Peter reilly Posted April 5, 2021 Share Posted April 5, 2021 Does anyone know the year by year production of LEFT HANDED ES330s during the 1960s? I believe they all would have been custom shop, but not sure much thanks in advance. peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted April 6, 2021 Share Posted April 6, 2021 I don't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted April 6, 2021 Share Posted April 6, 2021 Oh wait I do it was 4. How are we supposed to know something like that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eracer_Team Posted April 6, 2021 Share Posted April 6, 2021 Gibson doesn't even release how many guitars they made last week. Kind of hard to say about 50yrs ago Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter reilly Posted April 6, 2021 Author Share Posted April 6, 2021 9 hours ago, Sgt. Pepper said: Oh wait I do it was 4. How are we supposed to know something like that? If you have anything nice to say...Peter 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter reilly Posted April 6, 2021 Author Share Posted April 6, 2021 36 minutes ago, Eracer_Team said: Gibson doesn't even release how many guitars they made last week. Kind of hard to say about 50yrs ago Thanks I was merely hoping someone out there may have researched this and I wouldn't have to. It wasn't a dumb question to ask as I am looking at an left handed ES-330 tonight from 1966 and the seller is telling me only a handful were made that year and was looking to confirm that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grog Posted April 6, 2021 Share Posted April 6, 2021 I have two published shipping total books, they only go up to 1979. There is no mention of left handed guitars, at least in the ES-330s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter reilly Posted April 6, 2021 Author Share Posted April 6, 2021 Just now, Grog said: I have two published shipping total books, they only go up to 1979. There is no mention of left handed guitars, at least in the ES-330s. Hey thanks for the response. It's helpful, yes these guitars are supposed to be fairly rare...Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvi Posted April 6, 2021 Share Posted April 6, 2021 a vintage dealer like Gruhn or Elderly may have an idea.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter reilly Posted April 6, 2021 Author Share Posted April 6, 2021 1 minute ago, jvi said: a vintage dealer like Gruhn or Elderly may have an idea.... Thanks Ill try them. Much appreciated Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted April 6, 2021 Share Posted April 6, 2021 3 hours ago, Eracer_Team said: Gibson doesn't even release how many guitars they made last week. Kind of hard to say about 50yrs ago Gibson doesn't ever understand its own serial number system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pohatu771 Posted April 6, 2021 Share Posted April 6, 2021 3 hours ago, Peter reilly said: Thanks I was merely hoping someone out there may have researched this and I wouldn't have to. It wasn't a dumb question to ask as I am looking at an left handed ES-330 tonight from 1966 and the seller is telling me only a handful were made that year and was looking to confirm that. It wasn't a dumb question, and a person who is actually interested in being helpful instead of just derailing every thread would appreciate it. I've never seen a breakdown of left-handed versions. According to GuitarHQ.com, Gibson shipped 2,000 ES-330TD (sunburst) and 1,151 ES-330TDC (cherry) models in 1966, but no more specifics. Another source (that I can't find again) was more detailed about Epiphone records from the same era, indicating Bigsby or Tremotone options, so maybe there is a Gibson source for that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter reilly Posted April 6, 2021 Author Share Posted April 6, 2021 1 hour ago, pohatu771 said: It wasn't a dumb question, and a person who is actually interested in being helpful instead of just derailing every thread would appreciate it. I've never seen a breakdown of left-handed versions. According to GuitarHQ.com, Gibson shipped 2,000 ES-330TD (sunburst) and 1,151 ES-330TDC (cherry) models in 1966, but no more specifics. Another source (that I can't find again) was more detailed about Epiphone records from the same era, indicating Bigsby or Tremotone options, so maybe there is a Gibson source for that. Thanks. This guitar is a Tea Burst in 1966. I noticed that was not one of the finishes you listed. Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eracer_Team Posted April 6, 2021 Share Posted April 6, 2021 Typically anytime someone uses the words "this is only X of Y and is rare " usually means the seller is try their best to gouge the buyer for a lot more money I would think that lefties are more "rare" than the right handed guitars in any production line. Good luck on your purchase Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pohatu771 Posted April 6, 2021 Share Posted April 6, 2021 45 minutes ago, Peter reilly said: Thanks. This guitar is a Tea Burst in 1966. I noticed that was not one of the finishes you listed. Peter That's just sunburst. "Tea burst" is a name retroactively given to vintage Gibsons due to variations in how they fade over time, some losing more red or brown than others. The only alternative burst Gibson used in the 60s was the cherry sunburst on the Hummingbird. Epiphone models also had different patterns and colors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter reilly Posted April 6, 2021 Author Share Posted April 6, 2021 1 minute ago, pohatu771 said: That's just sunburst. "Tea burst" is a name retroactively given to vintage Gibsons due to variations in how they fade over time, some losing more red or brown than others. The only alternative burst Gibson used in the 60s was the cherry sunburst on the Hummingbird. Epiphone models also had different patterns and colors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pohatu771 Posted April 6, 2021 Share Posted April 6, 2021 (edited) Yeah, that's a pretty typical mid-60s burst. I was slightly wrong in saying that the names are retroactive solely based on how the finish has aged, since the colors did vary throughout the decade. The mid-60s were lighter than the dark brown of the late 50s, to the point that they are sometimes burnt orange. All versions would just be called sunburst (or, in this case, not called anything since it was the default finish). While this catalog doesn't have the ES-330, you can see the variety of finishes all simply called "sunburst." In the acoustic section, you'll find "cherry sunburst." https://acousticmusic.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Gibson-1966-Catalog.pdf Edited April 6, 2021 by pohatu771 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted April 6, 2021 Share Posted April 6, 2021 Beautiful shot of a lovely-looking guitar. If 1% of the shipped ones were lefties that would be 20. As far as rarity goes.....well it's left-handed, so 'rarity' is a moot point IMO; they're all rare. Perhaps assume they made one or two LH versions per month? It would be very interesting to discover what any guitar manufacturer's policy is re left-handed versions. '60s 330s are appreciating very nicely these days. The one in the picture looks in very good condition indeed. Good luck! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Zeplin Posted April 7, 2021 Share Posted April 7, 2021 17 hours ago, Peter reilly said: That looks like a Nashville bridge which would make it 70s, no? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter reilly Posted April 7, 2021 Author Share Posted April 7, 2021 8 hours ago, jvi said: a vintage dealer like Gruhn or Elderly may have an idea.... I did speak with Joe Spann at Gruhn yesterday and his basic answer was no one knows how many Gibson ES330's in right or left handed were actually sold during this period. I was VERY surprised by his position that Lefty's should not command a premium, in his words as by the mid 1960's all the major manufacturers were making them to market demand. I personally find that hard to believe. I also wonder where these figures were sourced from: http://guitarhq.com/shippin1.html https://guitars.com/users/joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter reilly Posted April 7, 2021 Author Share Posted April 7, 2021 49 minutes ago, Ed Zeplin said: That looks like a Nashville bridge which would make it 70s, no? Here is a righty 1966, looks the same. Can you be more specific about what you mean? Plus the neck is at the 16th fret not the 19th and the serial number checks out. It does have a Bigsby obviously not sure if that was factory or after market. I pushed off my visit until tonight to continue to research. https://reverb.com/price-guide/guide/10049-gibson-es-330-td-1966-sunburst Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Zeplin Posted April 7, 2021 Share Posted April 7, 2021 Take a look at the bridge. The one in the picture you posted is wider allowing more travel for the saddles which they started using after the move to Nashville mid 70s, hence the term Nashville bridge. The one on Reverb is narrower and looks like an ABR1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveFord Posted April 7, 2021 Share Posted April 7, 2021 I wouldn't doubt that they only made a few but they'd be valuable only to left handed guitarists. Coming from a dealer's perspective I can understand why they wouldn't be worth more. Most of the customers are right handed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grog Posted April 7, 2021 Share Posted April 7, 2021 These folks may know a bit more than most guitar shops. They have been dealing in left-handed guitars for years...... https://www.southpawguitars.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter reilly Posted April 7, 2021 Author Share Posted April 7, 2021 2 hours ago, Ed Zeplin said: Take a look at the bridge. The one in the picture you posted is wider allowing more travel for the saddles which they started using after the move to Nashville mid 70s, hence the term Nashville bridge. The one on Reverb is narrower and looks like an ABR1. I do see thats very helpful. So it is likely the bridge was replaced Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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