Gibson ES-330TD Thinline Hollow Body Electric Guitar (1968)
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Gibson ES-330TD Model Thinline Hollow Body Electric Guitar (1968), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # 954826, sparkling burgundy finish, laminated maple body, mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard, black tolex hard shell case.
This is a nice example of the final original version of Gibson's classic double cutaway thinline hollowbody, the ES-330TD. The guitar is finished in the fairly rare "Sparkling Burgundy" metallic red lacquer offered as an option only in the late 1960s specifically on Gibson thinlines. This completely opaque finish served as something of a "goof hider" in this period when the factory apparently had problems with the laminate process used for this type of instrument, but it also offered a striking look giving the instruments a little extra flash.
The instrument also exhibits the major design modification the ES-330 underwent in 1968: the neck joint was shifted from the 16th to the 19th fret, making it feel and play more like the semi-solid ES-335. This of course greatly improved fretboard access and thus is one of the few examples of some players preferring the later 1960's version of a Gibson instrument to the earlier incarnation! The combination of the fully hollow thinline body with the extended fret range is rare in a Gibson.
Other features on this ES-330 are standard for the late '60s including chrome plated metal parts, "Witch hat" style knobs and the thin 1 9/16" nut width. This guitar has a lovely deep Sparkling Burgundy finish overall, with some subtle fading to the top giving it more of a coppery hue. There is single binding on the body and the pearloid block inlaid rosewood fingerboard. The two P-90 pickups are controlled by the standard Gibson one switch, four knob wiring. This guitar is marked as a factory second possibly due to some uneven fitting on the back/side edge below the endpin, or possibly because Gibson was overstocked in the late '60s and designated many guitars as seconds just to clear them from inventory!
These "long neck" 330's were only in production for a few years made in smaller numbers compared to earlier 1960s examples so are comparatively rare. The ES-330TD in general is a great sounding very versatile guitar, one of Gibson's most adaptable designs. This model been heard in many styles of music since the instrument was introduced in 1959: Jazz great Grant Green used ES-330's extensively on his most well-regarded early-1960's recordings, as did many other jazz, blues and R&B artists. The 330 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 and many more. This metallic finish long-neck model is a fairly rare variation on this popular favorite.
Overall length is 42 in. (106.7 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 9/16 in. (40 mm.).
This is a nice example of this variant final 1960's ES-330 version, a very friendly guitar all around. The guitar shows general wear overall with broad checking and some dings, dents and chips scattered around. There are a few deeper dings and scratches to the body back, heaviest on the edges. The back of the neck has some feelable heavier checking in the lower positions and a couple of filled-in chips behind the third fret. There is some minor patching to the headstock face; the tuners are repros of the correct plastic-button Kluson Deluxe machines but a set of Grovers was on at some point, and the pressure rings are visible on the headstock face.
Except for the tuner restoration the guitar is complete and original. The deep metallic finish is slightly faded on the face and sides but retains good color, with only very minimal play wear. This is simply a cool, great playing example of a late-production "long neck" ES-330 in this fairly rare metallic Sparkling Burgundy finish. The original frets show some light wear but play fine, both pickups are quite hot with a better balance between them than many 330s. It lives in an early '70s Gibson-branded HSC that may well be original if the guitar sat in stock at the dealer's for a year or two before sale. Overall Excellent - Condition.
This is a nice example of the final original version of Gibson's classic double cutaway thinline hollowbody, the ES-330TD. The guitar is finished in the fairly rare "Sparkling Burgundy" metallic red lacquer offered as an option only in the late 1960s specifically on Gibson thinlines. This completely opaque finish served as something of a "goof hider" in this period when the factory apparently had problems with the laminate process used for this type of instrument, but it also offered a striking look giving the instruments a little extra flash.
The instrument also exhibits the major design modification the ES-330 underwent in 1968: the neck joint was shifted from the 16th to the 19th fret, making it feel and play more like the semi-solid ES-335. This of course greatly improved fretboard access and thus is one of the few examples of some players preferring the later 1960's version of a Gibson instrument to the earlier incarnation! The combination of the fully hollow thinline body with the extended fret range is rare in a Gibson.
Other features on this ES-330 are standard for the late '60s including chrome plated metal parts, "Witch hat" style knobs and the thin 1 9/16" nut width. This guitar has a lovely deep Sparkling Burgundy finish overall, with some subtle fading to the top giving it more of a coppery hue. There is single binding on the body and the pearloid block inlaid rosewood fingerboard. The two P-90 pickups are controlled by the standard Gibson one switch, four knob wiring. This guitar is marked as a factory second possibly due to some uneven fitting on the back/side edge below the endpin, or possibly because Gibson was overstocked in the late '60s and designated many guitars as seconds just to clear them from inventory!
These "long neck" 330's were only in production for a few years made in smaller numbers compared to earlier 1960s examples so are comparatively rare. The ES-330TD in general is a great sounding very versatile guitar, one of Gibson's most adaptable designs. This model been heard in many styles of music since the instrument was introduced in 1959: Jazz great Grant Green used ES-330's extensively on his most well-regarded early-1960's recordings, as did many other jazz, blues and R&B artists. The 330 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 and many more. This metallic finish long-neck model is a fairly rare variation on this popular favorite.
Overall length is 42 in. (106.7 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 9/16 in. (40 mm.).
This is a nice example of this variant final 1960's ES-330 version, a very friendly guitar all around. The guitar shows general wear overall with broad checking and some dings, dents and chips scattered around. There are a few deeper dings and scratches to the body back, heaviest on the edges. The back of the neck has some feelable heavier checking in the lower positions and a couple of filled-in chips behind the third fret. There is some minor patching to the headstock face; the tuners are repros of the correct plastic-button Kluson Deluxe machines but a set of Grovers was on at some point, and the pressure rings are visible on the headstock face.
Except for the tuner restoration the guitar is complete and original. The deep metallic finish is slightly faded on the face and sides but retains good color, with only very minimal play wear. This is simply a cool, great playing example of a late-production "long neck" ES-330 in this fairly rare metallic Sparkling Burgundy finish. The original frets show some light wear but play fine, both pickups are quite hot with a better balance between them than many 330s. It lives in an early '70s Gibson-branded HSC that may well be original if the guitar sat in stock at the dealer's for a year or two before sale. Overall Excellent - Condition.