Gibson Melody Maker Guitar Review

Decades ago, Gibson was second to none in the market of high quality, professional level guitars. As bands such as Led Zeppelin, who used mostly Gibson instruments, achieved exceedingly huge popularity, demand for Gibsons rose sharply. But this was a different type. People without copious amounts of money were looking for a way to break into the world of Gibson guitars without breaking the bank. As a response to this demand, Gibson offered the low priced Melody Maker. Today, they continue that tradition. Let’s take a closer look at today’s Melody Maker to see how well it looks, feels, and performs.

Features: The Gibson Melody Maker cuts a few corners on craftsmanship in order to lower the price. But lower cost does not necessarily mean lower quality. The body of the Melody Maker, on all models, is made of solid mahogany wood. There are several finishes available, including ebony black and tobacco sunburst. All finishes come with a uniquely shaped black plastic pickguard. Honestly the looks are aesthetically pleasing, but nothing overly special. It is an attractive guitar with understated looks. The neck, meanwhile, is connected to the body at the sixteenth fret. It’s made of mahogany as well, and has twenty one frets on a rosewood fretboard. Also, the neck has a classic Gibson C shaped profile. All of the hardware on the Gibson Melody Maker, including the tuning heads and Tune-O-Matic style bridge, is chrome. Electronically, the Melody Maker has one single coil pickup in the bridge position and one volume and one tone control knob (both of which are black plastic) One big plus for many musicians is the fact that the Melody Maker is manufactured in the U.S.

Playability: There are a few real advantages and drawbacks to consider in terms of the playability of this guitar. First of all, the neck’s C shaped profile is somewhat thick, and can take some getting used to for players trying to learn complicated scales and chord shapes. Additionally, frets past the joint where the neck meets the body of the Melody Maker can be difficult to access. On the other hand, the body is thin profiled and lighter than other Gibsons, which means it is easier to play in standing positions for long periods of time. Additionally, the Tune-O-Matic style bridge means string height, or action, can be adjusted with relative ease.

Sound: Keeping in mind the fact that there is just one single coil pickup in the bridge position, the Melody Maker is best suited for certain styles of music. Punk artists, such as Green Day, specifically prefer it because of the crunchy power chords in the output. But if you’re looking for a guitar to shred with or get symphonic-like clean tones out of, you will probably find something a little more suitable in the same price range.

Overall: For a specific type of musician, the Gibson Melody Maker is an excellent affordable option. It carries the clout of an authentic Gibson guitar, and in the right musical setting is hard to beat. You can find the Gibson Melody Maker in music stores for about $490.