Gibson ES-330 (1961 Reissue)

[johnnytuinals]

I have recently picked up a ES137 Billie Joe Armstrong
And a CME ES335 figured in Natural.
Thinking maybe I would buy ONE more ES guitar at the CME Floor sale.
Thinking of getting a ES330 1961 in Natural with Bigsby for $1945 (2 Memphis P90s}at CME butttt
looking at youtube most are playing the guitar JAZZ and a Little blues.Myself I wannaaa
a Real deal R&R guitar and not really sure if the ES330 does it???
Really wannaaa buy this guitar but looking at youtube videos makes me wonder about
this guitar and R&R.Kindaaa disaponited so far unless you good folks think I should just pull the trigger and buy it?......JT

[Stringswinger]

JT, the 330 has a thin 60's neck and would probably feed back at high volume.

[Paulie2]

330's can DEFINITELY do rock, but they will feedback at high volume/gain levels, along with buzzing from the P90s. I never really minded, because as soon as I am done playing in between songs I would roll the volume down or step on my tuner pedal for mute. The tone trade off was worth it. I have used it for everything from straight ahead jazz, to cover gigs, to jam band stuff, to even a punk band (if you have Spotify this whole thing was tracked with mine: I. by Reconciler on Spotify).

Here are some random assortments of 330's on youtube I found with various levels of gain:

[johnnytuinals]

Seems that CME will have a 15% off on the Gibson Floor models this Tuesday.
Unless you call Matt up at CME and you can order whatever you want today for that 15% off.
Myself I was Gonna wait for Tuesday but felt how much more can these guitars go down on price and why wait till Tuesday.
Was able to get a Gibson Memphis ES330 1961 Natural with Bigsby for $1950 or could have saved another $100 in getting the Sunburst ES330.(But I like the Natural}(love the Hollow body and P90s and hope to get some Feedback with the P90s}
Will post pictures next week........JT

Gibson Memphis 1961 ES-330TDN Figured VOS Dark Vintage Natural Floor Model | Chicago Music Exchange

[Stringswinger]

Seems that CME will have a 15% off on the Gibson Floor models this Tuesday.
Unless you call Matt up at CME and you can order whatever you want today for that 15% off.
Myself I was Gonna wait for Tuesday but felt how much more can these guitars go down on price and why wait till Tuesday.
Was able to get a Gibson Memphis ES330 1961 Natural with Bigsby for $1950 or could have saved another $100 in getting the Sunburst ES330.(But I like the Natural}(love the Hollow body and P90s and hope to get some Feedback with the P90s}
Will post pictures next week........JT

Gibson Memphis 1961 ES-330TDN Figured VOS Dark Vintage Natural Floor Model | Chicago Music Exchange

I paid $2200 for mine. $1950 is a steal. And make no mistake about it, these are great guitars. Looking forward to your NGD. Congrats in advance.

[gggguitar]

The Bigsby on that humbucker equipped 330L might balance out any potential neck dive.

The upper fret access on the 330 is slightly less than on a 175 as the Florentine cutaway on the 175 is a tad deeper. I would still prefer a 175 over a 330 for jazz but there are a few times when the 330 would be better.

The slimmer body of the 330 makes it a bit more comfortable to play standing and perhaps a tad more feedback resistant.

The Bigsby makes this a better Country music axe.

The P 90 pickups add extra detail, which can be quite handy when playing a room with muddy acoustics.

I thought I'd chime in and say that I play a 330L without a Bigsby and experience zero neck dive.
I can't tell you how much I love this guitar.

[johnnytuinals]

Just got my 2017 Gibson ES330 1961 VOS Natural with Bigsby from CME.It came in a Gibson Box with its serial number on it.(was mailed from Gibson to CME on Dec 15th so the box says}Looks New too me,As you see its a really cool figured guitar.The Neck is not slim as the 60s you find on the SGs,Its a much thicker neck.Stays in tune but have not used the Bigsby.I also have not plugged it in as of yet.
There is no tag under the F-hole and cannot find a serial number.(Serial number is only on the box and COA as of now}I can tell that this is not a returned guitar since it was shipped to CME on Dec 15th and comes with its original Gibson box with a CME Warranty(Not A Gibson Warranty}I got a ES335 3 weeks ago and I could tell that guitar was new.I am sure some got guitars that had problems and had to send them back.But I guess I am kinda lucky................JT

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[johnnytuinals]

UPDATE
I do see the Serial number in the pictures.
Its looks like a Q for 2017

[Mark 63]

One of these beauties is making its way through brutal cold to my house. The price was too good, I love Bigsbies, and it’s got a soupçon of Johnny L. With the weather what it is, I’ll probably wait till Saturday to open the case .

[johnnytuinals]

I did not wait since it was in the UPS truck for 12 hours butttt then again its 15 outside...........JT

[Woody Sound]

GAS (Guitar acquisition syndrome) is an addiction, and I am an addict. At the height of my indulgence I was up to 22 guitars. This year I was determined to get down to 12 (a 12 step program if you will).

22 to 12 would be a 10-step program.

[Mark 63]

Love the sound of this guitar, but the playing position feels really weird. I’ve only played it for a short time this evening after a day-long slow, gradual opening process. I feel like I’m fighting it from slipping away to my right.
The pickups sound so good, but anyone else have and overcome this sensation?

[johnnytuinals]

I just plugged in my New Es330 and it wailsssssss at low volume on my amp.
Wonder what it does if I turn it up lol..
I love the VOS Figured in Natural...........................JT

[Marty Grass]

Love the sound of this guitar, but the playing position feels really weird. I’ve only played it for a short time this evening after a day-long slow, gradual opening process. I feel like I’m fighting it from slipping away to my right.
The pickups sound so good, but anyone else have and overcome this sensation?

That's a normal transition. Those of us who have a spectrum of guitar types know what you mean. When I switch from a Les Paul to a Super 400 it takes a few minutes to settle in and get reoriented. The ES-330 will feel strange for a while, then it won't.

I pull out this pearl of wisdom at times like this. Robben Ford said to play a guitar for six months before deciding whether you want to keep it. This extreme statement is apropos to help balance out snap opinions about guitar feel which are ubiquitous.

Most guys adapt well to most guitars, given adequate practice. Imagine what Charlie Christian and Freddie Green went through. If they were finicky about the shoulders, depth and taper of the neck and other nuances, there was little they could do early in their careers, when they rose to stars.

Lastly, I'll add the comments of Jack White to Jimmy Page and The Edge in the movie It Might Get Loud. He said that he likes to fight his guitars to get the sound out that he wants.

Back to the ES-330. A lot of guys did very well over the decades playing this instrument. It wasn't a second choice to them. The neck position vis a vis the body alters the pickup locations and acoustically and electrically affects the sound. It is light and yet very stable when using a strap.

At one point it was looked down on as the entry level "semi-hollow" Gibson. It was the cheapest to build because parts were less expensive and labor time was less. Five decades later, it is iconic as a jazz, blues, R&B, and rockabilly instrument.

I'd give it at least a few weeks as your exclusive guitar before quitting on it. Chances are, you'll like it.

[Marty Grass]

BTW, I like your name. It's been quite a while since I heard of Tuinals.

I just plugged in my New Es330 and it wailsssssss at low volume on my amp.
Wonder what it does if I turn it up lol..
I love the VOS Figured in Natural...........................JT

[Stringswinger]

Love the sound of this guitar, but the playing position feels really weird. I’ve only played it for a short time this evening after a day-long slow, gradual opening process. I feel like I’m fighting it from slipping away to my right.
The pickups sound so good, but anyone else have and overcome this sensation?

I find the 330 to be an extremely comfortable guitar to play. It balances quite well with a strap and the neck placement is visually better for me than a 335 (Les Pauls and 175s are what I am used to playing over a 40 plus year period. Switching to a 335 with it's almost SG style exposed neck always throws me off, though if I only played a 335 for awhile, I am sure that I could adapt).

The 330 is super lightweight (les than 7 pounds WITH a Bigsby!), slim in body and neck and very resonant. My only complaint is upper fret access. The cutaways are shallow compared to the cutaway on a Les Paul or 175. For that reason alone, I would still pick a 175 or a Les Paul first, for a short scale electric guitar. Frankly, with the exception of the Stratocaster, I have always found double cutaway guitars to look a bit "off".

And while the MHS P-90's do sound great, I would still choose a PAF Style Humbucker as my PUP of choice. After playing this 330 reissue for awhile, I still think it is an excellent electric guitar, and a bargain at the CME prices.