Welcome To The Melancon Forum
Hosted By:  Brian Scherzer

          I want to welcome you to The Melancon Forum, an internet discussion community and informational center for the wonderful instruments made by Gerard Melancon. Some introduction is in order since not many people may know of Melancon Guitars or the man behind them. I'll save Gerard's information for the biographical page on this website, but would like to tell you how I came to be affiliated with the company, thus "giving birth" to this Forum.
          I was in a music store in the Denver area and my eyes happened upon a single guitar on a rack dominated by instruments from another manufacturer. There was something aesthetically pleasing about this one guitar that led me to pick it up and play it. From the moment I held it in my hands, I was extremely impressed. The neck had an incredible feel to it, the fit and finish were absolutely flawless, and the tone.....well, the acoustic sound was only bettered when I plugged the instrument in. I asked the sales person about it and was surprised to find out that they didn't know much about the luthier. Having spent most of my life in New Orleans, I knew that the odds were pretty good that anyone named Melancon (pronounced "Mel-lawn-sawn") might be from that neck of the woods. A search led me to the right man. It turned out that Gerard and I shared many mutual friends and acquaintances from the Louisiana music scene. As we spoke, it was obvious just how passionate the man was about the instruments he makes and how stubbornly perfectionistic he is.
          It was easy from that point to become a fan of this master builder from the bayous and heart of Cajun Louisiana. I knew that Gerard was going to have a tough time competing with the likes of Grosh, Anderson, Suhr, and all of the other boutique luthiers. But there is something truly special about the Melancon instruments. I believe that Gerard is right....it all starts with the wood......and the man knows his wood! Unlike some other manufacturers whose wood quality varies from instrument to instrument, each Melancon starts with an incredibly resonant piece of wood, often from real Louisiana swamp ash trees that were over 200 years old when harvested.
          Cajuns have long been known for their woodworking crafts. Gerard has brought that skill to a new level in the music world. You will have to hold,  play, and listen to one of the guitars to truly understand the difference for yourself. Whether it's the neck, body, fretwork, or just the way everything is put together, these instruments play and sound special. Melancon was, until recently, a well known local secret, sought out by some of the finest musicians in the New Orleans scene. The NAMM 2000 show changed that as internationally known artists came by the Melancon booth and left as new purchasers of this fine instrument line. I'm proud to bring these wonderful instruments and the man who makes them to the attention of the rest of the world. I think that you'll be very impressed!