es-330L

[NiceGuyEddie]

Hi everyone....Does anyone know if there will be any more es 330L's produced? It looks like all we are seeing are the historics, which I dont care for. I am looking for the L,particularly in faded red/cherry.

[bobouz]

Musician's Friend shows the blue & vintage sunburst being available on 5/22/13,

but they are not listing red at this time.

[NiceGuyEddie]

Thankyou!

[QCAGENT]

Musician's Friend shows the blue & vintage sunburst being available on 5/22/13,

but they are not listing red at this time.

 

Yeah, I'm so disapointed about Musician's Friend... They listed one ES 330L Beale Street Blue last week. I ordered it as soon as I saw it. I even been called the next day by a sales rep to confirm my order... Everything was fine. An hour later, I recieved an email notification telling me the item was Back Order. I called, they told me it was a mistake... I stopped breathing hoping that it's being shipped. NO! the mistake was that it should have been cancelled, instead of backordered. They won't have any, anymore. Maybe someone ordered it at the same time, maybe they never had it, maybe someone outbid me, since I was using a promo code giving 10% off... I will never know.

 

I'm now heartbroken...

 

What makes you think they will have some by 22 may 2013?

[bobouz]

What makes you think they will have some by 22 may 2013?

Dave - If you'll notice the date of my post, it was January 16. At that time, MF listed the blue & sunburst 330L as being available on 5/22/13. Obviously, that is no longer the case. Looks like the new 330 VOS is the only game in town for now.

 

I am fortunate enough to have both a blue 2010 330L, and a blonde 2012 330 VOS. They are quite different in execution, and both have their strong points. If you haven't tried the new one, you might want to give it a spin just for a point of reference.

 

The 2013 version of the 330 VOS has been changed slightly. The horns have a different shape, and the top & back outer lamination is currently made of two pieces (my personal preference is for the one piece on the 2012 - maybe Gibson will switch it back, depending on the feedback they get). There are a few other changes which I don't recall - must be having a senior moment!

 

One other comment: If the large neck profile on the 330 VOS is not your cup of tea, be aware that they are not all the same. When I purchased mine, I A-Bed three at the same time. One was significantly more comfortable (and I tend to prefer smaller profiles). It so happened that the one with the best neck was also the one with the best tone. If you are lucky enough to find a stellar example, the 330 VOS can be a jaw droppingly good guitar.

[QCAGENT]

Thanks Bouz,

 

I was indeed suspecting this information to be outdated while I was hoping that you had some sort of insider tips. You obvioulsy read right through me. I am looking for the 330L because of the slim and long neck. I learned to play 17 years ago on my father's 60's ES 125T. It has what I belived to be the so called "pencil" neck profile. So thin and slim that It gives the feeling to be a children guitar. However, I still love to play it. I might be lazy but the pencil neck is effortless to me, I have thin and long fingers and it suits me perfectly. However, I'll follow your advise, if I get the opportunity to ride a VOS.

 

Can you tell me how are the frets on the ES-330? Because I tryed a lot of actual 335 and the actions feels bad to me. The frets are skinny but tall and I have hard time playing it. I've got fingers getting stuck every time I slide a note, I'm not fluid with those frets. I guess I gonna have to learn to play it because I cannot find any model with old style rounded frets and slim neck. Does anyone knows when GIBSON actually changed the ES frets type from short rounded to skinny tall? It would help me to know what years to look for...

 

I am now looking hard to find a used 330L Beale Blue... Just saying ;-)

[bobouz]

I was indeed suspecting this information to be outdated while I was hoping that you had some sort of insider tips. You obvioulsy read right through me. I am looking for the 330L because of the slim and long neck. I learned to play 17 years ago on my father's 60's ES 125T. It has what I belived to be the so called "pencil" neck profile. So thin and slim that It gives the feeling to be a children guitar. However, I still love to play it. I might be lazy but the pencil neck is effortless to me, I have thin and long fingers and it suits me perfectly. However, I'll follow your advise, if I get the opportunity to ride a VOS.

 

Can you tell me how are the frets on the ES-330? Because I tryed a lot of actual 335 and the actions feels bad to me. The frets are skinny but tall and I have hard time playing it. I've got fingers getting stuck every time I slide a note, I'm not fluid with those frets. I guess I gonna have to learn to play it because I cannot find any model with old style rounded frets and slim neck. Does anyone knows when GIBSON actually changed the ES frets type from short rounded to skinny tall? It would help me to know what years to look for...

I happen to have a skinny necked '66 ES-125T with the low & wide frets, and it does indeed feel fast to play. But interestingly, I also have a '66 Epiphone Cortez acoustic, which was made by Gibson in Kalamazoo as a virtual clone to their B-25. It too has the skinny neck, but the profile is different. The 125 has a bit more depth to it & gets wider up top. When I first played it, I did not think it had a 1-9/16" neck width at the nut, as it felt reasonably substantial in hand - but it surely does. So the bottom line is that the skinny '60s necks are not all created equal.

 

The frets on my 330-VOS are nicely dressed, and they do not catch my fingers (although I have frequently experienced what you're talking about on Memphis instruments). Fret size appears to be the same on most recent Gibson hollow & semi-hollowbodies. They feel pretty substantial to me, but they are taller & not quite as wide as those found on the mid '60s Gibsons. I don't know when they were changed, but along with you, I really like the mid '60 frets.

[QCAGENT]

Fret size appears to be the same on most recent Gibson hollow & semi-hollowbodies. They feel pretty substantial to me, but they are taller & not quite as wide as those found on the mid '60s Gibsons. I don't know when they were changed, but along with you, I really like the mid '60 frets.

 

I wish so much Gibson could hear us and produce a special issue: fret Mid '60s . I'm actually considering of starting a post about it.

 

The frets on my 330-VOS are nicely dressed

 

You are saying the frets are nice on the VOS, interresting... what about the 330L ?

[bobouz]

You are saying the frets are nice on the VOS, interresting... what about the 330L ?

The neck binding on the 330 VOS is narrower, and the nubs are less prominent,

as was the style of the period. They are also well dressed overall on mine.

 

The binding on the 330L is typical of recent Gibsons, being considerably wider,

and with more prominent nubs, but on mine they are very nicely dressed, so "nub rub" is not an issue.

 

On a few of my other Gibsons, they nubs aren't dressed quite as smoothly,

and fingers can catch a bit when sliding up the neck. Of course this can be modified.

 

The important thing is to evaluate each piece on it's own merits.

My generalizations may have nothing to do with the worker's attention to detail

on any given production day.

[gnappi]

I am now looking hard to find a used 330L Beale Blue... Just saying ;-)

 

Guitar Center had one in one of their shops for a couple of months, it had a reduced price on it and I couldn't stand looking at it any more and bought it :-) Keep your ear to the ground they turn up from time to time on Feebay.