Vintage 1960 Gibson Melody Maker Sunburst (59 Spec) with OHSC

Up for the first time in years is this exemplary vintage 1960 Gibson Melody Maker!  Specifically, this is an early 1960 version, meaning that it has the 1959 spec neck and is all original, with a thicker than normal tone, making it super desirable.  This one has been held in private collections for a long, and now on the market for the first time in decades.

The Melody Maker is one of the coolest single pickup guitars ever made.  It originally debuted as a less expensive alternative model to the Gibson Les Paul, aimed at students, but quickly became a go-to instrument as a grab and go rocker.  Some would say it's Gibson's greatest value ever when it comes to electric guitars.  With its thin slab mahogany body, one piece mahogany set neck with a Brazilian rosewood fretboard, single single-coil pickup, and simple Volume and Tone knobs, this guitar is made for instant tonal gratification. 

This one in particular is quite special - it's all original, from the finish down to the pickup.  The previous owner did swap bridges but kept the original bridge, so that's back on the guitar now (all of the work was done here in our shop, including a full setup, so this guitar plays perfectly).  As for the case, that's original too.

The neck has some heft to it, but not too much - the profile is like the original 1959 debut  model, as opposed to the thinner version that it switch to later in 1960. 

This guitar also has the original pickup and electronics, provides an unmistakable tone.  The pickup width measures .700", which interestingly parks it between the '59 (.875") and the '60 (.625").  The question of which it is can be difficult to answer, and we'd say it's closer to the '60 pickup in size but closer to the '59 pickup in sound.  Of course, the latter is more important!  Some people feel that the later versions were a bit anemic, so if you dig a beefier sounding Melody Maker, this is the way to go.  As soon as we plugged it in, we fell in love.

These two features make this 1960 Melody Maker one of the last to have the 1959 spec neck and better sounding pickup, before the model was altered, and makes it the more enticing version.  The guitar is in great shape, especially considering the age - at 64 years running, it's ready to go another 64 years!  It players wonderfully, has all of the "right" wear, and of course sounds amazing.  For anyone that knows, an early 1960 Melody Maker is a special find, and this one in particular really stands out.  We don't see it being here for long.

Pickup 7.13 ohms.
Neck depth: . 88 first fret and .98 twelfth fret. 
Frets 100 wide, 40 high

 

Serial # 0 6494

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