Guitar Manufacturers - Luthiers & Amp makers (Guitarsite) Guitar Manufacturers - Luthiers & Amp makers Quick A-Z of some Manufacturers: The Rise of the Electric Guitar - Innovative Design The guitar's history mirrors the cultural values, preoccupations, and norms in the United States over time. So, too, does the guitar's design, especially since the development of solid-body guitar construction by the 1950s. Because the sound produced by solid-body electrics does not depend on their shape, makers could experiment with a wider range of guitar designs. This era's seemingly radical instruments echoed the popular cultural focus on space-age modernity. The Fender "Strat" recalled the modern tail fins and imaginative colors of Detroit's cars, while the Gibson Flying V literally appeared ready for takeoff. Related Feature: See Which Electric Guitars Top Our Rankings Once the electric guitar had been firmly established by the 1960s and 1970s, guitar designs became increasingly distinctive and reflective of popular music trends. And by the 1980s guitarists were more and more concerned with the look as well as sound of their instruments, regarding their guitars as identifying signatures.

Eddie Van Halen decorated his guitar with colored sticky tape, and Prince has had guitars of all shapes and colors custom-created for his stage performances. Today, makers of electric guitars often emphasize materials, finishes, and overall design as much as the technological aspects of their instruments. Style and craftsmanship are and will continue to be especially important to the marketing success of electric guitars. Country musician Junior Brown took the customization of his guitar a step further. To solve the problem of switching back and forth between a Spanish-style electric and a Hawaiian or lap-steel electric, Brown put the two together to form a new guitar, the "guit-steel" in 1985 Ralph Novak: Philosophy of the Luthier article by Dean L. Farley I first met Ralph Novak in 1980, when he was working at Subway Guitars in Berkeley, California. I'd assembled a kit Strat and it needed a refret. My monstrosity was painted Shell Pink in tribute to Strats from Fender's surf era. Little did I know what was to come of Ralph's distant future. He was the fret guru in Berkeley, and his work was astounding - the best I'd ever seen!

Ironically, Vintage Guitar columnist Stephen White was also working at Subway at the time. So began our journey into luthiery madness! Fast forward to 1989. In the years since, Novak has built the instruments of choice for the likes of musicians like Charlie Hunter, Phillip De Gruy, Joe Louis Walker, and Henry Kaiser, to name a few. As time passed, he experimented with a variety of design ideas involving the use of non-traditional woods. At times, he was viewed as downright crazy from many a purist's standpoint. But he turned the other cheek, seeking the solutions that would satisfy his own personal playing requirements. As a guitarist with a complete understanding of the vintage instruments he worked on, Novak wasn't completely comfortable with what any one instrument was capable of delivering. He wanted to combine all the features of his old favorites while adding design twists that would give him everything he was looking for in an electric guitar. This led to the invention of his patented fanned-fret fingerboard, which gives an instrument combined scale lengths.

Read the rest of this article by Dean Farley at the Vintage Guitar site (follow this direct link as the article is not linked to from the VG site - thanks Dean!) Electric guitars have traditionally had two big measuring sticks in the Fender Stratocaster and the Gibson Les Paul . These are two traditional designs that have stood the test of time and won the respect of guitarists from many genres and generations. Welcome to FenderWorld Where music, musicians, great instruments, audio gear and accessories come together online. The Fender Stratocaster born in the early 1950's in Southern California, and more precisely in Fullerton, near Los Angeles, hometown of the Fender(tm) Musical Instrument Co. Since it's official debut in early 1954, the Fender Stratocaster(tm) has proved to be possibly the most successful electric guitar ever manufactured. Quite a legend in it's own right! The Strat(tm) - as it is affectionately known has to be acknowledged as one of the major landmarks in the history of the guitar. It enjoys a popularity undiminished by time and changing fashions and remains quite clearly a firm favourite among many generations of players, no matter what their style of music.......

Fender Stratocaster 'Tex Mex' Jimmie Vaughan signature model - $999 In many ways the Fender Stratocaster is the antithesis of the Gibson Les Paul style guitar. The first thing I notice when I sit down to play a Strat style guitar is the fantastic body shape - it's just a perfect fit. The Strat typically has a scale length of 251/2 inches which is considerably more spaced out than the Gibson. While a Gibson has the warm humbucker tone, a vintage Strat tone is thin and sharp, almost cutting. To achieve this there are three single coil pick-ups with staggered coils which equalise the prominence of all the strings. The humbuckers Gibson use are basically two single coils wired parallel to cancel some of the background hum that the Strats suffer from. In doing this however they loose some of the higher frequencies which give the Strat their sharp, jangling tone. The massive Fender scratch plates were originally used to protect their pick-ups from picking up too much background buzz and they've become one of the Stratocaster's most distinctive features. The Strat also has the tremolo bar which the Gibsons lack.

For the uninitiated the name 'tremolo' is a bit of a misnomer as the 'whammy' bar actually allows you to pitch bend by tilting the bridge back and stretching the strings while the 'tremolo' effect usually refers to changes in volume. In 1997, Fender broke ground in Corona California to build the largest guitar and amp factory in history. The plant is estimated to be 160,000 square feet. In August 1998 the world will see one of the most sophisticated and state-of-the-art manufacturing plants ever built in the guitar industry! See a quick extract of Guitar FAQ! Gibson Epiphone Les Paul Standard - $850 The Gibson style guitars generally have shorter stubbier necks, with a 233/4 inch scale length, which suits some but not all. The Les Paul, the quintessential model, boasts twin humbucking pick-ups which effectively reduce noise and produce the thick, warm tone associated with Gibsons. It is difficult not to be impressed by the tradition of Les Paul guitars. No-one will ever convince me there is a better looking guitar style.

For under $1000 the Epiphone Les Paul Standard will give you a little bit of the legend to take home and for many that's a good enough reason to buy one. Epiphones are cheaper factory made versions of the Gibson USA range. For those who learn on Gibson style guitars the Les Paul is what all guitars are measured against. more... Features the legendary product line as well as a collection of online magazines and resources The Les Paul Page This page is completely devoted to Gibson and Epiphone Les Pauls Here are some recent Epiphone models: Epiphone ES 339 - a smaller ES series guitar, a double cutaway, semi-hollowbody thinline. Epiphone Ultra 339 - a classic semi-hollow look packed with modern features. Epiphone Limited Edition ES 355 - this is the basic model B.B. King's "Lucile" was based on. Epiphone Limited Edition ES 345 - an affordable, yet quite respectable, version of the ever popular ES-345. Epiphone Ace Frehley Budokan Les Paul Custom - a recreation of the Les Paul Ace Frehley played at the record breaking Budokan KISS concert series.

Ibanez - RG450DX Ibanez are one of the best known of the more contemporary style guitars with artists such as Satriani and Vai on their books. This particular model, the RG 450 Deluxe, boasts a layout which traditional Fender players will be familiar with, but it's a very different guitar. It is a more compact instrument than the Stratocaster and with two humbuckers separated by a single coil, the pick-up system allows you to create some thick tones. In fact if you play around with the five way selector you can get just about any tone you could want. The body shape is very sharp and clinical and with jagged bolt inlays and the traditional Ibanez pointed headstock the guitar is very recognisably Ibanez. It also features a quality tremolo unit and two full octaves on the fingerboard with wide cutaways for access. This is an excellent alternative to the Gibson or Fender style dichotomy that dominates the market. If you're searching for your own sound, somewhere between the two, it's worth checking out the Ibanez range. Ibanez - Monstrous Metal Guitars? See Steve Vai & Joe Satriani!

Rickenbaker - History was made with these... The electric guitar saw its early development in the form of hawaiian guitars. Adolph Rickenbacker made one in 1931 and soon after, Leo Fender and Les Paul began working on making electric guitars of their own. The big acheivement was the electric pick-up which changes the string's vibrations into electricity... In the early 1960s Rickenbacker history became forever wedded to one of the biggest music upheavals of the 20th century: the invasion of the mop-top Beatles from Liverpool, England. The Beatles used several Rickenbacker models in the early years. Before the group broke up, John Lennon would own at least four. This love affair began in Hamburg, Germany in 1960 when he bought a natural-blonde Model 325 with a Kauffman vibrato. Lennon played the original (which was eventually refinished black but still easily identified by its gold-backed lucite pickguard) on all Beatle recordings and in all concerts until early 1964.

While Paul's Rick bass surged like an undertow, George Harrison's double-bound 360/12 (the second one made by the company) defined a new tone at the other end of the audio spectrum. Its ringing sound embellished "You Can't Do That," "Eight Days a Week," and "A Hard Day's Night," to name just three 12-string cuts from the 1964-65 period. Thus the Beatles created unprecedented, international interest in Rickenbackers, which many fans actually believed came from Britain... (Before 1964 all Rickenbacker guitars had been made at the original Electro String factory in Los Angeles. That year Hall moved it over a six month period to Santa Ana, in nearby Orange County. ) The Vox Show Room shows the classic amps behind the British Explosion of sound in the 60's. VOX, at one time was one of the largest musical instrument producers in the world and their products were utilized by almost every major music group during the nineteen sixties. From The Shadows to The Beatles to U2, VOX is the "voice" of generations of musicians worldwide.

Augustino Lo Prinzi Guitars - Augustine Lo Prinzi has made more than 10,000 guitars and just started his 49th year as a guitar maker! Renowned throughout the instrument making field, Augustino LoPrinzi's first instruments were classic guitars. As his career progressed he constructed many types of string instruments, numbering in the thousands : mandolins, lutes, violins, and steel string guitars, to list but a few. Now he is applying these years of wisdom to his first love, the classic guitar, which began his journey into instrument making. Chabot Guitars - Paul Chabot used to offer quality hand made Classical guitars (Colorado, USA) "Paul first apprenticed und er guitar maker / repairman Robert Buchanan, where he became familiar with the aspects of guitar repair, and guitar refinishing. Furthering his ability and knowledge, Paul attended Roberto-Venn School of Luthiery where he learned the basics of wood, instrument design and guitar making. Not long after graduating from Roberto-Venn, Paul was fortunate enough to apprentice under world renowned Master guitar maker Augustino Lo Prinzi.

Through Augustino Lo Prinzi, Paul was able to learn some of the most proven methods and advanced techni ques of fine guitar making." <<< Chabot Parlor Classic C.F. Martin & Co. - Martin is one of the oldest acoustic guitar manufacturers in the world, and it continues to be a family owned business. It was founded by C F Martin in 1883, and was the pioneer designer of the popular dreadnought shape. Up to now, Martin produces the most sought after acoustic guitars in the market. Maton Guitars - Australia's leading manufacturer of Acoustic and Acoustic / Electric Guitars. Until the late 1930's the Australian guitar manufacturing industry was virtually non existent and good quality guitars were hard to find. The best guitars, it was well understood, came from the U.S.A. Bill May, a Melbourne born jazz musician, woodwork teacher, and luthier, decided to change all that. Manne guitars - This Italy based guitar manufacturer produces instruments with unique features. The first Manne guitar was built in 1986 and they continue to provide finely crafted instruments based on some very original design concepts.

Manne's design philosophy: hand craft the finest stringed instruments then offer them to the public at a reasonable price. Epiphone - Before being bought out by Gibson in the late 1950s, Epiphone was actually Gibson's main rival in the archtop market. Now they are known for producing more affordable alternatives to Gibson branded models like the Les Paul, SG etc. RainSong - If you are looking for environmentally friendly guitars, then feast your eyes on the various all-graphite (carbon fiber) instruments from this US based manufacturer. Peavey - Hartley Peavey started Peavey electronics in 1965, it went on to one of the largest musical instrument and audio equipment manufacturer in the world. They offer a multitude of guitars, amps and related gear, and the price point they use are comparatively very reasonable. One of their latest guitars, the Peavey AT-200 , has the guitar world talking about its innovative auto-tune feature. Washburn - With a long history that dates back to 1883, Washburn makes various types of guitar related products including electric, acoustic, bass, amps, banjos, mandolins and amplifiers.

Their old acoustic guitars were involved with Delta blues back in the 1920s, while now, they are recognized mostly for their metal/rock friendly electric guitars. Lakewood Guitars - These are German made high-end acoustic guitars that are expensive. They offer beautifully manufactured instruments in a range of body sizes. Try out their cool online guitar designer that will let you build your guitar online and it shows you a 3D view of how your guitar would look like. G & L Guitars - Leo Fender founded this US Based guitar company with then-partner George Fullerton (hence the name G & L. They offer guitars similar to classic Fenders, but with some modern innovations. It is said that if Leo Fender stayed with Fender, their instruments will be upgraded to the G&L designs, which he considers as an upgrade to his classic guitar creations. Cort Guitars - Cort is known for their reasonably priced instruments and gear. They have a wide range of instruments available worldwide from rocking-out solids to traditional acoustics. Paul Reed Smith - PRS guitars are relatively new, but it is more than capable to challenge more established brands, and has continued to climb in popularity.

They offer a full range of instruments that follow their distinct shape, which combines Gibson's aesthetics with Fender's versatility and playabiltiy. Carvin - Like Peavey, Carvin spreads itself for the various niches of the audio market, building guitars, basses, amplifiers and pro audio gear, and they have been in this business for more than 60 years. The quality of their custom-made bass and guitars is well received by many. Takamine - This Japanese guitar manufacturer is known for their acoustic-electric instruments. They are one of the first few companies that implemented acoustic-electric models, and played a pioneering role in the design of the preamp-equalizer component, which are now common place. Godin Guitars - Robert Godin heads this Canadian based guitar manufacturer that offer acoustic and electric guitars. Their ability to produce instruments that offer innovation and quality while retaining affordability, helped propel them to their brand's worldwide reach. ESP Guitars - The ESP brand has risen to popularity especially in the rock and metal arena, thanks to endorsements from Metallica and other artists such as George Lynch and Kerry King. They also offer guitars in more traditional forms and configurations, but with their own distinct twist.

Fury Guitars - Founded in 1962, this manufacturer is considered as one of the first ones to produce electric guitars in Canada. They continue to build unique looking electric guitars that include standard 6-strings, 12-string, baritone and bass with drop D. Brian Moore - Known for their innovative custom electronics and distinctive designs, Brian Moore Guitars continue to produce guitars that go beyond the conventional. Aside from their custom-built instruments, they now carry a host of artist signature models. One of their more popular products is the iGuitar, which feature acoustic MIDI, piezo, 13 pin Synth and more. Allen Guitars - Every Allen instrument is individually hand-crafted. Nothing is mass-produced. The hand carving of the braces, the painstaking and careful construction process result in a signature sound that many continue to approve. Allen Guitars also upply exotic tonewoods, abalone shell inlay, ebony fretboards and other luthier needs. Snarling Dogs - If you saw a wah pedal that has a foot-shaped footpad, then you are looking at a Snarling Dogs' designed wah. They also offer various types of guitar and bass strings.

Their products are now available from D'Andrea. MDX Custom Guitars - The man behind this custom guitar workshop is Dwight Maddox. They've been building unique guitars that follow exactly what their customer want, from shape to hardware to electronics. National Reso-Phonic Guitars - World renowned for their resonator instruments. Unlike acoustic guitars, where the vibration of the wooden body creates the sound, in a resonator instrument the body acts as a speaker cabinet. When the strings are plucked, the vibration is transmitted through the saddle to the resonator. The resonator, or speaker cone, then amplifies that vibration. Vox Amps - Vox is one of the largest musical instrument producers in the world and their products were utilized by almost every major music group during the nineteen sixties. From The Beatles to Lawrence Welk, VOX was the "voice" of a generation of musicians worldwide. Now they continue to produce their distinctive amps and effects, embracing modeling technology while retaining tube amp products, and at times combining them. They also produce instruments and other guitar/bass related gear. Ampeg - Ampeg is a guitar and bass amplifier manufacturer that was known for their loud and powerful bass amps.

They are now under the Mackie brand and continues to produce sought after amplifiers and cabinets for bassists. Matchless - Matchless was founded in 1989 with the aim of creating versatile amplifiers for guitar players. Their class A tube circuitry is sought after along with the workmanship quality exhibited by their products. Marshall - This British company is one of the most recognized brands in amplification, thanks to the many artists that made the "Wall of Marshalls" a staple of their performances. The Marshall "crunch" tone has made its way to many iconic recordings, and continues to be a standard by which overdrive/distortion effects are measured with. Seymour Duncan - Pickups designed by Seymour Duncan first appeared in Floyd Rose equipped Kramer Guitars at the height rock, new wave and shred era. Now they produce all sorts of pickups that cover a variety of electric guitar and bass guitar models, both in single coil and humbucking format. Guild Guitars - Guild is a well known acoustic guitar manufacturer. The brand was acquired by Fender in 1995, and has continued producing archtops and acoustics. Guild recently released a new Doyle Dykes signature model.

Conde Hermanos-Eseso - Established in 1915, this flamenco and classical guitar manufacturer has a nearly 100 year old guitar making tradition. They now offer various classical and flamenco models, including ones with modern cutaway features. They also create custom guitars for their customers. Wechter Guitars - Abe Wechter has been designing and building guitars for 22 years. It has been a long journey from his first guitar shop in Seattle, Washington, to his current shop in rural Van Buren county Michigan. Daedalus Music - This New York based workshop produces cabinets and speaker systems for musicians. They sell and manufacture acoustic guitar amps and cabinets using handcrafted renewable North American Hardwoods. The name Daedalus is based on a skillful artist and inventor as found in Greek legends. Breedlove Guitars - This Oregon-based guitar manufacturer produces beautifully hand-crafted acoustics. Their site offers in-depth information on products and prices, as well as offering company and acoustic music information and news. Fuzzy Pedal Steel Guitar Products - This tokyo based workshop is headed by Mitsuo Fujii, and it is the brand behind the Excel series of pedal steel guitars.

They also offer Jerry Byrd signature instruments. Guild of American Luthiers - Aside from publishing the world's foremost lutherie magazine - American Lutherie, this site offers a lot of useful information for custom guitar makers and prospective buyers. The Ultimate Guitar Repair Shop - Gene Liberty has been working in the Northern Illinois area with over 25 years of full time guitar repair and custom building experience. Also specializing in the design and custom building of tools, fixtures and machines specific to guitar repair and guitar building. Larry Robinson Fine Custom Inlays - They produce one-of a kind shell inlays for all kinds of guitars. One of a handful of inlay practicioners in the country, Larry has done exquisite work for major guitar manufacturers (Fender, gi bson, Yamaha,...), small production shops (Santa Cruz, Collings, etc.), single luthier shops (Klein, Ryan, Olson, Megas, and more), collectors like Tsumura and people who just want something to personalize their guitar. Wait - There's much more! How to Find Out the Age and Value of a Guitar: 10 Steps How to Find Out the Age and Value of a Guitar Steps 1 Clean the guitar and inspect it.

If the guitar is dirty or dusty, take a damp (not wet) cloth or use a polish or polish treated handi-wipe (such as Murphy's Oil cloth or Fender / Gibson polish) and wipe it down, taking note as you go of the details. Do you see inlay or detailed carvings in the wood? Is the guitar even made of wood at all? Or is it made of plasticine or particle board? Are the tuning knobs ornate or heavy? Made of metal or bone, even? Or are they made of plastic or missing altogether? What about the condition of the guitar? Does it appear to be old? New? In good shape? Heavy? All of these are clues telling you about the value of the guitar. For example, if it has ornate carving or details, it is probably old or hand made, giving it more value. If it is heavy, it is probably made of a better wood. If it is in good shape, it is worth more than if it is missing parts or in need of repair. Regardless of its shape, if it is a certain name brand of guitar, it may be of some value none-the-less. Also, are you sure it's a guitar?

Does it have 6 strings? If it has 4 (naturally, not missing 2 strings), it could be a ukulele. If it has 5, it could be a banjo. If it has 4 doubled side by side or 6 doubled side by side, it could be a mandolin or a 12 string guitar. 2 Find the name of the maker on the headstock. Once the guitar is clean and you've made some observations about the condition and details of the guitar, observe the headstock and determine if you can find the name of the guitar's maker. What does it say? Gibson? Fender? Martin? All of those are reputable guitar makers. Regardless, just because you've never heard of the maker doesn't mean it's valueless. However, the name of the maker can hold important details about when it was made, as some guitar companies are no longer in business and operated during distinct periods in history which might give you an idea of when the guitar was made. 3 Try to find hidden details or a serial number if applicable.

Look inside the sound hole of the guitar (the big hole in the center of the body of the guitar, duh!) and see if you can make out any more details. Is there a serial number or a city or year written on the paper inside of the hole? Is there any paper or details at all? There may not be. 4 Make sure to inspect the back and bottom of guitar. If it is an electric guitar, turn it over and look at the back. See if you can find a serial number or any additional details on any of the metal or parts. 5 Organize your findings. Once you've gathered your details, write them down - the guitar's maker the brand of guitar if there is one (i.e., Fender Telecaster), the size, the weight ("heavy" or "light" is a good start), the type of wood if you recognize it, etc. Also make note of any damage. This might include nicks, dents, discoloration or fading on the paint, broken strings, cracks in the wood, missing tuning pegs, etc. 6 Research your findings. Do a Google search for the guitar maker and brand.

If you can find it listed on eBay multiple times and the prices are within the same range, there's a good chance that's the value of the guitar. However, if your model is a bit different - if it looks older, better, somehow snazzier, it could be worth more. Don't take eBay's word for it; go to the library, music or antique store, pawn shop or talk to a guitar expert to get a 2nd opinion. A carpenter or woodworker might also have an idea of the value. The name of someone who works with, builds and fixes guitars is a "luthier", so do a search in your phone book or online to see if you can find one in your community. 7 Compare it to photos of guitars you find. You might try typing the name into Google and then clicking on "Image" and trying to cross reference it by the hundreds of photos that will come up. 8 Find a guitar expert in a guitarist's natural habitat. If all these efforts leave you info-less, try going to a local open mic and asking someone with a guitar to give it a look.

Look for someone who plays well or who looks like a hippie (long hair, beard, older, faint odor of patchouli). Most guitarists appreciate seeing other people's guitars, especially if it's something unique or of value. 9 Display the guitar. Now that it's all cleaned up and looking good, get a wall hanging guitar hook or a guitar stand and put it somewhere that it will be seen. If all your searches and hippie shake downs turned up nothing, eventually, someone will come along, pick it up and tell you everything there is to know about it. 10 Be patient. You might not find the information you want to right away, but when you do, you might realize that you have a treasure on your hands, or you may find the thing is just a regular old guitar. Either way, a guitar is a great item to have around the house. Even a poor quality guitar holds value in that when a person who knows what they're doing with it picks one up, it brightens the whole room. Music can be played on any guitar in working condition, regardless of its value.

Even worthless and broken guitars make great decorations, planters, canvases, art or sculpture material, props or can be sold for parts or traded for an item of personal value to you. There's a good use for any and every guitar. Community Q&A How do I find the value of a guitar? wikiHow Contributor You can search the internet for the value or take it to a music store to get it appraised. Make sure that you get more than one opinion about the value of the guitar. If this question (or a similar one) is answered twice in this section, please click here to let us know. Tips Don't forget to ask friends or family if they know anyone who collects or appraises guitars. You never know who your friends know. Take a class on guitar making if you'd like to learn more about how to build, appraise, play or collect guitars. If the guitar does have a lot of value, consider donating it to a museum or school for a tax write off or for the sheer joy of giving. Warnings There are many caveats to guitar value and appraisal. Talk to a professional before getting rid of something that could potentially be worth a lot.

Guitar Site Database : Makers : Sites related to Makers, Manufacturers, Luthiers Makers Sites related to Makers, Manufacturers, Luthiers Sure, everyone knows about Fender and Gibson, but they aren’t the only people who build guitars. Alongside names such as Ibanez, Paul Reed Smith, and Taylor, you’ll also find a range of independent and boutique guitar manufacturers and luthiers here. Wondering what a luthier is? It’s the traditional name for craftspeople who make and repair stringed instruments, and is derived from the French word ‘lute’. Although it can apply to people who make other stringed instruments like violins etc., it’s usually used around this neck of the tonewoods to refer to someone who specializes in acoustic guitars. Gibson Melody Maker Les Paul review | MusicRadar Gibson Melody Maker Les Paul review Gibson Melody Maker Les Paul review It's a Melody Maker, but not as we know it… Shares Priced at just under £500, This is a very affordable model. Image 2 of 4 The fingerboard is constructed from torrefied maple.

Image 3 of 4 There's your pickup - a solitary 491T humbucker. Image 4 of 4 The headstock bears the classic Gibson logo. Jump to Section: Our heads say no, our hearts say yes. Only you can decide which one rules… For A stripped-down, raucous rock axe with vibe in spades. Against Teetering on the brink between stripped-down charm and just being 'Made In Hurry' Buying options Buy similar The 'big two' companies arguably dominate both the guitar market and the airwaves with unprecedented levels of saturation. But while Fender is expert at making sure there's a 'proper' Stratocaster for every pocket, Gibson's efforts at making its classic outlines affordable for everyone have so far been less effective. See the Gibson Melody Maker Les Paul in action... FutTv : 29354786A601r Sure, you can pick up a Les Paul or SG from Gibson's Chinese-made Epiphone range for reasonable money, but it's the idea of owning a USA-made guitar with 'Gibson' on the headstock that possesses as much allure today as it ever has.

"If you're wondering whether corners cut in manufacturing will be evident, the answer's a resounding 'yes'." No amount of fanfared hi-tech misadventure or reports of poor quality control seem to be capable of causing anything more than minor dings in the lustrous gloss of the brand's heritage and desirability. In light of all this, when the new Melody Maker series was ushered in at the Frankfurt Musikmesse in March , it seemed like an inevitable success story given the instruments' sub-£500 pricing. Of course, this isn't the first time that Gibson has manufactured Melody Makers in the USA and marketed them squarely at the affordable end of the spectrum. Back in December 2008, we got our hands on the vintage- style Melody Maker that was priced at less than £300 for a solid mahogany, USA-made affair with one single-coil pickup, scratchplate-mounted volume and tone controls and a satin finish. At the time of writing, this model is still in production, although prices have inevitably crept closer to the £400 mark. Of course, the Melody Maker name has plenty of heritage of its own.

Production began in 1959, when Gibson was struggling to shift Les Paul Standards but making great inroads by selling 'student' instruments to youngsters having music lessons in retail stores. Following the single and double-cutaway Juniors, the original Melody Maker was introduced with a single-coil pickup, a thinner body and a narrower headstock than its siblings, and was priced at just $99.50 way back then. It may have been a cut-price design, but lest we forget that Gibsons of this period were all made to a very high standard from the kind of materials that today demand a massive premium. A Brazilian rosewood fretboard on a 'student' guitar? You bet. Fast-forward to 2011 and Gibson's newest Melody Makers obviously aren't hand-crafted from premium tonewoods. Indeed, they don't even share many common materials with the majority of the solidbodies in the Gibson range. The Les Paul and SG Melody Makers here have set mahogany necks, but unusually feature maple slab bodies and torrefied maple fretboards. The process of torrefaction is a high-temperature treatment that makes the wood more waterproof, stable and durable.

It's also totally sustainable and the material takes on a richer hue as a result. In this instance, it has the obvious aesthetic advantage of making maple resemble the rosewood 'board that you'd expect to see on a Gibson electric. We did wonder if the fretboards on these Melody Makers had been stained but a cheeky scratch didn't seem to betray any signs of pigment being worn away. Although the single-cutaway Les Paul and SG outlines here have both graced Melody Maker designs in the past - the former from 1959-61 and the latter from 1966 until the model was discontinued in 1971 - the more flamboyant among you should check out the Seymour Duncan HB-103-loaded Explorer and Flying V versions. Appointments are otherwise identical, although we'd expect the different body shapes to have a subtle impact on the instruments' tonal properties in the usual way, with the V in particular likely to boast a slightly more 'scooped' tonality thanks to a lack of body mass behind the bridge. Back to the guitars here, and if you're wondering whether or not any corners cut in the manufacturing process will be visually evident then the answer is a resounding 'yes'.

The combination of minimal grain filling and a crude satin nitro-cellulose finish straight off the spray gun has left plenty of visible sinkage on the Les Paul's body, while the SG fares slightly better - a good thing given that more grain is visible through its satin blue paintjob. Both guitars have what Gibson describes as a "unique Melody Maker neck profile", and although neither is the most even carve in the world, both are satisfyingly chubby and substantial palmfuls, with which we feel immediately at home. Neither PLEK-cut Corian nut gives us any cause for complaint, but the fret jobs on both unbound necks are disappointing compared to other instruments in this price bracket, USA-made or not. Both guitars have sharp fret ends above the 12th fret on the treble and bass sides, suggesting that this is another area in which the need to keep manufacturing costs down has impacted on the end product. Both scratchplates have pretty sharp edges, too.

It's less of a problem on the Les Paul, but the edge of the SG's larger pickguard - which also means that the whole bridge has to come off for access to the wiring - sits within the playing arc and it's all too easy to skin your knuckles on the way down towards the strings, especially if you're the type of player who flails at their instrument with any kind of abandon. On both guitars there's a significant hazard on the way back up towards the strings, as well - the Fender-style volume control position is handy for volume swells but the knobs do stand dangerously proud of each guitar's top, so beware if you're a windmiller. Sounds Electric guitars don't come much simpler than this. Both the Les Paul and SG Melody Maker feature a solitary ceramic-loaded 491T humbucker wired to a single volume control. And that's it. As a result, manipulation of the guitar's volume and picking hand position and intensity suddenly become your principle tone-shaping tools. It's a scary ride, but it sure is exhilarating.

Both guitars have a strident, resonant acoustic voice which, in combination with a pickup that has bags of output and attitude, makes for a wonderful, snarling rock 'n' roll machine. There's more top end than you'd expect to get from a traditionally appointed Les Paul or SG Standard, but this is no bad thing. Played through a quality valve combo revved up to AC/ DC-style levels of grind, it's hard to keep the grin off our faces with either guitar strapped on. Rolling back the volume cleans things up without proceedings getting too woolly - the bite of a ceramic magnet coming in handy - although obviously you shouldn't expect much mileage for jazz and country. These guitars might appear to be strictly rock machines but we managed to coax everything from Revolver-era Beatles to GN'R rhythm sounds out of them; mighty impressive for a single-pickup instrument. Bluesmen take note, too - these are great slide guitars. Any differences between the sonic performances of the two instruments are negligible - we put this down to the loud pickup and the fact that although they're different shapes, they're the same weight - so if you like what you hear, the choice is an ergonomic one. Oh, and colour of course.

We'd like a white SG, please. Congratulations, Gibson, you've left us mightily confused this time. How can two guitars that exhibit so much evidence of sloppiness in the manufacturing process and that come with their fair share of practical foibles be so bloody likeable? The answer is that it's a vibe thing. Despite some significant flaws, we'd happily take to the stage, or studio, with either of these guitars - after we'd given some attention to the frets - for any sort of vaguely rock-based gig and be confident that they'd do the business while looking great into the bargain. An Epiphone Les Paul Standard, for instance, is undoubtedly a better guitar for the money, and it's certainly more versatile with more attention to detail on the production line. But this, at least in skin-deep aesthetic terms and above all sonically, is a real USA Gibson. Snobs? Us? We're just guitar players… The magazine for serious players Subscribe and save today Antique Vintage Guitars collector info - collecting old VINTAGE GUITARS Private vintage guitars, lapsteels, amplifier collector.

I'm a private guitar collector interested in vintage instruments by Gibson, Fender, Martin, Gretsch, Epiphone, National, Dobro, Rickenbacker made from 1920 to 1969. I collect information about these guitars, and of course the guitars themselves. (This includes both electric and acoustic vintage guitars.) This site is a "labor of love", and has lots of information and pictures of vintage guitars. You may have to dig deep into the site to find an exact model, but everything should be here about any particular vintage Gibson, Fender, Martin, National, Dobro, Gretsch, Epiphone guitar. Note this is not a commercial site, so you won't find anything for sale here. But if you are interested in selling a vintage guitar from one of the above manufacturers, click on that vintage guitar make for more information on your model. Then contact me with what you have. I generally pay anywhere from $100 to $30,000 for old vintage guitars. Note I am not a dealer! Please contact me if you have any instruments for sale.

C O N T E N T S Gibson Guitars Sale: 1965 Gibson Melody Maker D With Case, Gibson Guitars for Sale (515) 864 6136 - YouTube Close Gibson Guitars Sale: 1965 Gibson Melody Maker D With Case, Gibson Guitars for Sale (515) 864 6136 Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. The interactive transcript could not be loaded. Loading... Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on May 23, 2013 - - Gibson Guitars Sale | 515-864-6136 At Lawman Guitars are experts in buying and selling rare and vintage used electric guitars. give us a call us at 515-864-6136. 1965 Gibson Melody Maker D Guitar with original Gibson Softshell Case.

What we have today is a beautiful all Mahogany Gibson Melody Maker D which is for double Pickups. It is all original including the Gibson Softshell Case. The accessory box top is missing but all the hinges, latches and original handle are there. A Very Nice Case. The guitar is only missing the whammy bar. It is set up as a hardtail which helps these stay in tune. The Gibson whammy system is not known for staying in tune. It has the original tuners but one is bent. It is still functional so I left it alone. The knobs and pickups are original as is the pickguard etc,. This Fender is a Pro Player here in Des Moines and well kept. It has small dings and scratches to be expected in a 1965 guitar but no unusual dings. Only superficial cosmetic things. It has alot of finish crazing which every vintage guitar collector looks for. Indicates the original nitrocellouse finish. The guitar plays great with easy playing low action. The original frets have a lot of life left in them. The neck angle is great and it plays fanstastic. The sound of these single coil Gibson Pickups is really nice.

A warm P90 sound from the neck and the bridge will get your attention. In the middle pickup setting you can adjust the amount of each pickup volume which gives this guitar great versatility in sounds. The headstock serial number lists it as a 1965 or 1968. I opened up the pickguard and checked out the pots. There were two that I could identify as 1965's so I am calling this one a 1965. A great guitar with original case that will not fall in value. You will enjoy playing it for years to come. Grab this one while you can. Lawman Guitars West Des Moines, IA 50266 (515) 864-6136 This video was produced by Tiller Productions, Des Moines, Iowa | © Copyright 2012 Tiller Productions & Lawman Guitars. All Rights Reserved. Category

Question: The Stratocaster is a model of which guitar maker?
Answer: Fender