Gibson Guitar Announces Joan Jett Signature Melody Maker

by Staff.

Gibson Guitar announced yesterday its introduction of the Joan Jett Signature Melody Maker electric guitar marking the first Gibson electric signature model designed in conjunction with a female artist. "This is my guitar," says Jett. "Gibson was successfully able to replicate my custom velvet hammer pick ups which have not been available for twenty years. It’s perfect for gigs as well as recording. For those of you performing live, you may understand the value of being able to shave off those split seconds between playing and interacting with the audience, especially if you use your hands to communicate. I can move between the killswitch, which mutes the guitar, and playing, and then back again without a lot of in-between motion. With its no frills basic set up, it’s a perfect guitar for either an experienced player or someone just learning.”

According to Gibson Guitar, the Joan Jett Signature Melody Maker "features a lightweight, slab mahogany body with a White Worn finish. Handcrafted to the same specs as Jett’s original guitar, the slim-tapered neck profile is similar to the Les Pauls and SGs of the mid to late 1960s. The fingerboard of the Melody Maker is constructed from the highest grade of ebony on the planet, Jett’s personal choice for her signature Melody Maker, and the headstock features Gibson’s classic, silk-screened logo. The classic, snarling growl of Jett’s original Melody Maker is accurately captured by a single Gibson Burstbucker 3 zebra humbucker, slightly overwound with asymmetrical coils, unpolished Alnico II magnets, and all the punch and power of an original Gibson PAF pickup. The tuners are mini-Grovers with authentic “witch hat” knobs, exactly as they are on Jett’s guitar. A “kill” switch replaces the normal Gibson toggle switch, and the body is outfitted with a period-correct black vinyl pickguard. The guitar also includes such typical Melody Maker features as 24-inch scale length and the standard Gibson Tune-o-matic and stopbar tailpiece."

Joan Jett burst on the music scene at the age of 15 when she co-founded the all-girl quintet, The Runaways. After multiple rejections from various record labels, she formed Blackheart Records and with hits such as “I Love Rock n’ Roll,” “Bad Reputation” and “Crimson and Clover,” and eight Platinum and Gold albums, she stands as the first major female artist to own her own record label. In 2006, Joan Jett and The Blackhearts was a main stage headliner on the Vans Warped Tour and she currently hosts a radio show, Joan Jett's Radio Revolution, on Sirius' Faction (Channel 28).

“Joan Jett is a true icon of rock and roll. Since the beginning she has been a groundbreaking artist and a trailblazer for women in the genre,” said Henry Juszkiewicz, Chairman and CEO of Gibson Guitar. “Gibson is proud to be working with such an influential guitar player.”

Gibson Joan Jett Signature Melody Maker Specs:
Body Style: “ California ” Body Shape
Body Species: Mahogany
Fingerboard Species: Ebony
Scale Length: 24 ¾”
Number of Frets: 22
Inlays: Dot
Pickups: One Burstbucker 3 Pickup (Zebra Coil) in the Bridge position
Controls: Kill Switch Black Witch-hat knobs with Chrome inserts
Neck Species: One Piece Mahogany Neck
Neck Profile: Rounded
Nut Width: 1.695”
Neck Join Location: 16
Truss Rod Cover: Joan Jett Signature on the Truss Rod Cover
Plating Finish: Chrome
Tailpiece: Chrome
Bridge: Chrome
Knobs: Black Witch-hat Knobs with Chrome Inserts
Tuners: Chrome Mini-Grover Special Tuners
MSRP: $839

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