Gibson Melody Maker

I have owned two Melody Makers. The first was also my first electric, and it was a mid-late Seventies reissue, solid mahogany, double cutaway, with two single coil Melody Maker pickups and the unique skinny Melody Maker peghead. When I got it, I slapped a Firebird Pickup in between the two. Turns out I didn't need it unless I wanted to cut the buzz between songs, but what did I know, it was my first electric.
Had the basic, deluxe-style Gibson tuners, which I replaced, two tone and two volume knobs with a three-position switch. I also put a coil cutter on the Firebird pickup.
When this guitar was stolen from me in the early eighties, I was devastated. I went out and tried to find another and, to this day, hav not found another late seventies re-issue Melody Maker. If ANYONE has one to sell, please email me.
Anyway, I ended up buying an original, circa '61 or '62 Melody Maker. Very similar except for the following: only one pickup, but the sound of the pickups was the same as hat on the re-issue. Kind of amazing. I again installed a humbucker, this one a Deluxe-type. Also, the finish on this guitar is what I call the "vegetable oil finish." I thought for sure that it was a homemade refinish until I started seeing others around. This on already had Grovers on the peghead. Aside from that, the only difference is that the cutaway horns were slightly less deep, a bit sharper, and curve away from the neck a bit. The Melody Makers came in those two basic body shapes, not counting the SG-shaped Melody Makers.

I love Melody Makers and the infamous Melody Maker pickup. I play blues, rock, lots of reggae and dub skanking, and some country. This guitar twangs when needed (cause it's so light), yet it delivers a great chop sound.
It is not a loud, powerful axe on its own, but it more than makes up for this with the character of its sound.
I have owned Teles, Firebirds, Travis Beans, and SG's, and the one guitar I wouldn't ever dream of selling is my Melody Maker, and not just for sentimental value. It is unique.

First guitar was set up pretty well back in 1977 when I bought it. Or was it 76? Anyway, I messed with it, but nothing major.
The second one was used, and I had to have it re-fretted, but once set up, haven't needed to do a thing.
Oh yeah, the second one (the 61) had the vibrato removed and I replace the wraparound tailpiece with a Leo Quann BadAss bridge. Works well for me.

I have utter faith in these guitars. They are light, but they both have taken thrashings. I certainly was rough on my first one when I was a young lad.
The second one I'm a bit more careful with cause it's old, but it still seems as solid as my first one did when it was new, and t's going on 40 years old soon.
Original plastic strap buttons still on the second one. And I used it for almost ten years without a backup. Only recently have I started keeping more than one electric again. Of course, it's getting out of hand, cause I now think I need about five, but for years a Melody Maker was my one-and-only.

Never had to deal with them on this guitar, although I had some problems with them in 1980 about a Firebird case that was no good. they eventually replaced it with a gracious letter, to boot.

I would hunt out another Melody Maker and buy it if this were stolen. I am STILL looking for another Seventies re-issue Melody Maker.
I have been playing for 25 years, since I was 13. I use a Crybaby Wah and used to use an original Small Stone and other sundry boxes, but now go through a Korg AX-300 Unit, which I like, but the jury is still out on whether I'll be using it for long.
I go through an old Peavey transistor amp and am looking to buy a good am finally. For years, thoughve used Melody Makers in studios and other rooms through almost every amp-type made. The only thing about it is the hum that does not get humbucked. As I am a single-coil kind of guy, though, I have no real issue with that. The sound of that pickup more than compensates for that.
I couldn't think of a better guitar for a beginner or for a skank or country sound, to tell the truth.