Gibson ES-330TD Thinline Hollow Body Electric Guitar (1962)
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Item # 11442
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Gibson ES-330TD Model Thinline Hollow Body Electric Guitar (1962), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # 93774, sunburst top, dark back and sides finish, laminated maple body, mahogant neck with rosewood fingerboard, black tolex hard shell case.
This is a beautiful original sunburst ES-330 from late 1962, with the features the model evolved into that year. This guitar has pearled block inlay on the bound rosewood fingerboard and nickel-plated pickup covers, both new additions that year. All the hardware is nickel-plated hardware including the earlier-style "no-wire" ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic bridge with original bone saddles.
The single bound body has a dark sunburst top and is fully hollow, unlike the semi-hollow 335-355 series with the neck joining at the 16th fret. The round-backed neck is similar to the flatter carve typical of 1960-62, but with more depth than some earlier examples. The tuners are single enclosed Kluson Deluxe with plastic buttons. Two P-90 pickups are mated to the standard Gibson wiring rig, with 60's style "capped" plastic tone and volume knobs.
The ES-330 is a great sounding very versatile guitar at home in many musical situations. Despite being intended by Gibson as an "amateur" instrument (the least expensive of the double-cutaway thinlines) the 330 been heard on countless classic records in many styles of music since its introduction in 1959. Jazz great Grant Green used this model extensively on his most well-regarded early-1960's recordings. A number of period bluesmen have been spotted with one as well, including B.B. King, Chuck Berry and most notably Slim Harpo, who is nearly always pictured with a 330.
The ES-330TD and its nearly identical sister guitar the Epiphone Casino were featured in countless '60's British invasion bands, including the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Kinks, Manfred Mann, the Merseybeats and many more. This particular guitar is a very nice example, with the expected "Fab" sound and playability in spades!
Overall length is 40 1/2 in. (102.9 cm.), 16 in. (40.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This guitar is in very nice condition overall, retaining its original finish and hardware. The deep sunburst on the top is well preserved with light checking and minimal fade, there are dings, dents and scratches overall but no really heavy wear. One deep ding is just forward of the controls and has been lightly touched up, as have a couple at the tip of the lower horn. The back and sides have some scuffing, dings and dents and there are a few dinks in the back of the neck, the deepest behind the second fret. The headstock has some typical scuffing, scratching and minor chips off the edges.
The nickel plating has some typical wear, with the heaviest loss on the bridge top. The only non-stock alteration is the addition of a period Gibson strap button to the heel (very common with these) and one original bone bridge saddles (which often broke) was replaced with a period nylon piece. The switch tip appears to be an original 1950s style amber plastic piece, whether this is original to the guitar we can't say (they are usually white plastic by 1962). The guitar was refretted a while back with the correct style wire, and the nut replaced. This 330 is super player, with a better balance between the pickups than some of these. It is housed in a modern black Tolex HSC Overall Excellent - Condition.
This is a beautiful original sunburst ES-330 from late 1962, with the features the model evolved into that year. This guitar has pearled block inlay on the bound rosewood fingerboard and nickel-plated pickup covers, both new additions that year. All the hardware is nickel-plated hardware including the earlier-style "no-wire" ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic bridge with original bone saddles.
The single bound body has a dark sunburst top and is fully hollow, unlike the semi-hollow 335-355 series with the neck joining at the 16th fret. The round-backed neck is similar to the flatter carve typical of 1960-62, but with more depth than some earlier examples. The tuners are single enclosed Kluson Deluxe with plastic buttons. Two P-90 pickups are mated to the standard Gibson wiring rig, with 60's style "capped" plastic tone and volume knobs.
The ES-330 is a great sounding very versatile guitar at home in many musical situations. Despite being intended by Gibson as an "amateur" instrument (the least expensive of the double-cutaway thinlines) the 330 been heard on countless classic records in many styles of music since its introduction in 1959. Jazz great Grant Green used this model extensively on his most well-regarded early-1960's recordings. A number of period bluesmen have been spotted with one as well, including B.B. King, Chuck Berry and most notably Slim Harpo, who is nearly always pictured with a 330.
The ES-330TD and its nearly identical sister guitar the Epiphone Casino were featured in countless '60's British invasion bands, including the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Kinks, Manfred Mann, the Merseybeats and many more. This particular guitar is a very nice example, with the expected "Fab" sound and playability in spades!
Overall length is 40 1/2 in. (102.9 cm.), 16 in. (40.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This guitar is in very nice condition overall, retaining its original finish and hardware. The deep sunburst on the top is well preserved with light checking and minimal fade, there are dings, dents and scratches overall but no really heavy wear. One deep ding is just forward of the controls and has been lightly touched up, as have a couple at the tip of the lower horn. The back and sides have some scuffing, dings and dents and there are a few dinks in the back of the neck, the deepest behind the second fret. The headstock has some typical scuffing, scratching and minor chips off the edges.
The nickel plating has some typical wear, with the heaviest loss on the bridge top. The only non-stock alteration is the addition of a period Gibson strap button to the heel (very common with these) and one original bone bridge saddles (which often broke) was replaced with a period nylon piece. The switch tip appears to be an original 1950s style amber plastic piece, whether this is original to the guitar we can't say (they are usually white plastic by 1962). The guitar was refretted a while back with the correct style wire, and the nut replaced. This 330 is super player, with a better balance between the pickups than some of these. It is housed in a modern black Tolex HSC Overall Excellent - Condition.