1963 Gibson Melody Maker + OSSC
A punky golden era Gibson that punches above its weight. The younger sibling to the Les Paul Junior, these Melody Makers from this period offer a lot of bang for the buck. This one has a fantastic neck profile that sits right in the ‘59/’64 Goldilocks Zone. If you’re into Juniors this is well worth checking out.
UK BUYERS You can purchase this guitar with next available day, fully insured shipping to any UK address by using the 'Add To Cart' button. Shipping costs = an additional £70. Or use the ‘enquire’ button for general questions.
NON UK BUYERS Please use the ‘enquire’ button and we will get back to you with shipping costs.
*Gallery and description below. Click on thumbnails to view in full screen*
The first thing that usually strikes you about Melody Makers from this period when you pick them up and hit a chord is just how loud they can be acoustically and this one is no exception. Like it’s bigger sibling the Les Paul Junior, the lack of a neck pick up seems to make the guitar louder and more resonant. The fact that it is also made from the same old growth Honduran Mahogany and Brazilian Rosewood as the more expensive vintage Gibsons of the era means that there are no compromises when it comes to the quality of the tone woods used. If you are looking for vintage Gibson tone and mojo then these Melody Makers made from 1959 to 1964 are great value.
With a similar no nonsense single pick up, volume and tone combination as the Les Paul and SG Juniors the simplicity of this set up is capable of a surprisingly wide range of tones. The single coil Melody Maker pick up itself has plenty of bark and bite. With the tone control wide open it delivers an almost Tele like twang. Roll the tone control back to 4 or 5 and add a small amount of boost and it gets you into P-90 territory.
The overall condition is very good for a 60 year old guitar. It is all original, with the exception of the tuner bushings and one of the strap buttons. There are a number of dings, scrapes and scratches as to be expected of a guitar this age that has been used but nothing major or of any concern. There have been no breaks or repairs. The tuners holes have been drilled to accommodate a different set of tuners at some point but the original tuners (which function perfectly) are now back on the guitar with conversion bushings. The nut is original but looks to have been shimmed. The frets are original and have plenty of life left in them.
If you are looking for an affordable vintage guitar with loads of mojo and tone to match then this ticks all the right boxes.
Comes with the original soft shell ‘croc’ case, which is fully functioning and in reasonable condition.
