Guitars
Rory Gallagher's 1960 Gibson Melody Maker - also played by Slash
45.000€
Among the many guitars that shaped Rory Gallagher’s sound, the Gibson Melody Maker holds a special place. Rory owned four of them, but this 1960 model stood out for its central role in his blues and slide playing during the mid-1980s.
In March 1991, it experienced a historic moment when it was loaned to Slash of Guns N’ Roses, who joined Rory on stage at the Roxy in Los Angeles. In an interview published in Hot Press Magazine in 2020, Slash recalled: “When you go up and jam with somebody like Rory, the music really takes over… Rory was so gracious and enthusiastic that the intimidation factor just disappeared, and we just started playing.”
The instrument was examined in detail in Guitar Player Magazine in 2019. The article described a guitar that had been heavily modified to meet Rory’s needs: a humbucker installed in place of the original pickup, a thin 1 3/8" slab body with a single cutaway, and a wraparound bridge replaced by a six-saddle intonation-adjustable unit, more reliable for live performance.
This Melody Maker is therefore far more than just a guitar: it embodies Rory Gallagher’s ingenuity, his taste for simple yet effective instruments, and the musical camaraderie that connected him to other great figures of rock. Rare, steeped in history and live performance, it stands as an iconic piece from the first production run of 1959–1960.
Other photos
Rory Gallagher
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