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Melody Maker EMG


CustomESP

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Hello all! Haven't posted since my les paul studio purchase about a year ago. Hope this is in the right place... I just ordered a melody maker in white and wish to mod it. What would I need to install a single EMG pickup? Any thoughts? I am also going to install sperzel locking tuners and a more complex bridge for better intonation but will start with the EMG as I am itching to hear what it will sound like. Cheers.

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lol' date=' i didn't see your name, i'm sure you already thought of that[/quote']

 

LOL :D That is true I could of... but we both know that the quality of this instrument is better than an esp at this price range... but more importantly I love gibson necks! I also wanted to create a unique guitar and from what I can tell I will be the first to have an active EMG in a melody maker for better or worse!

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Well I did it! Took me all day as I routed by hand with a knife and a screwdriver and I had to solder the EMG81, but it is done! I started at about noon and its past midnight now but I'n pretty proud of myself as I have never soldered pickups or routed a guitar before and am now the only owner in the universe who owns a melody maker with an EMG! lol Hope you guys/gals like it!

 

Here are some picks!

 

emgs007ha6.th.jpg

emgs006de8.th.jpg

emgs008ht3.th.jpg

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Congrats CustomESP. Nice job. MM's are great for modding.

 

Here's a pic of mine - a 65MM I modified myself back in the olden days - 1977.

2 mini humbuckers and a DiMarzio. The two 3way switches allow any combination/single pickup selection.

65MMfront.jpg

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Congrats CustomESP. Nice job. MM's are great for modding.

 

Here's a pic of mine - a 65MM I modified myself back in the olden days - 1977.

2 mini humbuckers and a DiMarzio. The two 3way switches allow any combination/single pickup selection.

65MMfront.jpg

 

that is an amazing guitar

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Congrats CustomESP. Nice job. MM's are great for modding.

 

Here's a pic of mine - a 65MM I modified myself back in the olden days - 1977.

2 mini humbuckers and a DiMarzio. The two 3way switches allow any combination/single pickup selection.

65MMfront.jpg

 

That is a really unique melody maker. I like it!

 

 

If the MM was back in the 400 dollar range and came in a 2 pup double cutaway model, I'd be sold.

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Well I did it! Took me all day as I routed by hand with a knife and a screwdriver and I had to solder the EMG81' date=' but it is done! I started at about noon and its past midnight now but I'n pretty proud of myself as I have never soldered pickups or routed a guitar before and am now the only owner in the universe who owns a melody maker with an EMG! lol Hope you guys/gals like it!

 

Here are some picks!

 

emgs007ha6.th.jpg

emgs006de8.th.jpg

emgs008ht3.th.jpg

 

 

 

Actually! you are the second! I had a Melody Maker about 4 years ago, that I modded with an EMG from my Gibson S-900, but I thought it was kind of wierd that I didn't have to mod the MM p/up cavity, even though that particular model HB, was designed for the S-900s Strat-style bridge p/up cavity.
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I never had a desire to own EMG pups as they were never really my thing, but the MM is a great and affordable guitar to mod. Personally I like the idea of adding a Bigsby to a MM and I just ordered another MM to do this very project.

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That 65 MM is sweet' date=' did you have that pickguard custom-made? The pickup config is reminiscent of Pete Townshend's modded 3pu LP Deluxes. Very nice work.[/quote']

 

Thanks. Actually, I made the pickguard myself and did all the modifications myself. Back in '77 I had a hard time finding a large sheet of raw pickguard material. I ended up going to sign shop and buying a hunk of sign plastic - black on white is what I used giving a simple BW reveal on the edge, but you could glue two sheets together for a BWBW reveal on the edge. Those mini humbuckers are capable of producing great tones and sound, and the DiMarzio can get nice and dirty. I really love the guitar and have kept it over the years despite a few great offers to buy it. As MM owners know, it's very light - as opposed to the LP, which some players find too heavy and hard on the shoulder and back. Also, that 60's sleek neck is really something. If you've never played a Gibson 60's sleek profile neck, next time your in a guitar shop that has one availble, I recommend you check it out.

 

LPDEN - I agree. The MM is a perfect choice to mod. Sometimes you can find a vintage "project" MM for cheap$, leaving room in the buget to get crazy with the pup choices. CustomESPs choice is cool. It takes guts to start modding a guitar with a working setup, let alone a new one. Nice job.

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