1964 Gibson Melody Maker 'D' Sunburst

The original Gibson Melody Maker was first launched in 1959 and discontinued in 1971. Its purpose was as an even cheaper alternative to the Les Paul Jr., which was itself introduced as a student model in 1954. From its inception it had a thin slab-style mahogany body and a glued in one-piece mahogany set neck.^[4] All the electronics, from the small "Fender style" single-coil pickups to the cable jack, were assembled on the pickguard and installed in a rout in the front of the body. The strings ran from a straight-sided simplification of the traditional Gibson headstock at one end to a wraparound bridge/tailpiece unit at the other.

From 1959 until 1961,^[2] the Melody Maker had a single cutaway slab body style similar to the early Les Paul Junior model but thinner. In 1961 the body style changed to a symmetrical double cutaway; the single cutaway model was discontinued. From 1959 to early 1964 the finish was exclusively sunburst.

The PU-380 pickup really sets the Melody Maker apart in terms of sound. Inherited from Gibson’s Skylark lap steel, this single-coil unit was simply built by winding 42-gauge wire around an Alnico bar mag.

This 1964 Gibson Melody Maker D (Double) is in exceptional condition and in perfect working order, 100% original save for a recent professional refret and PLEK.  A very well-kept example with a  vibrant three-tone Sunburst gloss nitro lacquer finish, this Melody Maker D features solid Honduran mahogany body construction with a one-piece mahogany neck capped with a Brazilian rosewood fingerboard. The pair of robust-sounding single coil pickups combine a Fender-esque snap and twang with the fuller midrange and low end punch that mahogany provides. The Melody Maker has a raw, bell-like sound and tonal profile all its own, and the single coils have plenty of detail and cut. This guitar is very easy on the back too, weighing 5lbs 11oz.

Includes original chipboard case.