A closer look at a Gibson Melody maker from 1964. The Melody Maker is one of Gibson's best ever selling guitars - despite it's comparatively low price it didn't skimp on Gibson tradition: well-built instruments, constructed from the finest materials. The body and set neck are both of South American mahogany whilst the fingerboard is South American rosewood. With a sunburst nitrocellulose finish the Melody Maker certainly looked the part. In fact the Melody Maker had more in common with many higher end Gibson instruments than guitars of a similar price bracket made by other manufacturers. The circuitry was simple; just a volume and tone control for one single coil pickup. See also Gibson Melody Maker shipping figures
This was the last guitar and bass catalogue produced by Vox under the ownership of JMI. The cover features Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones, playing his trademark Vox Mark VI teardrop, and features a line up of British and Italian built vox guitars and basses; Vox Phantom, Vox Mark, Vox Spitfire, Lynx, Super Lynx and the Jones' Stones colleague Bill Wymans signature Wyman Bass. Twelve pages.
Details and information on the Kalamazoo KG2a electric guitar. The beat boom of the mid 1960s heralded a huge demand for electric guitars; youngsters up and down America were looking for affordable, well-built solid-bodies, with modern looks and a great sound. Gibson, better known for it's high-end jazz guitars, responded by producing the KG guitar and KB bass lines, under the Kalamazoo brand. They were initially modelled on the Fender Mustang, though soon took the shape of the Gibson SG, which was rapidly rising in popularity. The resulting instruments used modern composite wood technology, Fender style construction and actual Gibson hardware. They looked good, played well, and sold in large quantities. See also Kalamazoo KG shipping figures, a 1966 Kalamazoo KG1 (single pickup) and listen to the Kalamazoo KG soundclips.
A 1961 Gibson EB3 bass. 1961 was the first year of EB3 production, and the year Gibson first used the classic SG shape. Like the SG guitars, the EB3 was built at the Gibson plant in Kalamazoo. Early EB3s are characterised by their chunky necks, wide-spaced controls, nickel hardware and bakelite neck pickup cover. Have a listen to the soundclips of this bass, through several vintage amplifiers.
Profile of a 1966 Gibson EB0 bass. The EB0, like it's big brother the EB3, is something of a 1960s classic; the construction (short scale, mahogany body, set mahogany neck), and the famous Gibson EB humbucker positioned at the neck, gave a deep rumble that perfectly suited the musical environment of the early-mid sixties. But by the early-mid seventies things were going long-scale and maple... Nonetheless, this is a finely built instrument, capable of some terrific sounds that really suit certain musical situations. Have a listen to the soundclips of this bass, through various vintage amplifiers.
The Hagstrom Coronado is one of the most distinctive bass guitars ever manufactured; the quirky controls, 32" scale, and unique shape. The body and neck are mahogany, but with bolt on construction. This 1966 Coronado is one of the later guitars, so does not have the Hagstrom Bi-Sonic pickups, but it is still a great sounding, and highly playable bass. Check out the short Hagstrom Coronado bass sound clips on this site.
Guitar vol 10, tone 10, varitone position 1. With a clean amp (vol 3, treble 5, bass 5) you get a really fat round sound from this setting. Played fingerstyle. Guitar vol 10, tone 10, varitone position 1. With a slighter hotter amp (vol 3, treble 6, bass 6) and played at the bridge. Fingerstyle.
Pos 2 - bridge pickup only
Guitar vol 10, tone 10, varitone position 2. Clean amp (vol 3, treble 5, bass 5) and played fingerstyle at the bridge. This is the thinnest sound you'll get from an EB3, but still with plenty of punch on the low notes. Guitar vol 10, tone 10, varitone position 2. A slightly snarlier amp setting (vol 5, treble 5, bass 5) is perfect for this varitone position. Played fingerstyle. Guitar vol 10, tone 3, varitone position 2. Rolling off the tone a little on the bass, and pushing the amp further (vol 7, treble 5, bass 5) gives the fantastic distorted bass tone that the EB3 is famous for - especially when you really dig in like this. Played fingerstyle.
Pos 3 - both pickups in parallel
Guitar vols 10, tones 10, varitone position 3. Both pickups through a clean amp (vol 3, treble 5, bass 5) . Fingerstyle. Guitar: Vols 10, tones 10, varitone position 3. The snarlier amp setting again (vol 5, treble 5, bass 5). Played fingerstyle. Guitar: Vols 10, neck tone 10, bridge tone 3, varitone position 3. Amp vol 7, treble 5, bass 5. Played fingerstyle. Guitar: Both pickups, vol 10, tone 5, varitone position 3. Same louder amp setting as above (amp vol 7, treble 5, bass 5) but played a little harder with a pick.
Pos 4 - neck pickup only
Guitar: Vol 10, tone 10, varitone position 4.. Clean (amp vol 3, treble 5, bass 5). Fingerstyle. Guitar: Vol 10, tone 10, varitone position 4. With the amp turned up a little (vol 5, treble 5, bass 5), and played down by the bridge. Fingerstyle. Guitar: Vol 10, tone 10, varitone position 4. With the amp turned up a little further still (vol 7, treble 5, bass 5), Fingerstyle.
The Vox Bassmaster has no pickup selector which limits tonal options - but the sounds that are there are great; it really snarls when you dig in with a pick.
Recorded with a Shure SM57 microphone, into an M-audio mobile pre USB interface.
Vox Bassmaster. Both pickups, volume 10/10, tone 5/10. Fingerstyle. Vox Bassmaster. Both pickups, volume 10/10, tone 5/10. With pick. Vox Bassmaster. Both pickups, volume 10/10, tone 0/10. Fingerstyle. Vox Bassmaster. Both pickups, volume 10/10, tone 0/10. Pick.
Both pickups, volumes and tones all at 10/10. Fingerstyle. Both pickups, volumes and tones all at 10/10. With a pick. Both pickups, volume 10/10, tone 5/10, played with a pick. Vox Clubman bass. Neck pickup only, tone 0/10. Fingerstyle. Bridge pickup, volume 10/10 and tone 3/10. Fingerstyle.
All sound samples were recorded with an amp with the following settings: volume 3, treble 5, bass 5.
Recorded with a Shure SM57 microphone, into an M-audio mobile pre USB interface.
Volume 10/10, tone 10/10. You can get a a more note definition if you play down by the bridge Volume 10/10, tone 0/10. With the tone rolled down, you get a really deep dubby bass sound that is felt as much as heard. Terrfic fun, and great live, but often inaudiable on certain speakers.
...and with a pick
Volume 10/10, tone 5/10. A great classic rock sound.
All sound samples were recorded with an amp with the following settings: volume 3, treble 5, bass 5.
Recorded with a Shure SM57 microphone, into an M-audio mobile pre USB interface.
Neck pickup (switch 1) with the tone selector on 'H' (switch 4). Fingerstyle. Neck pickup (switch 1) with the tone selector on 'H' (switch 4). Played with a pick. Neck pickup (switch 1) with the tone selector on 'L' (switch 3). Fingerstyle.
Bridge pickup
Bridge pickup (switch 2) with the tone selector on 'H' (switch 4). Fingerstyle. Bridge pickup (switch 2) with the tone selector on 'L' (switch 3). Fingerstyle. Bridge pickup (switch 2) with the tone selector on 'L' (switch 3). Played with a pick.
Both pickups
Both pickups (switches 1 & 2) with the tone selector on 'H' (switch 4). Fingerstyle. Both pickups (switches 1 & 2) with the tone selector on 'L' (switch 3). Fingerstyle.
Neck pickup only, volume 10/10, tone 10/10, fingerstyle. Neck pickup only, volume 10/10, tone turned down, 0/10. Played fingerstyle.
Bridge pickup
Bridge pickup only, volume 10/10, tone 10/10, played with a pick.
Both pickups
Both pickups, all volume and tone controls 10/10. Played fingerstyle. Both pickups, all volume and tone controls 10/10. Played with a pick. Bridge pickup (volume 10/10 tone 10/10) with just a bit of neck dialed in (volume 3/10 tone 0/10). Played with a pick.
Both pickups, volumes and tones all at 10/10. No bass boost. Played fingerstyle. Neck pickup only, volume and tone 10/10. No bass boost. Played fingerstyle. Bridge pickup, volume 10/10, tone 10/10. No bass boost. Played fingerstyle. Neck Pickup, volume 10/10, tone 10/10, bridge pickup, volume 9/10, tone 3/10. No bass boost. Played fingerstyle.
With bass boost
Both pickups, volumes and tones all at 10/10. With bass boost. Played fingerstyle. Neck pickup, volume and tone at 10/10. With bass boost. Played fingerstyle. Bridge pickup, volume and tone at 10/10. With bass boost. Played fingerstyle. Neck Pickup, volume 10/10, tone 10/10, bridge pickup, volume 9/10, tone 3/10. With bass boost. Played fingerstyle.
Guitar: volume 10, tone 10. Amp: volume 3, treble 5, bass 5. Played fingerstyle at the neck. Guitar: volume 10, tone 10. Amp: volume 3, treble 5, bass 5. Played fingerstyle at the bridge. Guitar: volume 10, tone 0. Amp: volume 3, treble 5, bass 5. Played fingerstyle - the EB humbucker is so fat sounding anyway, that turning down the tone control doesn't change the tone as significantly as some other basses. Guitar: volume 10, tone 10. Amp: volume 3, treble 5, bass 5. Even at low volume, you can get a nice crunch to the tone when you dig in with a pick.
Neck pickup only. Volume 10, tone 10. Played fingerstyle down by the bridge. Neck pickup. Volume 10, tone 0. Played fingerstyle. You can get some great sounds from this bass by rolling the tone back a bit.
Varitone position 2
Bridge pickup. Volume 10, tone 10. Played fingerstyle.
Varitone position 3
Both pickups. All volumes 10 and tones 10. Played fingerstyle.
Varitone position 4
Front pickup with midrange notch. Volume 10, tone 10. Played fingerstyle. Amazing fat tone. I just love this setting.
Funk with the odd slap and pop - then a straight walking jazz/blues bass. Both played fingerstyle. Played with a pick - some real punch for more aggressive basslines.
Volume 10, tone control rolled down to 0
Fingerstyle. About as fat as it gets on a Fender Musicmaster. Played with a hard pick right down at the bridge. Nice.
If you are looking for specific vintage guitars for sale, you may have to keep an eye on numerous vintage guitar stores, classifieds websites and ebay listings. Below are just the auctions - Vintage guitar stores tend to advertise theirs in their ebay online vintage guitar stores - have a look because there are some different listings.
