Epiphone Olympic (1963)

One of the coolest variants of Gibson's Melody Maker format you're likely to encounter, this '63 Epiphone Olympic debunks the notion that these "student model" electrics can't hang with the big boys.

Why We Love This

1963 Epiphone Olympic just into the shop, dropping jaws left and right!

This is arguably the rarest iteration of the Olympic model (aka Melody Maker), featuring the very short-lived 3x3 headstock style that was shed in favor of the new 6-in-line headstock shape found on the entire solidbody Epiphone lineup nearing the end of 1963. It also features a 1 11/16" nut width along with an incredible neck carve that's one part early 60s and the other part late 50s.

Weighing in just under 5 3/4 lbs, this all-Mahogany "junior" is not only lightweight but very, very resonant. The addition of the MojoAxe wraparound bridge certainly doesn't hurt, but you can just feel the acoustic energy in this guitar! It seems to inject a touch more boldness into the original MM pickup while also maintaining that Fender-like sizzle those pickups give up.

It might not be surprising based on the photos, but this guitar is about as clean as you'll ever see one of these. Considering many fell into the hands of younger players and then soon after became a cheap option for up-and-coming guitarists eager to mod their guitars with humbuckers, etc., this Olympic slipped through the cracks and came out the other side essentially unscathed. It's really a "no excuses" example.

We celebrate its rarity and its playability equally, and recognize that this is probably one of the best values in a 60s Gibson-made electric you'll find.