Need advice on Melody Maker with neck replaced

[3th3r]

Hi all

I have the opportunity to buy a vintage sunburst Melody Maker, single cutaway with nice checking, for approx. nine hundred $$.

The problem is that the neck was replaced by Gibson many years ago (this is what the seller said he was told when he purchased it) and there is no serial number on the headstock, so I don't know what year it is.

The job appears to be completely professional, but the headstock is wider than the original ones, though not as wide as a Les Paul's. Also the neck profile is rounder than on other MMs I have seen, and the fingerboard does not look original either.

It plays fine, but I am worried about its value. Would you guys (and girls) go for it, or would you wait for an all original one?

I've been looking to buy old wood, and these MMs are some of the few that I can afford. I'll appreciate any advice. Thanks.

 

[dwagar]

MM questions really should be posted in "Other Gibsons".
If it's a vintage singlecut, it'd be '59, '60 or early '61.
If you want it as a player, I'd say go for it. If you are thinking collectability, then no.

 

[3th3r]

Thanks for the info, dwagar. I wasn't exactly sure where to post this question, but now I know.

 

[burstman59]

I cant imagine Gibson doing a reneck on a Melody Maker unless it was a warrenty repair. Seems like it would be cheaper back then to replace the whole guitar because untill the last 10 or 15 yrs they were considered by many as a student or inexpensive model. Maybe it is a 59-61 and the neck was refinished that would make more sense. They are coming up in price today as they are truely vintage guitars even if they were a cheaper model I remember buying several in the 80's for two to three hundred tops. I am actually looking for a double pickup 63/64 model myself as they were neat little gutars.

 

[smoking guns]

I'd wait - nice MM's with NO issues don't go for too much more that that - you don't know what the hell you've got there - I've got a beauty in the classified section -

 

[TM1]

I saw some deranged dealer on ebay a couple weeks ago trying to sell a few MM's for $1,500. each...