I still love my Mel!

[cffluntouch]

I have had a beautiful Melancon Custom Artist T for some time now. As it is with all of us guitarists we move from guitar to guitar and get enamored with different ones for awhile. I hadn't even picked up my Mel for a few weeks. Last night I went to a jam with several other guitarists plus a bassist and drummer. I decided to bring the Mel to plug into my Komet Constellation. Wow did it sound great! I always forget about the great playability, tone and versatility with the coil tap to switch between split series and parallel. I always bring at least two guitars to a gig, usually a Les Paul, and a Strat. But I could easily get by with just the Mel. Goes from Les Paul to Tele tones very easily and convincingly. Another guitar player and I traded for a little bit and I played his custom PRS for a while. He fell in love with my guitar. If you haven't ever played one, do yourself a favor and try one! Gerard Melancon is making fabulous guitars and doesn't get mentioned enough as being at the same level as a Suhr, Vinetto, or McNaught. You'll love it!

[CDaughtry]

http://www.justjared.com/images/2006/07/mel-gibson-mug-shot.jpg

[Don L]

You beat me to it, CD! The sick minds think alike... :D

[Old Tele man]

...the "pickeled" minds think alike...

[Terry McInturff]

I have had a beautiful Melancon Custom Artist T for some time now. As it is with all of us guitarists we move from guitar to guitar and get enamored with different ones for awhile. I hadn't even picked up my Mel for a few weeks. Last night I went to a jam with several other guitarists plus a bassist and drummer. I decided to bring the Mel to plug into my Komet Constellation. Wow did it sound great! I always forget about the great playability, tone and versatility with the coil tap to switch between split series and parallel. I always bring at least two guitars to a gig, usually a Les Paul, and a Strat. But I could easily get by with just the Mel. Goes from Les Paul to Tele tones very easily and convincingly. Another guitar player and I traded for a little bit and I played his custom PRS for a while. He fell in love with my guitar. If you haven't ever played one, do yourself a favor and try one! Gerard Melancon is making fabulous guitars and doesn't get mentioned enough as being at the same level as a Suhr, Vinetto, or McNaught. You'll love it!

I'll second that! Gerard is a fine builder and deserves kudos for building great guitars...and for surviving in this difficult trade. Thanks for bringing him to our attention.

[Scott Peterson]

I've owned lots of guitars. Been through very "focused" periods of life with gear with certain brands and types of guitars.

I went through a Hamer phase into a very long PRS phase (and I held that banner up pretty high with over 50 of them over about 8 years) into a Tom Anderson phase with stops along the way with Guild, Fender, G&L, Kramer (real ones back in the day), Godin, Gibson... and a more than a few more. At one time I owned over 30+ serious instruments for some reason; just into a "more is more" mindset.

In 2004 I had a chance to order a Custom Artist from Gerard Melancon to my specs, choose the top, etc..

That guitar literally changed my life and to this day is pretty much all I play 90% of the time. There is nothing on earth that this guitar can't do for me. I went from over a dozen PRS and 8 Hamer USA guitars to just my two Melancon's (I have a virtual twin to my Custom Artist in a "T" shape from Gerard) and a Hamer Custom Studio that I've had since 2000. I have two other guitars I keep for emotional reasons but don't play and my Variax 700 acoustic stage guitar and real acoustic from Tacoma. That's it. From over 20+ guitars down to really 3 with Melancon's filling 66.6% of the quota.

They are guitars for life, at least mine are.

And here is the real man named "Mel":http://www.melanconguitars.com/images/melancon/gerard1.jpg

THE guitar for me:
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y287/spetersonmusic/48218ab7.jpg

The OTHER guitar for me:
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y287/spetersonmusic/4dd6b642.jpg

[TNJ]

http://www.justjared.com/images/2006/07/mel-gibson-mug-shot.jpg


Mel's starting to look like Robert Barone.
"Everybody loves Raymond.".
:D

S.
j

[cffluntouch]

[quote=CDaughtry]http://www.justjared.com/images/2006/07/mel-gibson-mug-shot.jpg:jo I meant the Mel from the TV show Alice! Doh!

[A440]

those Melancons are awesome guitars. Unfortunately, I've only gotten to play 1 in person


Alice ! lol

http://www.geocities.com/classics4ever/alice/cast/images/tayback.jpg

[Old Tele man]

...the sailors' "white hat" makes it genuine Mel!

...not to be confused with MEL-amine plastic dinner ware!

[Brian Scherzer]

I should make my disclaimer before adding my comments. I own and run The Melancon Forum and am friends with Gerard Melancon. That said, like Scott, I was pretty much a bass slut.....buying lots of them by different companies (Lakland, Fender, Smith, PRS, G&L, Modulus, etc.). Gerard made a bass for me to my own specs and. although I intended to purchase it, gave it to me as a birthday gift. That was several years ago and it is now the only bass I own and play. There was nothing wrong with any of the other basses I owned, The Melancon simply gave me a wide enough tonal range that I didn't feel that I needed the others, plus it had the best neck I have ever had on a bass! Although I am not a guitar player, I intend on owning a Pro Artist one day and I suspect that it will be as inspirational to play on as my bass. Melancon Guitars is a one-man operation and I admire Gerard for sticking to his guns and refusing to expand, even when it meant fewer dollars in his pocket.

[Lucidology]

I have two early, '12 radius, Melancon's
(made before the office flood according to Gerald),
& there is no doubt that they are
on par with my two Anderson's ...
Great guitars indeed...!!

In addition, they have a certain indescribable Mojo...
A bit more spice, or something in that vain,
seeps through both in feel & sound ...
Not sure exactly how to put it...
A touch of Voodoo?? (naw, but suppen' like-dat...)

If you can get your hands on one,
better yet, plug one in,,,
You'll be pleasantly surprised..

A Melancon may be what you've
been looking for all-along...

[Roosevelt]

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h281/stemrules155/MelBay.jpg


Man I really want to play one now, as well as 1000 other guitars. :AOK

[Old Tele man]

"Mel Bay" the man who 'taught' me Orchestral Chords when all I knew was the E-shape!

[KRosser]

I've never played a Melancon that didn't feel amazing...


(Mel Bay = the man!)

[slipbeer]

I don;t know why I don't own one.

I've played several and have always found that the feel and the tone was suberb and the quality for the price was spectacular.

Ditto on kudos for a guy that builds really good stuff and doesn't get enough credit for it.

[Drunkagain]

Count me amoung the fans. I ordered a swamp ash Pro Artist in 2004 and that guitar quickly displaced all my others. Even with my Thorn in the house this guitar still gets play time. Fantastic guitar in every way. One of these days I'm gonna have Gerard build me another guitar just like the first, except with a trem.

[EunosFD]

How 'bout The Velvet Fog:

http://home.ica.net/%7Eblooms/torme.gif

...Mel Torme. :)

Back on topic though...I would LOVE a P-90 Artist (3 of 'em) in koa/mahogany with a rosewood neck.

[michael.e]

My mentor, Mel........

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y175/M_E113123/mel.jpg

[michael.e]

And I LOVE this......

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y175/M_E113123/cajun_gentleman1.jpg

[Karmateria]

I'd love to try one but if you don't know somebody who has one you're out of luck I guess.

Karma

[AdamBath]

some truly beautiful guitars in this thread.

[JMC]

Still love mine too!

http://web.qx.net/mcantrell/gear/Mel3.jpg

http://web.qx.net/mcantrell/gear/MelanconJMC.jpg

[hemlock]

I'm still liking mine a bunch.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y203/hemlock50/Mel.jpg

[mischultz]

http://www.otal.umd.edu/%7Evg/amst205.F97/vj27/project6/pix/ott.jpg

C'mon now. 'Tis the season.

[cmatthes]

This is one of the nicest S+r@+ style guitars I've ever played (cruelly, not mine) - somehow, it's still available! Weighs absolutely NOTHING and vibrates forever:
http://rocketeria.biz/v-web/productpage/images/mel1172body.jpg

[TaronKeim]

I always wanted one of them cajun gentlemens' I love tele style guitars and something about them asthetically just clicks with me, and overcarve broken in fat V would be awesome...

-TJK

[Srvwannab]

I saw a PSA ad on the Forum today and bought this one- it is incoming. I am darn excited to get it. Any guess what pickups would have been in this guitar originally? The reason I ask is that I have found the great builders usually know what pickups belong in a guitar when they build it.
http://i14.tinypic.com/4cuzj1w.jpg
http://i14.tinypic.com/2hdd193.jpg
http://i14.tinypic.com/35k0c9t.jpg


Thanks!

Joe

[imissmj]

Those could be the original pickups. If not they were probably Duncans custom wound for Gerard. That guitar is most likely routed for a humbucker in the bridge as well as possibly the neck so you're going to have a lot of options.

Nice buy!

Chris

[jtg116]

OK here's mine too. The Green Monster is always there for me and never let's me down, hot/cold it doesn't get sticky and I feel needs less massaging that the mahogany/nitro necks(although I love my TCM's too)

http://images.lilypix.com/albums/olddata/17e62166fc8586dfa4d1bc0e1742c08b/normal_3642_p47527.jpg

[ThePK]

- Just got this one yesterday. Great guitar in oil finish. Feels incredibly smooth. P90 artist.

http://www.slobrokk.com/fredrik/albums/album07/DSC02497.sized.jpg

[john b]

Beautiful guitar PK. Congrats. The P-90 artist has been my main axe for three years now - killer guitar.

[Lucidology]

I saw a PSA ad on the Forum today and bought this one- it is incoming. I am darn excited to get it. Any guess what pickups would have been in this guitar originally? The reason I ask is that I have found the great builders usually know what pickups belong in a guitar when they build it.
http://i14.tinypic.com/4cuzj1w.jpg
http://i14.tinypic.com/2hdd193.jpg
http://i14.tinypic.com/35k0c9t.jpg


Thanks!

Joe

That's a 'before the office flood' Melancon... it's a real treasure!

Gerald Melancon lost all his info on these
early serial #'s because of that New Orlean's flood...

All the current Melancon's come standard with a '10 radius...
Yet all those early ones had a '12 radius...

Very cool indeed!:BEER

[The Eristic]

I took a couple new pics of both of mine today, and gave them their own folders:

http://s48.photobucket.com/albums/f250/the_eristic/Gear/melancon_custom_vintage_artist_t/

http://s48.photobucket.com/albums/f250/the_eristic/Gear/melancon_custom_artist/

[Tim]

Well I never like to miss an opportunity to post a pic or four of my Mel!!! Which incidently I picked up here at TGP Classifieds... Thanks again Aaron!!!

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c239/timmyleewalls/MelCollage.jpg

[Lucidology]

Just dropped a set of Duckbukers into my Pro Artist
& it's taken on a much more verstile nature... just luvin' it.

Now I'm getting ready to drop a set of SD vintage stacks
into my Vintage Artist T...

The original Rio Grandes in both of them were just too gritty...
they are very responsive pickups, but they never clean up enough
for my tastes... They were much like Fender's Texas specials in that way (IMHO)...
They always keep that gritty edge, no matter how much you turn back
the volume knob or how much headroom your amp has....

[Scott Peterson]

- Just got this one yesterday. Great guitar in oil finish. Feels incredibly smooth. P90 artist.

http://www.slobrokk.com/fredrik/albums/album07/DSC02497.sized.jpg

Koa Melancons are indeed my deepest "thing" in guitars. Nice couple o' guit' planks you have there. Thumbs WAY up!:AOK:AOK

[dkaplowitz]

This is one of the nicest S+r@+ style guitars I've ever played (cruelly, not mine) - somehow, it's still available! Weighs absolutely NOTHING and vibrates forever:
http://rocketeria.biz/v-web/productpage/images/mel1172body.jpg
My twin!

http://www02.homepage.villanova.edu/david.kaplowitz/images/mel/proartist/mel_strat08.jpg

And here's the sister:

http://www02.homepage.villanova.edu/david.kaplowitz/images/mel/proartist_t/full_incase03.jpg

The blackguard is so light, most people ask if it's chambered when they pick it up. Mmmm....swamp ash....

http://www02.homepage.villanova.edu/david.kaplowitz/images/mel/proartist_t/back02.jpg

[TBone]

The guitars and Gerard are number one.

One my best friends is a worship leader and an very active studio player. His Melancon, which was his main guitar was stolen out of his car and never seen again. On his 50th birthday, the worship team and a bunch of his friends got together and pitched in money to get another Melancon made for his present. After everything had been collected, we were still a bit short to get the guitar like we wanted. Gerard stepped up and said "I want to be a part of the blessing" and then donated the difference. What a guy -

I don't have a way to show the picture but you can see it here.

http://www.melanconguitars.com/images/models/classic_artist.jpg

TBone

[Mrgearguy]

That neck joint is the coolest.

[The Eristic]

The guitars and Gerard are number one.

One my best friends is a worship leader and an very active studio player. His Melancon, which was his main guitar was stolen out of his car and never seen again.

Hey, what did his stolen Mel look like? I'm in the ATL area and hit dozens of pawn shops every month.

[TBone]

Hey, what did his stolen Mel look like? I'm in the ATL area and hit dozens of pawn shops every month.

It was a "gretsch" orange stained Pro Artist strat with a white pickguard.

They stole his jeep with the Mel and a Les Paul in it. When the police found the jeep in the woods - the Les Paul was under it. :eek: It had been run over by the jeep and since it was sitting in mud, the pressure of the wheel on the neck just left a small mark on the neck behind the 3rd fret. The case was history but the guitar cleaned up and he uses it regularly today. I'm sure the people that stole the Mel don't even have a clue what they got.

Tbone

[tommc]

Still lovin' mine:

tobacco burst Koa on top

http://www.twmzone.com/mel/images/ISude.jpg

tobacco burst mahogany back

http://www.twmzone.com/mel/images/IBackClose.jpg

[Srvwannab]

Fedex Tracking says mine will be here tomorrow. I know I could search and find this information, but.... :)
What kinds of machines are used at Melancon? I'm guessing no CNC machines? Is it just him or are there a group of people that build for him? etc? Any information would be appreciated.

Thanks!

[Scott Peterson]

Fedex Tracking says mine will be here tomorrow. I know I could search and find this information, but.... :)
What kinds of machines are used at Melancon? I'm guessing no CNC machines? Is it just him or are there a group of people that build for him? etc? Any information would be appreciated.

Thanks!

No CNC that I know of, but check me on that. He does everything. Gerard had a small team helping him for a few years; the last few he is pretty much a one man shop.

[imissmj]

Scott P, do you have a picture of the back of your Custom S? Thinking about ordering another one with a Swamp Ash body and wondering how to finish it. Thanks sir!http://home.comcast.net/~mairanse/customartist.jpg