Melody maker opinions

DartmoorHedgehog

I've got a 2011 (IIRC) Melody Maker Special (two P90s) and I love it.  I won it in a draw and was expecting to sell it on as I already had a LP-ish guitar, but liked it so much I kept it (partly because it's P90s and my other guitar is humbuckers).  Looks cool as well - it's one of these (not my picture):The fretboard is much darker on mine - I think it's the "baked maple" stuff but mine looks just like rosewood.  The paint/lacquer is extremely weedy though - it's through to the wood in a couple of places on the back of the neck already, which is either cool or not depending on your point of view.

marantz1300

I'd. love a a 50's/early 60's MM.
59 is my DOB year.
I'm tempted to trade my 78 Tele for one.
Are they any good ?

suspiciousminds

I've had two of the p90 ones from mid 2005 ish but i'm torn between the std single coil version and the humbucker versions though.

stimpsonslostson

There seem to be a ridiculous number of iterations of guitars bearing the "Melody Maker" name.

Vintage 50s & 60s: one, two or even three original style single coils on LP, DC or SG bodies.

2003 seem to look a LOT like LP Jr with a dog ear p90.

2009-10ish (fairly faithful) reissue with 1 or 2 p90ish uncovered hot single coils on a LP body.

2011-12: explorer/V/LP with one p'up either a HB, single or p90. One volume knob, no tone.

2014 is a thin, contoured LP with 2 soap bars, 2x vol & tones & the anniversary scroll inlay at the 12th fret.

Have I missed any?

Philly_Q

There was also a "3/4 sized" short scale Melody Maker in the late '50s, early '60s - I think the scale length was actually 22.75".

paulnb57

I have an 06 Melody Maker LP Jr, love it! Totally underrated IMHO

Arktik83

I had a two pickup model version of @Stimpsonslostson that was bloody lovely.  Had a nice chunky neck and just felt like a workhorse guitar.  I stupidly traded it away.  Would love to get another!

DartmoorHedgehog

stimpsonslostson said:

There seem to be a ridiculous number of iterations of guitars bearing the "Melody Maker" name.


Have I missed any?

The Melody Maker Special that I posted (somebody else's picture of) above is another one not in your list.  Two P90s with one volume, one tone and a LP-type headstock instead of the usual MM narrow one.  I think it looks pretty cool - bit like a thinner LP Special.  There certainly are a silly number of variations under the Melody Maker name!

suspiciousminds

Some great advice there, thx.
Looking on fleabay at the moment, prices range from low 200's to over 500 quid, but for 500 notes you could pick up LP's, SG's etc, so are MM's worth the 500 bracket for what you get?

ICBM

suspiciousminds said:

Looking on fleabay at the moment, prices range from low 200's to over 500 quid, but for 500 notes you could pick up LP's, SG's etc, so are MM's worth the 500 bracket for what you get?

It depends if you prefer them to a Junior - they're a different thing. The one in the shop seems expensive for a Melody Maker at £399, but I think I prefer it to any modern (non-Historic) Junior I've played. Although I'm not a big fan of the headstock.

But if you want a Junior, buy a Junior.

normula1

Here's mine. It has a neck about the size of an average telegraph pole weighs about as much a ten pence piece and sounds fantastic.

normula1

attempt number 2

OilCityPickups

My explorer Melody maker

medium chunky neck, lovely and light ... acoustically loud ... and with a pickup more subtle than the Duncan Distortion fitted as standard ... a lovely sounding and playing guitar ...

Mind you red pickups are not everybody's cup of tea :-) 

stimpsonslostson

ICBM said:

suspiciousminds said:

Looking on fleabay at the moment, prices range from low 200's to over 500 quid, but for 500 notes you could pick up LP's, SG's etc, so are MM's worth the 500 bracket for what you get?

It depends if you prefer them to a Junior - they're a different thing. The one in the shop seems expensive for a Melody Maker at £399, but I think I prefer it to any modern (non-Historic) Junior I've played. Although I'm not a big fan of the headstock.

But if you want a Junior, buy a Junior.

I kept an eye out for a Melody Maker for a while before I landed mine, £399 seems to be a fairly standard "shop price" for a second hand MM. For example, I nearly bought this one:

http://livemusicshop.co.uk/?product=gibson-melody-maker-made-in-the-u-s-a-2010

but I wasn't sold on the natural finish… The same shop offered me £200 cash or £250 shop credit for mine when I decided to sell- I'm obviously hoping a private sale will get me a bit extra (it's nice to have the fall back though!)

I'm not sure I'd pay £500 for one, as @suspiciousminds says that's getting into another bracket of guitars.

As is normal with such things once you decide exactly what you want to buy patience and polite negotiation can get you a better deal.

suspiciousminds

Both nice!
Apart from the headstock is the explorer shaped one the same shape/size as the standard explorer?

jd0272

TheGuitarWeasel said:

My explorer Melody maker

medium chunky neck, lovely and light ... acoustically loud ... and with a pickup more subtle than the Duncan Distortion fitted as standard ... a lovely sounding and playing guitar ...

Mind you red pickups are not everybody's cup of tea :-) 

Bastard!!!!