1964 Gibson Melody Maker + Hard Shell Case
A cool, punky, golden era Gibson that punches above its weight. If you’re into Juniors then this is worth checking out.
*Gallery below. Click on thumbnails to view in full screen*
The first thing that strikes you about this guitar when you pick it up and hit a chord is just how loud it is acoustically. 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.
The single pick up Melody Maker was originally introduced in 1959 featuring a single cutaway body shape identical to the 1955-58 Les Paul Junior but with a thinner body width. In 1961 the body shape changed to a double cutaway like the one here. There was a further change to the body shape in 1965 when the shape took on a more pointed ‘fishlike’ shape and then a final change in 1966 when the body became the same as the SG. It is the first two versions of the Melody Maker from 1959-64 that are becoming the most sought after.
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 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 3 or 4 and add a small amount of boost and it gets you into P-90 territory.
This example has clearly been a working guitar and has the dings, natural wear and body checking that you would expect of a well-used but cared for 57 year old instrument. There are no breaks or repairs and overall condition is good. There have also been a few minor changes. The tuners have been upgraded to the three-on-a-plate Kluson Deluxe tuners as used on the more expensive Juniors and Specials. These are vintage double line Klusons and feature the brass posts which would indicate that these were changed early on in the guitar’s life. Perhaps they were offered as an upgrade by the original retailer at the request of the original owner? The guitar has also had a pro refret at some point and a new nut. The frets have minimal wear and play really well with a nice low action. Coupled with the typical ‘64 neck profile this guitar is a joy to play. The tone pot is none original and dates to 1985. The volume pot looks original as does the Sprague ‘Black Beauty’ tone cap. The pick-up height adjustment screws are also replacements. These minor changes have been made to keep the guitar as an optimal playing working guitar. It’s been used but not abused.
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 a new Gator hard shell case.
Weight: 6lbs 15oz
