New Guitar-2004 Gibson Melody Maker

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Anfontan

Anfontan

Banned by eurt
I got this off EBay-arrived this weekend, actually on my birthday.:) It's as basic as can be but it's got all it really needs, a single dog ear P-90, tune-o-matic bridge and stop bar, volume and tone, and basic black. I kind of think of it as a Gibson version of a Fender Esquire-the P-90 is a screamer with a bit of overdrive!!!!:eek:
It joins my 'The Paul' in the Gibson collection.
 

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  • My Gibsons-1978 'The Paul' & 2004 Les Paul Melody Maker-crop.webp
    My Gibsons-1978 'The Paul' & 2004 Les Paul Melody Maker-crop.webp
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Nice looking guitar and sounds like it has sweet tone. Congrats on a great find!
 
ido1957 said:
Nice looking guitar and sounds like it has sweet tone. Congrats on a great find!
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Thanks a lot Gerry, the 2004 era Les Paul Melody Maker had a much different look that the other reissues. The first picture is of the recent model M. M. reissue...it has a Fender type single coil and a wrap-around bridge, the top is routed out under the pickguard.
The 2004 is only routed for the P-90 pickup and back routed for the volume and tone pots and the output jack. And it sure looks great with a Les Paul Jr pickguard as seen on this red L P Melody Maker-not sure what would match a black guitar though........
 

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  • L P Melody Maker L P Jr pickguard.webp
    L P Melody Maker L P Jr pickguard.webp
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Just like my Melody Maker, except mine is Cinnamon. As to similarities to Fender's Esquire, they pretty much stop with a lack of tone switching, but otherwise the Melody Maker has plenty enough bite with its single, bridge position P90. I'm backing away from my keyboard, as I type this, for imagining a Melody Maker with a 3 position switch, like the Esquier has. :)

Matt
 
Zaphod B said:
Very nice, Tony! :)
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Thank Mr Z, I liked the Melody Maker that you got..the 2004 model just really won me over. I was surprised to actually bet a nice Gibson for such a great price!!

Unsprung said:
Just like my Melody Maker, except mine is Cinnamon. As to similarities to Fender's Esquire, they pretty much stop with a lack of tone switching, but otherwise the Melody Maker has plenty enough bite with its single, bridge position P90. I'm backing away from my keyboard, as I type this, for imagining a Melody Maker with a 3 position switch, like the Esquier has. :)

Matt
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Thanks a lot Matt. The Esquire was about the only single pickup guitar that came to mind when I was writing the description-and I love the Tele bridge pickup sound.;) Did you ever get that baritone guitar together?
 
Anfontan said:
Thank Mr Z, I liked the Melody Maker that you got..the 2004 model just really won me over. I was surprised to actually bet a nice Gibson for such a great price!!
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Yep, I'm with you on that. The MM is a perfect example of how a $350 guitar can have every bit as much playability and personality as a $3500 guitar, albeit not to a high cosmetic standard. :)
 
Anfontan said:
Thanks a lot Matt. The Esquire was about the only single pickup guitar that came to mind when I was writing the description-and I love the Tele bridge pickup sound.;) Did you ever get that baritone guitar together?
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I never did get around to "building" a baritone...partscaster or modified. Instead, I stumbled upon a used 1996 MIJ Fender VI (Bass VI) at Sam Ash in Indy, when I was looking to buy either a tube amp, or hollow body "rockabilly" guitar. I'd tried out a Gretsch Electromatic (the one with the DeArmond singles) through a Fender Hot Rod DeVille 410, and while both were sweet, I'd spotted the Bass VI before trying the guitar/amp, so I had to give it a try. I ended up leaving Sam Ash $100.00 cheaper than if I'd bought either the Gretsch guitar or Fender amp. :D

In the mean time, I've been collecting parts toward a partscaster Tele, and nearly have everything except the miscellaneous stuff (strap buttons, pick guard and back plate screws, string tree and strings). Bought an alder body from Warmouth, and had it routed for a Strat tremolo, as well as with P90 pickup routes. The neck is Warmouth Pro, maple/maple, and I bought a set of P90s from TV Jones. Bought a 4-way wiring kit from Acme Guitar Works, which should get the most out of the P90s...sure, I could've gone 5-way, but with P90s that might be overkill. And, for as much as I like the TOM/stop tail combo on my Melody Maker, I'll eventually get around to replacing the stop tail with a Bigsby B5 that I've got, and will do the same with my Les Paul "Special" (Faded Double Cut), then those two will be just right for rockabilly, surf and surfabilly. :)

Oh...and I'm also kinda kicking myself in the ass for not having bought a Gretsch Synchromatic Junior Jet, for $175.00, when I had the chance. I was close to buying it, after having tried it 'cause at one point while playing it, it "quacked" like a Strat. The only thing I'd passed on was the color...purple. But, I haven't managed to find any Electromatic Junior Jets to try, so I'll have to consider this a lesson...I should've bought the Synchromatic, despite it being a purple guitar.

Matt
 
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