bought a cheap ebay gibby

[muku]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=STRK:MEWNX:IT

couple of questions,
Am i out a my mind that this thing will ever sound good?
What zebra PU do you think this is?

Please recomend a SD PU that rolled back a little cleans up but full out sounds strong a rockin?

Santa Barbara Mike

[Jessie Sammler]

No idea what that pickup is, but you might be able to figure it out once you get the thing in your hands.

As far as an SD pickup, an Alnico II Pro humbucker would be great, but so would half a dozen other models, I expect.

[hamerfan]

yeah, first check the humbucker.

[Diocletian]

I'll go with Jessie on the A2Pro. A 59 would work nicely as well.

However, like the others said, you need to take the pickup out first and see what it is. It could already be a 59 or something.
It could also not be an upgrade on the stock Gibson pup at all, it might be some cheap POS someone put in so they could sell the stock pickup!

Looks like a great guitar though, putting a nice Duncan in there will give you a great sounding instrument I'd think.

[Funkfingers]

IMO, the wood and metal bits of the guitar should be fine.

The only aspects that worry me in the slightest are;
1) The placement of the HB
2) The make/model of the HB.

The previous owner appears to have widened the PU cavity about its previous centre line. This keeps things in alignment with the edges of the pickguard but it also brings the coils of the HB a quarter of an inch closer to the bridge than, say, an SG or LP.

The eBay auction listing makes no mention whatsoever of the make/model of the HB. If it were anything worth boasting about, you might have expected the vendor to draw attention to the illustrious make/model or even include a few photographs by way of proof.

If you had installed, say, a Gibson '57 Classic Plus in a guitar, it would be in your best financial interests to temporarily remove that PU and photograph the underside of it to show the decal.

Worst case scenario. If you don't like that mystery zebra HB, replace it. Based on a Gordon-Smith GS-1 that I once owned, I would recommend something of the hot P90 persuasion. (SD P-Rails, Phat Cat et cetera.)

[blueman335]

Leslie West, baby.

[Funkfingers]

Just taken another look at the eBay auction pics. The custom-made scratchplate is all wrong UNLESS that Melody Maker was originally routed for two single coil PUs. Proper Gibson MM scratchplates mount the PUs through narrow, finger-like extensions of the main scratchplate area.

If I am correct about this, you can ignore my earlier concern about the single HB being closer than normal to the bridge. In all probabilty, the PU rout will only have been enlarged on the neck side. (Another justification for outline of the bespoke scratchplate.)

[Aceman]

A Chinese copy perhaps????

Also - the thinner bodies run the mid peak up toward the higher end a bit. It will have more "bite" or cut than a regular LP.

Other than that it should sound fine.

Check the bucker in detail when you get it.

[Funkfingers]

A Chinese copy perhaps????

The plot thickens.

Take a look at the 360 degree view on the Gibson website. http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Elec...ody-Maker.aspx

Most of the features check out but;
1) The $699 guitar on the website has six individual Kluson-style tuners. The one that muku has bought has mini Grovers. (Is this an upgrade by a previous owner or just another Gibson production inconsistency?)
2) All of the current Gibson MM models appear to be single PU. The scratchplate "finger" only conceals the heel end of the neck. It is not wide enough to surround/disguise a rout for a neck position pickup.

Bang goes another of my theories.

Actually, what that custom scratchplate most resembles is the outline used on the Joan Jett Signature model. The white, regular shaped model NOT the black, 65/66 shape usually associated with Joan. In this instance, somebody has had the good taste to keep the controls in the traditional postions.

[SirJackdeFuzz]

Leslie West, baby.

You took the words right out of my mouth !