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Yes my car is an Alfa Benzina' date=' of course.

 

This morning ...

[/quote']

 

I've got and Alfa GT, JTDm. Nice cars and nice guitars. Life can be sweet.

 

I'll get a pic of my axe even that I know that everyone has seen the new classic. Maybe a pic with the Alfa!

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2006 61 RI' date=' with a few modifications:

 

And a '66 Melody Maker....does this count? Same shape anyway.

 

[img']http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk28/richmca/MM66.jpg[/img]

 

 

 

Hi richmca,

 

How's that Melody Maker? I saw a '62 one in store nearby. The finish is full of cracks and the guy wants 800 euro for it. That seems really high, but I may be able to get the price down a small bit. I bet that the sound is really unique.

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How's that Melody Maker? I saw a '62 one in store nearby. The finish is full of cracks and the guy wants 800 euro for it. That seems really high, but I may be able to get the price down a small bit. I bet that the sound is really unique.

 

Do you mean you aren't sure if this is a MM? Well...it is, that's all I know. They went to the SG shape in 1966 I think.

 

Are you looking at a double-cut? That's what they had in '62 if I'm not mistaken.

 

Yes the sound is pretty distinctive, but make sure you have a good go on it before you buy, with an amp similar to yours. If you really like the sound, great, but I would say it's a pretty limited sound compared, say, to a SG Junior with P90. It has a lot of attitude on 10, but I find there's not much happening below say 9. One of the really satisfying things with a good single P90 guitar is that there's a surprising range of tones to be had, and I don't really think that's true of the Melody Maker.

 

As for price, 800 Euros seems not too bad to me. Cracks in the finish? Don't you like cracks? I'll post a pic of my 55 LP Jun if you want to see cracks!

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Definetly a double cut out, exactly like your's in the photo. The brownish neck is darker then the body.

 

I've been scared to try it 'cause how rusted the strings are... gently.

 

Cracks in the finish make it look more like one of the old oil paintings. lol !

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=P~

How's that Melody Maker?

 

Sorry - I misread your question. I thought you were saying 'How's that A Melody Maker?' Duh.

 

So in answer, it wasn't great in the shop where I bought it. It had dead old strings and some wiring problem at the jack so that the sound cut out noisily at times. But it was obviously good enough for me to buy it, although the look had a lot to do with that. I don't know why, but I found the combination of the red body and the brown varnished mahogany neck very attractive.

 

The real revelation was when I got it home (after the shop fixed the electrics) and gave it a good wash and brush up. Polish, lemon oil, new strings – nothing radical, but suddenly, I realised how nice it was to play. The neck is really very good, with excellent smooth frets (presumably not original and I don't know if they are the same type as would have been fitted - these are quite big and make bending easy). . Only past the 15th fret do they start to be a little rough at the edge but nothing to worry about. The neck has a pleasantly full feel in the back of the hand and is much narrower than the SG Custom 61 type - though plenty wide enough for my fingers anyway. I'd say the profile of the neck is a tiny bit fuller than my 1955 Junior, and I like it. The guitar and the neck especially resonates very well so again that's a very satisfying tactile aspect to it - I always find that makes a guitar feel like a willing partner.

 

It's not that easy to tune. I will have to look at the machines and see if anything can be improved there; the nut seems fine. Once tuned up, it stays in tune well though.

 

Bags of piano-like sustain in the bass - very satisfying.

 

Tone - distinctive. Fatter than a good tele or strat pickup, but with a similar kind of attack, balanced with a good dose of mahogany depth. Lots of top end - no problem cutting through a mix, even if you are also set for more mid and low-mid that you'd get from most teles.

 

Now this is weird, and maybe someone here knows why this is happening, but there is a definite shimmer to the sound acoustically - a bit like a touch of chorus, or a sitar or twelve-string thing going on. Aluminium stopbar type bridge maybe? I took it to a rehearsal today and the bass player straightaway said it would be good for...some Steely Dan tune with a sitar part...can't remember the name. I have not yet bypassed the trem tailpiece and strung it using the bridge as the tailpiece, which a lot of players do. If that improves the tone, I'm in for a treat, because it's pretty good now.

 

I said earlier that I didn't think there was much going on tone-wise at lower volume settings but having given it a run out at gig levels now, I may revise that opinion. I need a bit more experience with it before I know what it's really going to do. It seemed louder than my SG Custom today anyway...that's a bit of a surprise when I think about it. Louder than a humbucker loaded guitar, although they are very vintage style buckers with fairly low output.

 

So I'm pretty pleased with it. It's quite different in feel from the two nearest things I can compare it with - the SG Custom and a gorgeous LP/SG Jun 61 I've played recently. It does feel a good, crackly, lively guitar. I like that in a guitar that was at the bargain-basement end.

 

As for the kind of material it might suit...it's a pretty assertive guitar, so that automatically makes me want to try it on something subtle and soulful to see if I can wring a bit of sweetness out of it. But today the only thing I used it for was a James Brown number for some stabbing chops. Would be good for blues in the right hands, good for slide, and good for anything loud and punchy. Not sure you'd be going to it for jazz =P~

 

Let us know what happens with yours if you get it. I'd be interested to know if you get that same sitar thing happening.

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Wow richmca, what a accurate picture you painted! I can just about hear the sound of that melody maker coming through the your text. Thanks!

 

I expected that it would be sharp attack given the location of the pup and smoother then a tele because of the wood. I'm quite curious about your sitar sound (vibration in the tailpiece?). Now looking at the pictures, the trem assembly is missing on the one here, (price reduction!) and the strings are wraped aroung the tail piece.

 

If I can get the courage up (to come home with another musical instrument) then I'll go in the store and plop the money down with a good 20% mark down. I wonder if it's worth €650 on the market?

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I probably paid towards the upper end of the price scale but I'm not unhappy - it's a nice guitar.

 

I check out the prices on ebay and there was a pretty big span there. The SG Melody Maker here though is missing the trem bar.

 

Granted that I'd get a healthy discount, I wonder if I'd ever be able to find an original tremolo bar. Ideas????

 

Looking at all these beautiful guitars is inspiring...

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I wonder if I'd ever be able to find an original tremolo bar. Ideas????

 

Almost certainly, though you might have to look for quite some time. I think a lot of players discard them and use the stop tailpiece instead. I'm pretty sure I've seen one for sale quite recently somewhere...can't remember where though. There may also be replicas available.

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  • 10 months later...

Greets, some sweet SGs in this thread! I love the silver sparkle, I want one so bad!

 

Here is my 2006 SG Std (next to my 1981 Flying V)

I modified it with a steel pickguard, Iommi signature pup (bridge) and the tuners & knobs from a Platinum SG Special.

The truss cover and toggle ring are Schaller nickle plated brass.

 

gibsonsteel001a.jpg

 

This is my 1991 SG Jr reissue.

I replaced the truss cover with a Schaller nickle platted brass one,

put in an Iommi signature pup in place of the p90 and swapped the black pickguard to mirror.

Also added a Gibson TP-6 tail.

 

sgjr.jpg

 

I have to say this Jr grew on me and I use it most of all, I feel like one with it.

It's about ready for a fret replacement....I'm nervious - LOL!

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My baby: Gibson SG Special' date=' produced on January 1st, 2000, first day of the new Millennium!

she's wearing Dimarzio Air Classic™ and the sound is incredible!

 

sg3h.jpg

 

 

Nice, Same year as mine, I have always wanted to see a Special with the covers on it, very cool.

 

Here's mine for the collection.

IMG_3275.jpg

IMG_3276.jpg

IMG_3286.jpg

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