ones i know and trust.

I've played for 32 years--always use fender tube amps and a danelectro nifty fifty. I've used les pauls, 335s, strats, teles, ricks, sgs, guild, epiphone, danelectros, ibanez, yamaha--this old melody maker beats anything i've had. I was looking for another sg when i came across this puppy at 1st flight music in nyc. Thought it looked kinda strange and didn't pay it much mind other than it was a curio--until i picked it up and played it. I didn't even plug it in until i'd payed it off and gotten it home 'cause i KNEW it would be sweet. And no, you can't touch it--marvel at it from afar, ye infidels...hehehe...

i have a 64' melody maker (exactly like the one in the picture on the previous page)and i enjoy playing it on an HOURLY bassis. It sounds phenomenal when playing blues or moderate rock.I like that the volume dial on the guitar actually controls the volume with precision(unlike my epiphone special)

I use a bassman 100 with my melody maker attached to a DOD grunge pedal it sounds alot better playing through a bass amp in my opinion.
The effect that i get is a beautiful blues echo. The slide plays nicely up the fretboard producing a distant sharp tune.

I bought it around 1986 so im not sure how it looked directly from the factory, but its in good condition. The screws are a bit rusty and the pegs are a bit loose but its been played for about 38 years now.

The strap buttons hold the strap perfectly and im always confident that it will continue to hold. I actually use this guitar as a backup.
after my les paul classic fails(rarely)during gigs.

for about the first 5 years i had it i didnt play it. so when i started,the jack(plugin) on the body was loose and i had no sound but i got that repaired for under 30 dollars.
so all in all its an awesome piece of guitar!

1997 gibson melody maker reissue, red, single cut one humbucker, 22 frets, mahogany body, rosewood fretboard, tunomatic, stop tailpiece, grover tuners, solid canadian made flightcase, two control knobs (vol, tone), front panel jack input. No frills, cheap pickguard, half as heavy as a regular 'Paul, half as thick, flat top. Light. Hangs well.

One humbucker, bites well, clean sounds ok (maybe a bit muddy), overdriven not too agressive (no death metal allowed), unplugged nice and ringing, surprisingly close to a jazzmaster or jaguar (metalic zing)

Good action, no flaws, fretboard slighty misadjusted at the edges, no big deal. Nice red.

Looks a little fragile, small Gibson, like the gracile sister of any 'Paul. Treat her nice, right ? Little lady can't take any abuse in my opinion.

no idea

i've been playing for 10 years or so, owned 19 guitars, cheap stuff, pices of junk, and also good working machines Fender and Gibson. My main staff is currently a beat up ' 84 The Paul, Standard Us Telecaster and this newly arrived Melody Maker. I traded a Fender thinline 72 japan reissue for this little red head, and I don't regret it because I hated the vintage tuners on the Thinline, the light weight and it had some switching problems. But it was a nice guitar none the less. This Melody Maker is the most basic guitar I've ever had, I like a change every now and then, so? I'll give it a global 8. Next axe I get : Jazzmaster or Les Paul junior.

Mine is a 66 SG style melody maker. I bought about a year ago in Leeds, after playing it for about two minutes I layed down a diposit! It cost #450 and is definately the best guitar I have ever owned (and I`ve owned some traditionally thought of classics such as Les Paul
Standards and Strat Elites)! 22 frets, Brazilian rosewood fingerboard,(amazing) single coil pickups,wrap-around bridge, un-original case

This is where this guitar s**ts on other Gibsons in my opinion. It`s sound is kinda like a Tele but with more balls and sustain, the two single coils sound amazing individually or together (and as others have said acoustics on this guitar are unbeatable) I do a lot of home recording, quite rocky guitar pop and this guitar sounds great whatever sound you try to get! I sometimes even just stick a mic in front of it the acoustic sound is so good !

I have no idea what it was like when new, but since I`ve had it the only changes I`ve made are the tuners (old ones were good but starting to stick a little)which I replaced with LSR`s and the wrap-around bridge (which was`nt original anyway)!Finish is cherry and still looks beautiful and the action makes you play better than you actually are !

I have used this guitar without a backup and all was well but I usually take one with me regardless of what I`m playing !what can I say its 35 years old, i`m only 23 and I look worse !

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Overall I give this guitar a 10 for no other reason than since I`ve had it I`ve tried to get as good a sound from other guitars (Les Pauls with P90`s etc)and just can`t quite get that tone! If it were stolen I`d try to replace it straight away but I don`t fancy my chances because I have`nt seen one in a music shop since !