Gibson Melody Maker guitars are a great way to get your first experience of owning a Gibson-quality guitar as they are affordable yet made with the same attention to detail as dearer Gibson instruments.
This SG, finished in a simple Satin Ebony, is a shape that is practical, cool and steeped in history.
Here's what Gibson say about the Melody Maker SG
Since 1959 the Melody Maker series has brought full and uncompromised Gibson quality and tone to top-grade electric guitars priced for the student, novice, or the pro on a budget. Staying true to this agenda, Gibson USA introduces the Melody Maker SG, one of four great models in an all-new Melody Maker line up. Like their predecessors, these Melody Makers launched in the second decade of the 21st century possess everything you need to rock, with none of the superfluous extras that get in the way. All are crafted from select tonewoods, carry a genuine Gibson USA humbucking pickup, and are built with traditional high-quality features such as a set-in neck, 24 3/4" scale length and 1 11/16" width at the nut. In short, nothing is spared in the effort to make these genuine Gibson guitars, but they come in a format that saves you a bundle. This great looking model is crafted in the image of a classic Gibson SG with a gorgeous nitrocellulose finish. In short, nothing is spared in the effort to make these genuine Gibson guitars, but they come in a format that saves you a bundle.
Maple has a long history in electric guitar making, and is one of the strongest tonewoods used in luthiery. A body crafted from solid maple gives the Melody Maker SG outstanding clarity and sustain, and helps it retain sharp note definition even through a heavily cranked amp. The guitar's glued-in neck is crafted from solid quarter-sawn mahogany for superior strength and resonance, and carved to a superbly fast yet comfortable "Melody Maker profile" that measures .835" at the 1st fret and .930" at the 12th. In a contemporary departure from the norm, this neck carries a fingerboard made from torrified maple, a heat-treated form of maple that has the rich brown look of rosewood but is superior in strength and durability, and totally sustainable besides. Rendered in the shape of the original SG of the 1960s, a rock icon in itself, the Melody Maker SG has killer looks, tone, and playability.
To give this guitar a punch equal to its heritage, Gibson USA loads the Melody Maker SG with one of its most versatile pickups. The single 491T humbucker in the bridge position is crafted in the image of Gibson's acclaimed PAF ("Patent Applied For") humbucker of the late '50s, but updated with a ceramic magnet for great power, clarity and sustain, and routed through a single volume control to keep it all simple. Go easy and it purrs sweetly; hit it hard, and there's as much crunch, wail and sustain on tap as any rocker will ever need. Anchored by a timeless and tuneful stud-mounted wraparound bridge at the body end and a set of efficient enclosed tuners at the headstock, with a PLEK-cut Corian nut for enhanced sustain and ultimate intonation precision, it's an incredible package for the player who wants a slice of full-bore Gibson USA quality at a stripped-down price.
Each new Melody Maker includes a Gibson gigbag and owner's manual, and is covered by Gibson's Limited Lifetime Warranty and 24/7/365 Customer Service.
Product Features
- Solid Maple body available in three Satin finishes
- Unique "Melody Maker" neck profile
- Maple fingerboard with dot inlays
- 491T Ceramic Humbucker with volume control
- Vintage Kluson-style tuners with white buttons
Body
- Species: Mahogany
- Adhesive: Franklin Titebond 50
Neck
- Species: Mahogany
- Profile: SG Rounded
- Truss Rod: Traditional Adjustable
- Joint Angle: 5° (+/- 15 seconds)
- Adhesive: Franklin Titebond 50
Neck Fit
- Joint: Mortise & Tenon
- Adhesive: Franklin Titebond 50
- Joint Angle Tolerance: +/- .005"
Fingerboard
- Species: Rosewood
- Frets: 24
- Radius: 12"
- Nut/E.O.B: 1.695"/2.260"
- Inlays: Acrylic Trapezoid
Nut
- Material: Corian
- Width: 1.695
- Slots: Gibson PLEK System
Headstock
- Logo: Mother of Pearl "Gibson" Logo with Gold 50th Anniversary silkscreen
- Truss Rod Cover: Black and White Antique Bell
Tuners
- Model: Vintage Style with Perloid Buttons
- Plating: Nickel
- Tuning Ratio: 14:1
Bridge
- Type: Tune-O-Matic
- Material: Zamak
- Plating: Chrome
Tailpiece
- Type: Stop Bar
- Material: Zamak
- Plating: Chrome
Hardware
- Knobs: Black Top Hat with Silver Inserts
- Pickguard: 5-Ply '61
- Toggle Switch Washer: Black with Gold Silkscreen
- Strings: .010 - .046, Genuine Gibson strings
- Strap Buttons: Aluminum
Pickups
- Neck Position: '57 Classic
- Bridge Position: '57 Classic
Electronics
- Potentiometers: 2 Volume Controls, 2 Tone Controls
- Type: 300k Linear Volume, 500k Non-linear Tone
- Coil Wiring: Machine Wound
- Toggle Switch: Three-way Switchcraft with Black Plastic Tip
- Output Jack: Traditional 1/4"
Finish
- Sealer: Nitrocellulose
- Process: 1-1.5 mils Antique Ebony
Case
- Type: Gibson SG Hardshell
- Case Exterior: Black
- Case Interior: Plush Lining