Is This A Sleeping Cult Classic? | 1986 Gibson Melody Maker Black w/ ABR-1 | History, Review + Demo

[@Trog]

In a time when things were a bit crazy, this shortly-lived model took things back to roots. I had a great time with it! 🔴Reverb: reverb.com/item/36025681?_aid=growsumo&gs_partner=Trogly 🍭Shop Sweetwater + Support the Show ➡️ imp.i114863.net/trogly 💰New to Reverb? Get $10 on Me ➡️ reverb.grsm.io/earn10 ❓Private Help Sessions: troglysguitarshow.com/help-appraisals/

[@wriglarzzz]

Love your page man, keep doing what your doing

[@JesseWalker]

M999990ĺi ok kkkkkkk(uh Ujjain I 8

[@livelearn4974]

I always enjoy your show. Keep it up. I was wondering, have you ever done a review of a 2003-2007 LPMM, with the Santa Marie body, Spanish Cedar neck and a P-90?

[@cycadaacolyte6349]

I have a NOS mid 93 in White with factory tulip tuners.

[@bluewater3783]

"Moreso, moreso, moreso"--Austin: the word that you're looking for is simply good ole "more"!! :)

[@juneau.bandca]

Now I’m huge fender guy, I have 6 mustangs and I’m proud of it damn it. But quirky Gibsons and Epiphones are really fascinating to me.

[@kirkwilson6229]

Funny, I'm the inverse. I own mostly epiphones, but I am fascinated by jaguars and jazzmasters.

[@wearethehappyones18]

@@kirkwilson6229 have ether of u guy heard of kay guitars

[@Arnoudtunes]

I thought you were more of a bass guy ;-)

[@kirkscobey3031]

I’m a Squier strat guy but getting really interested in the jr. variety be it Epi or other. Love the old 80s Squier over Fenders. Good enough for Jeff Healey!

[@chrisforceforce5350]

I have a bunch of is epi Gibson stuff I love it

[@Cryptonics]

Yes my daily dose of guitar information

[@cplhicks4744]

Oh hell yeah, loved the Iron Maiden riffs in the tone demo! Fear of the Dark has to be my favorite guitar riff in all metal :)

[@dommadonia9207]

Classic!

[@thafilms7262]

Always excited for a new vid! Always so intersting, great work.

[@arpee915]

I just learned a lot about the Gibson Melody Maker.

[@junes2k]

I love any Gibson with one pickup. The tones you can get out of one pickup is astonishing.

[@kirkwilson6229]

That thing sounds incredible through your amp.

[@jcmfer1]

That "stuff" on the back looks like a strap was left in the case and chemically did something to the finish.

[@EvilHomer1973]

I agree!

[@WalkenDead]

Yeah, that's what that was. When I was younger I was bad about doing that with my guitars

[@stkbkr1]

The marks on the back are from the lead singer of Lover Boy, singing the song Turn Me Loose all the while sitting on the back of that "Melody Maker."

[@WalkenDead]

@@BeesWaxMinder I agree, the guitar sounded great. I think Austin uses a Mesa amp and cab, but I'm not sure which one.

[@whitepepper8365]

FEAR OF THE DARK! ....... Trogly...... you never cease to amaze.

[@Okla_Soft]

Know your gear does a scientific test on his channel by comparing the same guitar with a single PUP and a double PUP config. There are clearly extra harmonic overtones when only one pickup is present. The string can vibrate in extra frequency modes without the magnet on the neck. This is one of the reasons people love juniors and melody makers. I love the simplicity and the wraparound tailpiece.

[@vernonhoover1387]

The pickup sounded great.i dig this one.the ebony fingerboard is awesome.looks like a real rocker

[@stkbkr1]

The marks on the back are from the lead singer of Lover Boy, singing the song Turn Me Loose all the while sitting on the back of that "Melody Maker."

[@orangeampandstrat]

Trogly! Keep that guitar! something about the playing demo made me say “that guitar belongs in your hands” I’ve been watching you for a long time, and the only other time I’ve thought that was when you bought the silver burst a month and a half ago!

[@eddiejr540]

The neck shape...”very flat feeling but still rounded”...WTH!!!...Trogly’s the best!!!!

[@lichkrieg4898]

If you've ever played a 7 or 8 string, this makes a lot of sense. It's shallow and round, thats how a lot of extended range stuff is, or else you wouldn't be able to play them lol.

[@alxmnslv]

it's like that triangle shape with no angles

[@tylerwoznicki7292]

I love all your videos I've learned so much

[@jerrywhite8810]

I have a 1960 Melody Maker and a faded sunburst.

[@AlexIsASeraphim]

WYRON? Yes, the tail piece, bridge and single humbucker with tjose tuners all appeal. Love it.

[@Puisheen]

Fun to see one of my photos in a Trogly's vid! That Sparkling Burgundy triple pickup melody Maker was a wonderful, utterly memorable guitar. Best color, too.

[@bluekoi455]

That thing sounds ANGRY! Love it! And thanks for sneaking in some Maiden riffs👍🤘🍺

[@barrymiller2272]

Austin...loved the crunch tones, and you sounded great!😁👍

[@VissteDuAtEr]

These Melody Makers are a real bang for your buck! I’ve never owned an electric guitar which was so loud unplugged. Might be late to the party but mine did come with a real Tim Shaw humbucker stock

[@thomaskafafian2871]

They sort of reissued these in 2011 and 2007. I've owned two of them. Both were black. They both had the one humbucker. The first was a 2007 and had a stopbar with the abr 1. I regrettably sold it like a dumby. I now have a 2011 that has a wrap tail piece. The 2000's models only had one volume knob and no tone knob. I installed a mini three way toggle switch, as a tone control, with two different capacitor options to roll off the brightness. It can be wide open bright, .047, and .015. The tone switch knob mod requires only drilling a small hole in the plastic pickguard, so that is why I did it this way. I couldn't comfortably fit a full size pot on the plastic pickguard, or I would have use a potentiometer. It is one of my favorite guitars I have ever played or owned. I have used it in recording sessions many times as well, and the one pickup never caused me any issues.

[@chrisfit]

I love your knowledge, content, and enthusiasm for Gibson guitars. Thanks so much!

[@lowqualityguitarvideos]

I think its a really late example of a tim shaw paf. I have had many tim shaws from all over, and currently have a 1986 '62 prehistoric SG that has a brass screw no-date stamp tim shaw (7.7k) in bridge and one like yours in this video in the neck (7.3) with the double rows of pole piece cutouts (ala dirty fingers), and non brass screws. It sounds just like the. bridge pickup and exactly as a shaw should sound. SO I think you DO have a really late shaw there. The only other thing it could be, as you mentioned, is one of the weird transition 490p things or whatever they were called, but it really doesnt sound like one to me, and those didnt get made until a year or two later I believe.

[@valagnew2644]

I love the base simplicity of these things

[@wriglarzzz]

I kind of wish I got this over the 2020 epiphone les paul junior

[@christophervaldez8746]

You didn't like the Jr? What was your opinion, I was sorta interested in getting one, or maybe the Special....

[@cycadaacolyte6349]

I have a NOS mid 93 in White with factory tulip tuners. Great guitars, always with some transitional year goodness.

[@bigbaldguy]

I sold a red one to a buddy about 14 years ago. It's been his favorite for a while now. Cool guitar!

[@pritchettdan]

I had the SG shape Melody Maker. A college friend damaged it. He paid me for it, so he was honorable. Still love Melody Makers.

[@TripleThreat2405]

I had a '61 MM and used to store picks in the pickguard in that same spot. Eventually it had a permanent bend just like this one.

[@brianchin1830]

Trog, your playing is getting so good man.

[@jubei7259]

That sounds wicked & for playing that Ronno lick, 10/10

[@papasmamas1]

Totally love the whole black and chrome look !! Flyer pro ?! Review that freak !!

[@johnclark1000]

I can tell you what it was you saw in the black light segment. The guitar was left in the sun light for a short period of time and the lacquer acted like a film emulsion. The most recognizable object I saw was a pair of sun glasses. other objects appear to be a piece of fabric. We use to do photo art work this way by placing mostly flat objects on photo paper and exposing it to light to make images by direct contact to the light sensitive paper then developing it the regular way. The other images are unrecognizable because the just casted obscure shadows do to the 3D shape of it. Take a look again and you can see the sun glasses quit well. The look like Perry Ellis style but do not quote me. Very cool images!

[@TheAtariCreep]

I am SOOOOOOO glad you made this video. I have mentioned in the past about a single cut Gibson I had in 94 that had an Explorer headstock. Could never find an image or anything about it. Flyer Pro, cool. To be honest, I hated how that guitar sounded but miss its vibe. This MM is so sexy too. I love these off odd guitars so much. Thank bro!!!!

[@pulaski1]

@14:39 I am not a fan of single pickup guitars, they look incomplete, like a car with three wheels, but damn, this one sounds good!

[@scottmarshall5284]

@6:29 i interesting way to string it up... must be a shock when the "E" strings tune backwards?

[@davidtexmex1616]

I really liked your demo playing with this one!!

[@JohnFromArlingtron]

I have a circa 1977 MM. Paid around $150 in '84. Still has the stock neck "Gibson logo" pup (sounds glorious) but previous owner pulled the bridge pup for a strat so I routed it put a Dimarzio HB in there. It's probably my favorite instrument. I played it all through the 80's in bands. While these guys were not true "fretless wonders" if you have any thought of bending strings it will need a fret job. BTW it fits in a Les Paul case perfectly. Same body contours.

[@KeithSouthwest]

Wow! One of the better sounding guitars I've heard on your channel.

[@adamjolin]

Trogly breaking out the Iron Maiden, nice! 🤘

[@jerrywhite8810]

That discoloration on the back under the black light is where they put it in a case and they laid it on a strap chemicals from the strap leaked into the finish

[@DunsysGuitarWorld]

I love MM's - my '63 and '65 were converted to ABR's and humbuckers before I got them - and that combination is great in these guitars. I got the Michael Clifford one after seeing your review. My wife thanks you for me buying another guitar, lol!

[@jimballardband]

I dig the Melody Maker. 2005 single cut cherry, is what I got. W/ 1 P-90 tune-o-magic bridge. And the 50’s round neck. White button tuners.

[@billycjustice]

Great history lesson! Thanks Austin.

[@ryanrogers8923]

That was a sweet sounding guitar! I enjoyed your playing, keep up the good work sir!

[@fredmerrill4002]

My 1981 Sonex has a neck heel like that, perhaps they were using up old leftover Sonex/Challenger/Invader parts? That would also explain the non-ABR-1 bridge part, and the ebony board may have been leftovers from the Studio Customs.

[@thesnapperkeeper]

I love these 80s Melody Makers

[@vincentnossa7874]

I saw one in 92 was on the hunt since. Then finally got one it's great. Was a mission to find one. Sits right between a sg and lp. It's slim and light but not on tone.

[@the_nondrive_side]

The melody maker models are my favorites. Mainly the Volume pot placement. 2011 had the SG version I love the most. This one your posting is great. Love the thinner body. I play a Junior but want a MM.. a white one.. reference Amy Winehouse's. If you swap your E string tuners they'll turn the right direction wound backwards.. not that I'd do that.. I'd likely sell that pickup and put a push pull for Series Parallel with a SD Full Shred.. exactly what I have in my Junior. The Melody Makers are IMHO the best guitars Gibson has ever produced in some iterations like this one.

[@lichkrieg4898]

....my dream gibson. Single treble humbucker pickup, hardtail, not too fancy but still classy. I have a washburn from the late 80s, I basically filled in the trem route from the junk tremolos they used added a wee angle to the neck and drilled for a badass style bridge. Next step is a single pickup 7 string or multiscale 8 string.

[@monstrok]

That guitar has a really good clean sound. I also enjoyed the bright and present midrange distorted tone that sounds like an '80's hair metal rocker. It's one of those sleepers that looks average and sounds great!

[@allstopblue5717]

Yeah that distorted tone was just excellent. Very good sounding guitar.

[@BrentAdams]

Nice playing! This one has great tone, and it's still in pretty darn good condition overall.

[@fongy200]

Just bought an 86 in black, identical to Austin's, £350 i paid and it's in great condition. Hardcase the lot.I knew it was a good investment. I string my guitars the best i can to reduce the brake angle of the string, your fix on the E strings are just common sense realy. I have resorted to using a string Butler on some of my guitars because the break angle is that extreme it affects tuning.

[@rocknrollbabey3252]

have the red counterpart. absolutely love it. early 86.

[@alexwalker67]

I've always kinda liked the Melody Maker more than the junior. Not sure why. Good Vid Trogly.

[@stephenskiles7782]

Nice playing Trog!

[@Seth-hc2bj]

Those 65's are gorgeous

[@marcraygun6290]

Surely its time to look at the kalamazoo kg series, melody maker hardware on chipboard sg or fender mustang style body

[@gabewilliams7462]

Wow man you’re getting really good at playing!!

[@Greg-vd5om]

Trogly's in the HOUSE!!!

[@littvay]

Yes! I love it. The red one.

[@allstopblue5717]

Wow that thing sounds excellent.

[@roadrunner1884]

Nice fear of the dark playing 🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘

[@173guitarman]

Joe Bonamassa has said; "you don't really need to tear apart vintage or any guitar just because you own tools. If I like the way it sounds & plays, I don't need to see whats inside or see the neck date etc..." and I kinda like that thinking. That being said (and before everybody jumps my sit split) I totally get wanting to see and admit...I watch these curiously myself!! ♫

[@firstnamefirst3200]

Once upon a time I had an early/mid 60s double cut which was amazing. Have a modded 2009 mm which is a nice piece. Has S D humbucker in place of single coil. Doesnt play like my SG but for 329 is a nice player

[@Livelaughlimpbizkit]

I’d love it if you did something with an Eastman, I feel like you’d love them!

[@gerrickreidenbach8147]

Thanks for the video. Just an observation, it would help your documentation if you took a closer look at the electronics: wiring, caps, pot value and type. Keep up the good work!

[@bradwilliams6550]

I have the 86’ custom shop model. My chainsaw case is a little nicer though. Yes, I know it’s just a decal on the guitar, but there’s practically zero info for these online. Thanks for finally giving me some idea of what it’s worth. I love the one I have.

[@erickleefeld4883]

Honestly, I like the Melody Maker headstock better than the usual Gibson stuff, because the string pull ends up being a little straighter. If you ask me, proper function is itself aesthetically pleasing.

[@foxykilla06]

Hey man love the channel, please, please, please, please, please, please please do a review on the Fender Jimi Page Dragon telecaster, the $1,399 one. That would mean a lot thanks!

[@atilliar]

That Fear of the Dark sounded tasty!

[@Arnoudtunes]

That thing actually sounded REALLY good!

[@EJ_7715]

This thing sounds incredible

[@markjamesmeli2520]

I like the red double cuts. The rest are just a big bowl of "okay."

[@TehGav]

Got a red one in 1993 that was sitting in a store in barely-used shape surrounded by expensive generic Superstrats and tagged with some ridiculous price like $200. It seemed suspiciously minimalist. The thin plank of a body and basic, opaque paint job looked like an ingenious scheme by someone at Gibson to use up their snouts-and-hooves mahogany pile while getting twice the usual number of guitars out of it. The store price was strictly as-is -- I had to carry it home without a case. It was really pretty good. I brought it on tour in Europe as a backup, but playing the cheapest possible Gibson wasn't seen as totally respectable in the US at the time, so I ended up selling it off the stage at the last show. I want it back.

[@kiezersosay49]

Trogly with the maiden! Go trogly!

[@wadeguidry6675]

It's simple and its black. I'll take it!

[@robertvasquez3973]

Have you considered reviewing the 2017 Gibson M2, the one year offered "budget Gibson" Melody Maker?

[@5skov]

Nice chops trog!

[@FangPaw]

Re: Reverse stringing on the top and bottom E strings - you can make the tuners wind he right way if you swap the tuners from one side to the other. A much better way of stringing those narrow headstocks.

[@Icantdrive55]

Cool Guitar. I Just checked out melody makers on reverb and the prices vary wildly from $700 to $8000 for the SG Mark III. You missed mentioning the Flying V variant of the melody maker.

[@gfxinstalls1884]

Did you ever do a review on the Aldo Nova guitar?

[@jamesshaw476]

I've been waiting for him to review the Aldo Nova LP too! He probably wants to keep it of himself and may not make a video because someone will offer a price that he can't refuse.

[@surfthejapstrat7010]

That Aldo was my friends and he traded Austin for it

[@presmasterflash7555]

Surf the JapStrat was it a guitar featured in an unboxing episode? I usually watch all the documentaries of the models but not so much all the unboxings. I’m interested just because I’m not familiar with Aldo Nova

[@ladeseddy5994]

I don't think he has been able to verify that it's real. Aldo's sister has stated its not real. He really needs to talk to Rick Nielsen as he has all the others that were made.

[@alabamahebrew]

That small headstock is the size of a regular head stock they just don't glue the wings on the side that make it angle off. Hey Austin, I really liked that music you were playing towards the end when you were shining the light across the guitar, you should play something like that all the time for that portion, it had a sort of Stranglehold type of vibe, I thought it was pretty cool. In other words, these are basically a junior just with cheaper appointments, which is fine since Gibson is not charging an arm and a leg for them. I do think Gibson needs to bring the price down just a touch more. I know a lot of people get upset whenever I bring up Gibson's pricing but we have to remember that we are in a different world now and Gibson doesn't really have the best rep right now. Plus, sad to say, the Gibson name no longer carries the weight it once did due to several reasons, 1) The influx of all these cheaper but still quality guitars. 2) All of the QC issues had during the boom of the "cheap guitar" modern time we are in. Younger players look at a Gibson as maybe their "one day" type of a guitar rather than their "yeah, I'm gonna save up for that one". Today's younger people have ZERO patience and why should they save up $2500 for a new Standard, or even $1500 for a new Studio, when they can get A Les Paul that's got a great reputation for as low as $300-400? You take a look at a Wolf LP style for example, if you catch it at the right time you can buy a GORGEOUS LP style guitar with abalone inlays and a fancy abalone logo, multiple colors that are much better looking than what Gibson offers, a hard case included AND it will be professionally set up before it arrives at your door, all for less than $500!! I just bought a brand new Epiphone 60's Tribute model Pro plus Les Paul that has everything but the kitchen sink and it came with the hard case and I paid $650 for it!! It's a gorgeous cherry sunburst with a 4A flame maple top (veneer of course) and it is the first guitar other than my Gretsch G5420 that came in brand new with NO flaws or blemishes at all. I am very impressed with this Epiphone and I have purchased MANY brand new ones but this one is by far THE most perfect one. Heck I can even notice a big difference when I use the coil split or the in/out phase on this one! Most of the time I don't really notice much of a difference when I pull that knob up and am in coil split mode, but this one works great! It came with Gibson pups, Switchcraft 3 way, Gibson wiring, Grover tuners, bone nut, hard case and less than $700! Why would some young player NOT get this Epiphone over a Gibson LP? Gibson is missing out on a huge and growing ever larger group of buyers.

[@ErickC]

I would bet good money the warped portion of the pickguard was put there intentionally to hold picks.

[@cavemanzach9475]

I was looking at a telecaster for my single coil guitar but that 68 melody maker makes a compelling argument.

[@jasonhill9788]

Phillip KcKnight has a video on how to flatten a pick guard, with a heat gun. looked pretty easy as long as your patient

[@patrickyeager7994]

The bump in the pickguard is probably putting picks there to hold it as l have done back In the 80s

[@aelmorky]

Ohhh so this is where Orville by Gibson Japan got the design for the Melody Maker MM65 from 1991.

[@dw7704]

I believe it was 2011 when Gibson made Melody Maksers shaped like Flying Vs & Explorers-as well as Les Pauls & SGs.

[@martinpark8371]

Nice little work horse of a guitar and yeah up the Irons!!!

[@Maiden666jefe]

Fear of the Dark...I heartily approve. Up the Irons!

[@TheDrunkenScoundrel]

Holy crap that sounds FANTASTIC! That clean sound was amazing. What were you using for and amp?

[@allisonholmesmusic97]

The Head stock looks goofy, but I would rock it

[@thedichenko9761]

Love your videos Trogly ! Have you ever cover any of the Kalamazoo Brand guitars made in the Gibson plant in the 60s? There are a few around on reverb.

[@allensparks285]

I'd definitely want a 68+70 reissue Melody Maker. My dad had a red 68 deluxe (2 pickup). A reissue would probably be much cheaper than an original.

[@petterhernroth7198]

That thing is frickin awesome

[@Ryedor]

"Made to be played" ... yup ... that's what it's all about for me. :) Ebony .... love it !

[@mr.banana4893]

YES, Fear of the Dark.🤘🤘🏻🤘🏼🤘🏽🤘🏾🤘🏿. Cool, guitar.