unseen hand Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 Hello, I have a couple of questions regarding the ES 330 and I was hoping someone might be able to help. I recently played the 59 custom shop and really loved the guitar. I've made up my mind that I need a 330. I'd love to get a little info in regards to the differences between the Custom shop and getting a mid 60's vintage guitar. I understand the neck on the custom shop is going to be a little chunkier. Im curious about neck width? I like a little wider neck for fingerstyle stuff. Im also very curious about the pickups. I've searched youtube for demos and think i prefer the sound of the custom shop pickups. Could it be the plastic covers as opposed to the metal covers? Are the mid 60's p90s underwould like the custom shop pickups? The reason im asking these questions is because i can get a roughed up mid 60's 330 for much less money. Id appreciate any feedback on these guitars. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobouz Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 Tone is highly subjective - I'd say just trust your ears. But playability is another matter, and there is a major issue to consider. If you are looking at a '65 and beyond model, the neck may be significantly narrower, to the tune of 1-9/16" wide at the nut. Some of these can truly feel like pencil necks, while others may have more depth and a wider taper towards the body. It would be very wise to play one in hand, but if that's not possible, be certain you have full return rights. Also with mid to late '60s 330s, occasionally a sunken top can occur. Best of luck in your search! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unseen hand Posted December 20, 2013 Author Share Posted December 20, 2013 Good call, I'd hate to get one that just doesn't feel right. I think ill probably play it safe and go the Custom shop route since i really enjoyed the one i played. thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayyj Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 Basically what Bobouz said. '65s can vary significantly in neck size - my '65 feels like a modern '60s profile Gibson, as did the '65 Casino I spent some time with, but they do get thin later in that year. Nut width is pretty standard after the change in '65, but the depth seems to vary from guitar to guitar, and depending on year. Funnily enough, every dealer advertising a late '60s Gibson seems to think theirs is "not as thin as others they've seen", just as every '70s Gibson is generally advertised as "one of the good ones", so goodness knows where all the skinny ones are. The metal covers are supposed to offer better shielding but are felt by many to slightly darken the tone. That said, I've never seen a Youtube demo I'd trust to tell me a great deal about a guitar and a lot will depend on the individual guitar, particularly the vintage examples. Lastly, I've heard many references to duds when it comes to '60s 330s, particularly the later ones. I've never played a dud myself mind, but they could well be out there. There is also a lot of variation in asking prices, and lots of suspect dating, so do your research carefully. A late '60s 330 at the right buying price will hold its value but there are a lot of them out there and the VOS model is stiff competition where someone is in the market for one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Rayba Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 My 67 330 plays great. The P 90's, are a bit noisy but sound great. My neck joins the body at the 16th fret unlike a 335. Don't really know if the custom shop makes the long neck or the shorter neck like mine. That is something to take into consideration when buying an older 330, the length of the neck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayyj Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 The current VOS model is a 16 fret model, based on the 1959 original. There was previously a long neck 330, the 330L, available for a couple of years, considerably cheaper than the VOS. The original long necks have a reputation for being prone to issues relating to the neck join, and they sound a little different than the earlier 16 fret version. There's someone on the forum who has a lovely looking long neck original. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimR56 Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 Tone is highly subjective - I'd say just trust your ears. But playability is another matter, and there is a major issue to consider. If you are looking at a '65 and beyond model, the neck may be significantly narrower, to the tune of 1-9/16" wide at the nut. Some of these can truly feel like pencil necks, while others may have more depth and a wider taper towards the body. It would be very wise to play one in hand, but if that's not possible, be certain you have full return rights. Also with mid to late '60s 330s, occasionally a sunken top can occur. Best of luck in your search! Agree on all counts. Not only were necks narrower on '65 and beyond, but there was a difference in neck width between 1960 and 1961. 30 years ago, I had a 1960 model. I foolishly sold it, and several years later I tried to make up for the mistake by getting a 1961 example. I traded the '61 away almost immediately due to the relative narrowness of the neck. I never measured either one, but the difference was obvious, and I was never even all that picky about such things. If I had enough extra cash and a need for another guitar, I would seriously consider one of the CS '59's. From all I've read, Gibson did a tremendous job with those. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unseen hand Posted December 23, 2013 Author Share Posted December 23, 2013 I pulled the trigger on the 59 VOS.....Holy smokes thats a beautiful guitar. Ill some more thoughts after i've had some time to play it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobouz Posted December 23, 2013 Share Posted December 23, 2013 I pulled the trigger on the 59 VOS.....Holy smokes thats a beautiful guitar. Ill some more thoughts after i've had some time to play it. Many congrats! They really did do this model right. The one that spoke to me was going to come home no matter what! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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