1962 Gibson ES 330 w/ bigsby

[Despot]

https://imgur.com/gallery/hBduC

New to using imgur so can’t seem to get it to embed.

1962 ES330 with factory bigsby.

This one popped up last week (the photo above is the store’s photo). As you might have seen from posts over the years I have a thing for ES model Gibsons - 330s in particular.

I had a 65 ES 330 for a few years but replaced it with a 58 reissue that was actually a better guitar. I always thought I would keep the ‘59 RI until I found one better - and last week I did.

This has an almost identical neck to my ‘62 ES345 - it’s slim and flat across the back, but feels quite wide. The overall feel is that it’s a substantial neck despite being less chunky than a ‘50s neck.

Both P90s are lower output - but they work really well with the Princeton. It’s less in your face than my old ‘65, but in a good way.

I’ll post some more photos and details later when I can

[Larry Mal]

It's just gonna get me all worked up.

[Vanderfuzz]

Larry, that is a beautiful guitar.

60’s sunburst 330 is my dream guitar. Someday...

[shadowplay]

Feeling a slight tingle of jealousy...and...mild regret at wasting all my money on cars.

That's a beautiful guitar Kevin, the newer ones never seem to get that browish black or blackish brown colour right on the burst. It looks like a guitar for life to me.

Look forward to seeing more photos.

D

[Despot]

Thanks folks.

D - you're spot on - the colour of the reissues always seems to be a little off. The other thing that's quite different with the earlier '60s models is the way in which the finish sinks into the wood and becomes quite satin. The Custom shop VOS finish seems to be done through sanding away the gloss coat. That's not what actually happens with the originals - the lacquer develops a matte effect even on parts of the guitar that are rarely subjected to constant wear or movement (such as the inside of the cutaways, or under the pickguard ... though that will usually show a lack of UV fade). I've never seen that sort of relic-ing done perfectly - even the Murphy aged stuff (which can really nail some things, like the way the finish on the arm contour wears - I think they've nailed that, especially where the binding wears down and rounds over too) can't seem to get the matte effect just right.

With sunbursts the yellow and dark colours are rarely exactly the same (same holds true for '50s LP Juniors too). Both the ES345 and ES330 have identical sunbursts - though they've aged very differently. The ES330 has a lot of lacquer checking, whereas the ES345 has had it's finish sink into the top a lot more and has very little checking. Different levels of heat/cold change and humidity I guess. The ES330 has been around I suspect, whereas the ES345 was 100% in Ireland it's entire life, bought new here in 1963. I suspect that meant that there was very little high heat/cold temp change going on (given our moderate climate) and as a result ... not much checking.

I'll get a few more photos up when I can.

If you were to compare the ES330 to cars I'd say it's like a 912 compared to an old 911 (that would be the ES335) ... ES330s are far less expensive than their up-market cousins, but they're starting to get expensive. This one was obtained via a trade (the '59 RI ES330 went to the store with some cash) - even a few years ago you could have picked up something like this for relatively little outlay compared to the quality of instrument you get in return. When I bought my '65 ES330 I recall that it was 200 euro more expensive than a second hand custom shop model in the same store. The high price of the reissues (they're now about 4k new via Thomann) has really pushed the price of these up more than I would like - but at the end of the day these are McCarthy era Gibsons with superb workmanship that are still a lot cheaper than the next nearest alternative vintage Gibson.

[Mr.K]

I saw this on their site and thought of you Despot! Delighted to see that you picked it up!

[fortytwo]

That is a beautiful guitar, really wish I had one like that.
It's a little bit of a shame, that someone replaced the tuners on it, but only because I really love the white button tuners that's on there originally.

[Despot]

Yeah ... I'm not a fan of Grovers in general, but they really detract from an ES330. I love the original white button tuners.

I have a repro set ordered to replace the dreaded Grovers. I always find them to be a little indistinct or slack in tuning - maybe it's just that these are old Grovers ... but even with new ones, there's too much slack to take up before the tuner engages for my liking.

I have taken to playing the ES330 on the sofa in the evenings - either with music on in the background or just noodling away while watching tv. I've always loved 330s for that - they're loud enough that youj get a sort of acoustic guitar feeling from them, but quiet enough that you won't be bugging the neighbours (an important consideration when living in an apartment). The one constant I've found with old hollow body and semi hollow Gibsons is how loud they are as acoustic instruments - this ES330 is quite loud when strummed unplugged - same with the ES345.

Incidentally ... I realise that I now have an ES330, ES335, ES345 and ES355 - a group photo is in order I think!

[s_mcsleazy]

Incidentally ... I realise that I now have an ES330, ES335, ES345 and ES355 - a group photo is in order I think!

yes please.

[sookwinder]

Incidentally ... I realise that I now have an ES330, ES335, ES345 and ES355 - a group photo is in order I think!

But you are missing the other side of the family (and they want to know why they haven't been invited to the family get together)
... casino, riviera, Sheraton

Kevin, lovely looking 330.... do you now own the entire collection of Gibson vintage hollow/semi hollow gtrs that exist in Ireland ?

[Despot]

Not even by a long shot David!

I've had a few though. For the sake of itemising my insanity I thought I'd try and list them... possibly in chronological order!

- 1976 ES355 - this was my first vintage guitar ... and the longest lasting of those I've had! Sold to make way for the ES345.
- 1972 ES345 - the one with the weird/altered serial number. Lovely old walnut guitar - great player too (also made way for the ES345).
- 1961 ES330T - single pickup dot neck ES330 ... unfortunately with a blade thin neck that I couldn't live with. Popped up for sale again a few months back - now sold.
- 1962 ES345 - this one has been around ... it was bought in Ireland in 1963 from Waltons and played pretty much every night for 20/30 years by the look of it. One of the few old guitars I've had where I know where it's been from original purchase to me. Still have this one.
- 1965 ES330 - sold last year when I picked up the '59 reissue (which I preferred). A really nice ES330 with a nice comfortable C shaped neck and a faded cherry sunburst. Still miss this sometimes.
- 1968 ES335 - a more recent purchase and departure. I loved the sound of this guitar (those later '60s patent number/t-tops are my favourite pickups), but I couldn't live with the narrow nut in the end.

Right now I've got the '62 ES330, a '98 Nashville Custom Shop 1959 RI ES335 (which I love to bits), the '62 ES345, 2004 custom shop ES355.

[wproffitt]

Congratulations! I love it!

[pocaloc]

My dream guitar. Congrats!

[Despot]

Thanks folks - I still haven't had a chance to take any decent photos. My last two weeks have been hectic - two unscheduled work trips (one to Switzerland and another to Barcelona) have meant I've spent less time with this than I would like - let alone had a chance to take photos.

I hope to get some decent daylight shots over the weekend and then embed them here (Flickr I guess works better for that than imgur).

My other half has taken a shine to this guitar ... and has decided that due to this she would like me to teach her how to play it... I'm still trying to explain why I've no intention of giving her a 1962 ES330 as her 'learner' guitar and how she's better off starting with something else!

[PorkyPrimeCut]

....I'm still trying to explain why I've no intention of giving her a 1962 ES330 as her 'learner' guitar and how she's better off starting with something else!

Good luck with that one!