Gibson ES-330TD Sunburst (1965)

This 1965 Gibson ES-330TD in Cherry Sunburst recently came into the shop with one of the cooler vintage mods you can find on an old Gibson.

No P90s here folks. The original pickups were pulled out in favor of some Patent # T-Top humbuckers long ago, complete with some aftermarket humbucker mounting rings. We'd normally be saddened by such a change on an inherently great hollowbody thinline, but we'd be lying if this mod didn't make for an even more impressive sounding guitar.

The humbuckers bring forth a bigger, tighter bass response with smoother and thicker top end. Still, it has this beautiful clarity that pairs with such an airy voice that makes it hard to put down. With both pickups on, this guitar is a total funk and R&B machine, and in the respective neck and bridge positions, it's nearly everything you'd want to hear. The bridge pickup tone is bright and punchy, while the neck is super smooth and clear (we hear almost a supercharged Strat tone here). The slim C neck with large taper feels fantastic, especially with brand new Jescar frets installed in-house. A recent set of nylon saddles, saddle screws, and a toggle switch tip are the replacement parts, while the ABR-1, wiring harness, knobs, tailpiece, and tuners remain original to the guitar.

The original pickguard is long gone, but that just means there's more of the original Cherry Sunburst finish to show off. There's one small laminate crack on the back that's been glued up and remains nice and stable, but the guitar is otherwise structurally sound.

This 330 truly represents the best attributes of a "player" instrument.