Let's face it. You need more excitement in your life, and that's why you're here in the perfect spot. May we suggest a guitar model favored by energetic rockers like Joan Jett or Punk stalwarts Dead Boys? This vintage 1962 Gibson has so much to offer in a ridiculously simple package and that's the just way we like it. Looking for lightweight? Got it: 5.97 lbs. of solid Mahogany; just about the lightest vintage Gibson guitar model of all time. Sustain? Got it: 1-piece body mated to a 1-piece neck with twin post wraparound bridge for the ultimate in resonance, making any sustainiac a happy camper. As a bonus, this is the D for Double model meaning you have TWO pickups to cover all tonal ranges needed. Alright-you're already sold and I don't blame you. Lets dive in-
This Melody Maker was made at the original Gibson factory in Kalamazoo Michigan, U.S.A. in 1962 according to serial numbers and also has all of the date codes backing that up. There are no breaks, no cracks, no repairs, nor any funny business-the guitar is super solid. The body is a one-piece Honduran Mahogany slab with a set one-piece Honduran mahogany neck yielding the quintessential Gibson guitar construction that they are known and collected for. The body has pecks nicks dents and dings all around the edges-see photos. The Original and very awesome, vibrant sunburst finish has line checking throughout giving off the ultimate in legit vintage vibe. Nobody will ever mistake this guitar for a reissue unless they are 50 feet away. From 1961-1963 The Melody maker had the narrow cutaways with a wide neck slot for additional stability up until sometime around 1964 when they transitioned to a wide body/wide cutaways with a narrow or flush neck slot. This is the early version which is known to have more sustain and way better tuning stability than the later models (YAY!) The neck fitment is excellent and the neck angle is also fabulous.
The neck itself is smooth and has a vintage Thin/Medium C-shape. It has the highly desirable 1 11/16" wide neck (measures exactly 1.68" at the nut). The neck depth measures .817" at the 1st fret and .923" at the 12th fret. It has a small ding on the backside but still feels nice and smooth with zero drag. The original tuners all function perfectly and the guitar stays in tune well. The headstock and logo display great with mild patina. The truss rod turns smoothly and still has the factory black paint on it!-see photos. There are some rub spots on the face and edge near the low-E string between the post and the nut-see photos. The Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard is nice and clean and has a beautiful contrasting grain. It feels really nice and soft like velvet. The original frets are in very good condition and they have just been professionally leveled, crowned and polished and appear like-new condition-see photos. Go ahead and zoom in on those babies-they are crisp! The action is set low for a fast and easy playing experience. The string height at the 1st fret is .010" and the height at the 12th fret is .050" -the perfect low action for a fast and easy playing experience. The guitar plays like butter and down the fingerboard with zero fret buzz and no dead spots whatsoever.
The pickups both have an excellent and well balanced signal. They read 6.74 ohms in the bridge position and 6.88 ohms in the neck position. They have that strong midrange response with the growl and bite these narrow coil pickups are known for. The alnico strip magnet design and process included a slightly microphonic touch that makes them really come alive with amp volume. They respond particularly well to distortion. The entire wiring harness is in excellent condition. The 3-way switch replaced with the exact same part at some point. Other than that-the whole guitar is original. The yellow/blue/grey wiring may look oddball but it is all original. The original Centralab potentiometers all function smoothly and quietly. They have production date codes that correspond with the 15th and 41st week of 1962. The pickgurad is in excellent condition and it is crack-free and nice and flat. The original wraparound bridge has the "lightning bolt" compensation saddle design.
This guitar has an amazing feel in your hands. It is so lightweight that you will never want to set it back down. It sounds nice and intimate at low volumes and screams bloody murder through any quality time amp at volume. No disappointments.
Here's your shot at owning an early 1960's vintage Gibson at an affordable price point. Not only an excellent investment but also a whole lot more fun than watching your 401K bounce around these days.
