Melody Maker Appreciation Thread~

[Gibsonrocknroll]

Originally Posted by ricardo

hi, i'm about to order an ebony mm reissue.

Can anyone recommend (reasonably priced) replacement tuners that are a good fit the mm headstock? I'd like a chrome finish.

Also, does anyone have any pics of the dual-pickup version without the pickguard cover? I'd like to see how it's routed.

Thanks in advance, this thread is a great source of information.

P8280259.jpg

[Johnny six-stringer]

Here's what I did last year to a brand spanking new Joan Jett 2009 MM.

Kept it all Gibson with a Gibson Tony Iommi double coil, rewired the JJ MM killswitch to a coil-split switch. Swapped the knobs and TRC with current Gibson parts.

Back of neck is stained and tung-oiled while the body is stained and spray polyurethaned. I went overboard (as I usually do) with copper shielding (see 2nd pic).

I hand sanded the body edges to be a little more rounded and comfortable on my right forearm and right leg and right man-boob while playing in a sitting position. I also sanded the protruding 90 degree corners down on the body where the neck joins, to make that part of the body a little more palm-friendly (see 3rd pic).

I would really appreciate input from anybody that wants to offer their opinion on what I can do for future mods. I generally play solo near an amp so the single coil mode can be noisy if I don't sit just right. Any opinions if the single coil thats used in single coil mode should be closer or farther from the bridge to make it sound more like a strat or like a MM w/ a P90 ? Any opinions about a Tone bleed Resistor-Capacitor "circuit" ? Orange drop cap? 1M volume pot? Parallel/Series switch instead of coil-split? Dummy coil? Fernandes sustainer? Piezo bridge?

I love hearing other peoples thoughts on tech stuff like this, so please speak up !

P.S. - In response to another poster, yeah the guitar smelled like a Band-Aid factory before I refinished it. Thanks for that post, I couldn't put my nose on the smell.

[ledlover01]

Try some PIO caps so contact member jonesy,I've replaced my all black truss rod cover with a white bordered black one,also consider a bridge replacment and a bone nut! Good luck with what ever you do.

[ledlover01]

[ledlover01]

gibson melody maker refinish - Harmony Central Forums
Very cool thread!

[Gibsonrocknroll]

2 pickup wiring P8300260.jpg

[sollophonic]

Ive kept the stock bridge on mine, but I was wondering what replacement bridges others were using?

I tried a Wilkinson one with the two adjustable saddles, but the slots on the bridge ends were too narrow to fit in the slots in the stock Gibson screws, yet the Wilkinson screws were also the wrong size for the Gibson studs. Also the Wilky studs were too small for the holes in the body, so it was a non starter.

I tried another bridge with the saddle compensating ridges, and the same thing happened.

What replacement bridges that give a bit more intonation are compatible with the reissue MMs?

I love the tone of the stock bridge, but I could do with it being a bit more in tune sometimes, especially on the lower strings which are a bit flat higher up the neck.

[ledlover01]

How bout one of these? I have one on my junior cause it know the MM bridge does not have the notches on it like the one in the picture.It must work cause my Junior holds a better tune than my MM.Maybe Gibson sells it?Good luck

[sollophonic]

Originally Posted by ledlover01

How bout one of these? I have one on my junior cause it know the MM bridge does not have the notches on it like the one in the picture.It must work cause my Junior holds a better tune than my MM.Maybe Gibson sells it?Good luck

What make bridge is it please?

I have found something that looks like an older Leo Quan bridge, pretty cheap, it has adujstable saddles, certainly right width/thickness wise.

Its what it does tonewise thats crucial???!!!!

[ledlover01]

I dont think its tone wise,its a gibson bridge it came stock on my Junior.Maybe check on the gibson website?Im not sure exactly.

[sollophonic]

Well I found an intonatable wraparound bridge on eBay, and thought it'dd be worth the risk. Checked the thickness of the stud slots and it seemed to match the Gibson studs just in case the new bridge studs were too small for theGibby body holes.

Which they were.

I mounted the new bridge on the old Gibson studs, and it works ok.



The bridge still slightly tilts forward a bit on the studs, there is a bit of play on there.

Now plays more in tune, and I have actually got the intonation more or less spot on.

BUT, beware, these bridges are thicekr than the plain wraparound, so you son run out of adjustment for the action. The new bridge is down as far as it can go, and could be a tad lower, certainly cant get the action down as low as the old bridge.

So I have the guitar more in tune, but a slightly higher action.

Hasnt really changed the tone for better or worse either.

[dwagar]

I use a Pigtail intonatable on my '60. It would tilt with stock studs, but if you use the Pigtail studs it locks in nice and tight.

[ledlover01]

Ya i want to try out the pigtail stuff.Heard its great.Got the strings off mine,i orginally got it with really low action and had to raise it.Has anyone mounted a bigsby on one? Wouldnt a B7 require the pickguard to be modifyed.Maybe you could shed some light on this dwager?

[koen]

Yeah, Pigtail here too.

[sollophonic]

Just ordered a Faber bridge from TokaiDE in Germany.

They assure me it fits an MM, and they look like great well engineered stuff.

Heres hoping........!

[ledlover01]

The stock bridge is really HEAVY! Anyway i got a 47 bee and im going to put it in today.Ill keep you guys updated!

[Gasman]

Well This is my 5th MM over the years - its a 2010 - And I have said it many times! But this guitar is the best bang for the buck for a all American made Guitar. I just love these little guys. Gasman

[eyeface]

I've already posted in a NGD thread, but thought I should post some pics in this thread too.

Here is my 1961 MM, refinished by someone in the early 80s who I'd imagine was a Joan Jett fan...

Has an 80s Dimarzio Super Distortion in the bridge, and some form of p90 (quite hot) in the neck.

Quite simply the best guitar I've ever owned...



IMG_1413 by allthebodiesmusic, on Flickr



IMG_1412 by allthebodiesmusic, on Flickr



IMG_1411 by allthebodiesmusic, on Flickr

[sollophonic]

Put the new Faber bridge on mine the other day.



Much better tone than the adjustable thing.

Better intonation than the stock bridge, though still not quite there.

Kind of think that maybe Gibson put the bridge on mine a bit far back.


Someone on another forum suggested using 12s gave better intonation.

Still happier with this Faber bridge tna any other I have used on this guitar.

And its design is simple, elegant and well engineered

[ledlover01]

no that bridge looks about the same as mine.Could be small but nothing is moved bigtime.

[Gasman]

Hey Eyeface - Very cool looking Guitar - And it sounds like your really enjoying it. Nice Find.

Sollophonic - I to did allot of bridge switching - on my previous MM's - For what ever reason I just found the stock bridge to sound the best. And I won't go into --- searching for the best bridge after I installed a Maestro Vibrola - that was a whole different adventure. Glad you found a bridge that you like.
Ken

[ledlover01]

I would love to see pics of a MM with that Maestro!

[Gasman]

You know Led - I was just looking for some on my laptop with no prevail. I had it on a white 59' reissue - Because of the pickguard turn-in I had a hard time getting the vibrola close enough to the bridge. Once I got it mounted I had to put a nylon spacer under the Pearl handle to get it up and above the controls. It turned out pretty good - and old friend of mine saw it and loved it so much he offered me more than I paid for it. I sold it to him with a discount - I figured I could always buy another one.
The Vibrola actually sounded very nice in a subtle way - of course sometimes their was tuning issues.
If I can dig up any pics I will post them.
Ken

[Gasman]

After a lot of searching - Here's a Pic=

[River]

This 1960 with a P-90 just showed up at my door yesterday. Better photos and a NGD thread when time permits.

[ledlover01]

i was waiting for that river!You showed me pics a few days ago.And that Maestro looks really bad ass

[River]

Here's a better shot:

[neils]

Nice River. Was that an eBay find? Is the P90 as old as the guitar?

Neil

[mdubya]

Looks like a winner Riv. That guitar would make me happy.

[River]

Originally Posted by neils

Nice River. Was that an eBay find? Is the P90 as old as the guitar?

Originally Posted by mdubya

Looks like a winner Riv. That guitar would make me happy.

It's a triple-crowner, srsly (I'm too old to fall into the honeymoon trap). Until two weeks ago, it had been for sale right here at MLP since May, and I'd been watching it off and on the whole time. But I'd told myself I was done, despite the nostalgia value of this one, which is through the roof for me.

But to my great misfortune, y'all were asleep at the switch this whole time, and when cryptozoo bumped it I knew it was meant to be mine. It's not highly original except for wood and paint - but neither was mine back in the day. These were shit guitars, stage props, consumables. But man, do they play...

The P-90 was hand wound by cryptozoo. It's a bit hot, but mounted low. So it sounds almost exactly like my Antiquity and Phat Cat - but actually does "Sunshine Of Your Love" just a bit better. Not bad for a one-pickup wonder.

Lined up with my other two Gibsons for a glamor shot, it's homely as sin. Play it, and you have to wonder why all guitars are not made precisely like this one.