Gibson ES-330TD Model Thinline Hollow Body Electric Guitar (1965), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # 362047, sunburst top, dark back and sides finish, laminated maple body, mahogant neck with rosewood fingerboard, black tolex hard shell case.
This is a nice original example of an "Iced Tea" sunburst ES-330TD from 1965, a pivotal year at Gibson as it marked the beginning of many detail changes to the instruments. This 330 has new appointments from '65, most notably chrome-plated hardware including the pickup covers and tune-o-matic bridge with nylon saddles. The nut is the narrower 1 9/16" width introduced this year, which would last through the end of the 1960s. 1318 sunburst ES-330 TD's shipped from Kalamazoo in 1965, so while not particularly rare these were still not built in enormous quantities even at the height of the guitar boom.
The single bound body has a sunburst finish on the top only and is fully hollow, unlike the semi-hollow 335-355 series. The neck joins the body at the 16th fret and has a bound rosewood fingerboard with pearloid block inlay. The tuners are single enclosed Kluson Deluxe with plastic buttons. The two P-90 pickups are mated to the standard Gibson wiring rig, with the typical mid-60's style "capped" gold plastic tone and volume knobs and white switch tip.
The ES-330 is a great sounding and 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 has been used by legions of professional players and heard on countless classic records in many styles 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 it as well, including B.B. King, Chuck Berry and most notably Slim Harpo, who is nearly always pictured with one.
The 330 and its nearly identical sister guitar the Epiphone Casino were featured in countless '60's British invasion groups, including the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Kinks, Manfred Mann, the Merseybeats and many more. The American garage band era players who took inspiration from these bands made extensive use of the model as well. This 1965 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 9/16 in. (40 mm.).
This guitar is generally well preserved overall, looking played but not abused over the past 60 years. The all-original finish has some typical moderately heavy checking and fade to the cherry color, giving the sunburst top its pleasant "iced tea" look. There are scuffs, scratches, dings and chips overall but no heavy wear. There is a small repair to a spot of the fingerboard binding on the treble side.
The original hardware remains intact and complete; the plating shows minor wear and corrosion (rubbed down to the metal on part of the bridge pickup cover) but is still largely intact. A period Gibson strap button was added to the back below the heel as is common. The original frets have been crowned down somewhat but still play well with no subsequent wear. Overall this is a very nice example and like most of these a super comfortable player, housed in a modern HSC Very Good + Condition.
