Deal Alert: $249 Gibson Melody Maker

Dave W · June 22, 2009, 11:53:06 AM

Saw this at another forum: Musicians Friend is having a call-in-only special on the Gibson Melody Maker in the Worn White finish only for $249.

I called MF to confirm it, and they said it's true. Don't know for sure how long it will last.

I think 249 for a US Gibson is a terrific deal (current MSRP is 699, street 489). Yeah, it has an economy finish but at that price, who cares?

angrymatt · June 23, 2009, 03:09:09 AM

I have one of the black les paul melody makers from '06, the ones with the p-90 in it, and I love it. The single coils in these aren't quite as gnarly, but probably more useful than the p-90 in mine.

I put a tort pg and gold witch hats on mine, gives it a real nice les paul jr look, while still being less than $400. If I didn't just buy a flying v I'd jump all over this.

Freuds_Cat · June 23, 2009, 06:23:42 AM

If I didnt live in Oz so would I.

Freuds_Cat · June 23, 2009, 07:01:01 AM

Dave I see nothing on their website, is/was it one of their "stupid deals of the day"?

Dave W · June 23, 2009, 07:37:49 AM

No, it's strictly an unadvertised call-in. They must have made a special buy of the white ones.

Freuds_Cat · June 23, 2009, 07:39:36 AM

Sorry for my ignorance. Call in means you actually go to their shop correct?

Dave W · June 23, 2009, 07:44:27 AM

No, they don't have a shop. You have to call their telephone order number and ask for the deal.

Chris P. · June 23, 2009, 08:47:30 AM

They had the same white ones for cheap in some German stores!

Freuds_Cat · June 23, 2009, 03:19:37 PM

Damn... I'd go that if I could.

chromium · June 24, 2009, 08:17:16 PM

Wow that's tempting! It'd be fun to mod it with a P-90...

Freuds_Cat · June 24, 2009, 11:21:26 PM

Feel free to order it on my behalf anyone

Rhythm N. Bliss · June 25, 2009, 06:00:14 AM

Cute. LP lite

Since it probly doesn't come in lefty I'll just make fun of it & smile.

Dave W · June 25, 2009, 08:37:45 AM

Quote from: Rhythm N. Bliss on June 25, 2009, 06:00:14 AM
Cute. LP lite

Since it probly doesn't come in lefty I'll just make fun of it & smile.

I don't recall ever seeing a lefty Melody Maker.

While it borrows a lot of styling from the LP Junior, the sound isn't LP lite. The Melody Maker pickups always had their own thing going, brighter and nastier than a P-90. Whether that's good or bad depends on your tastes.

The pickup on these new ones isn't made exactly the same but from what I've heard it does sound a lot like the old ones.

Dave W · June 26, 2009, 10:42:48 PM

Well, I bought one. My very first guitar was a first year Melody Maker, bought new in 1959 for $99. I traded it about 4 years later. So at this price I had to have one. After all, it's been 50 years.

It arrived today, and I love it. It was ready to go right out of the box, very low action, minimal relief, nice medium neck profile like the original. And above all, it's got tone like the original. Just plug into my Blues Jr. and wail away.

The finish is pretty smooth, no grain filler but not rough like some of the Gibson faded series.

The original pickup was a blade type with a magnet for the blade, same type construction as 60s TBirds only single coil. The new pickup has six poles (not screw type) so it's obviously not identical but I think it's the same size and it sure sounds like the old ones.

And I think I know what's behind the good deal on these: the s/n is from late May 2007, and a guy at the TDPRI who got his says his is from July 2007. Gibson probably overproduced this color and had them warehoused and then gave MF a special price.

Freuds_Cat · June 27, 2009, 07:37:27 AM

Damn you Dave!

You should have grabbed 2 and offered one to me