Under The Bed For Nearly Fifty Years…

1963 Gibson ES-330TDC.

This lightweight guitar weighs just 5.90 lbs. and has a nice, fat nut width of just under 1 11/16 inches and a standard Gibson scale length of 24 3/4 inches. Single-bound laminated maple body, one-piece mahogany neck with a good medium profile, and bound Brazilian rosewood fretboard with 22 original jumbo frets and inlaid pearl block position markers. Headstock with inlaid pearl "Gibson" logo. Two-layer (black on white) plastic truss-rod cover. Serial number "101754" impressed into the back of the headstock. Individual single-line Kluson Deluxe tuners with white plastic oval buttons and "D-160400 / Patent No." stamped on the underside Two really hot P-90 pickups with nickel covers and outputs of 8.16k and 7.93k. Five-layer (black/white/black/white/black) plastic pickguard. Four controls (two volume, two tone) plus three-way pickup selector switch, all on lower treble bout. Black plastic bell-shaped knobs with white markings and metal tops. Inside the bass f-hole is stamped in black "ES-330TDC." ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic non-retainer bridge with nylon saddles and original trapeze tailpiece with raised diamond on cross-bar. All hardware nickel-plated. This fabulous guitar is in absolutely near mint (9.25++) and totally unfaded condition, with just a few minuscule marks on the back of the neck, just behind the second and third frets, from the use of a capo -- the original offending capo is included (if it were not for these tiny marks we would have given this one our highest rating -- a very strong 9.50). Complete with the original gray patch-cord, "Gibson Sonomatic Strings" hang-tag, Gibson "Professionals Attention" hang-tag, Tune-O-Matic Bridge instructions, original store price tag ($340.00) and the original case-key in original manilla envelope. There is also a Hamilton Guitar capo in its original cardboard box, a two-piece white plastic 'headstock-wrap' guitar strap and a six-pipe tuner (that's how it was in the old days before we had the electronic ones!). Housed in its original Gibson "Lifton" black 'four-latch' hardshell case with light-orange plush lining (9.25). The case itself is in mint condition - there is some slight wear to the handle - hence the (9.25) rating. A real "under-the-bed" for nearly fifty years example -- by far the finest that we have ever seen! -- a real 'Time Capsule".

"Built with the same body shape as the ES-335T, but not the same semi-solid construction, the ES-330T/TD were originally introduced in 1959 as a replacement for the single cutaway ES-225T/TD. The single pickup version was phased out in 1963, but the ES-330TD remained in production until 1972. Two main variants are usually distinguished up to the mid-60s...The first variant is characterized by a dot-inlaid fingerboard and black plastic-covered pickups...The ES-330TD was originally offered in sunburst and natural finish but in the course of 1960 the popular cherry red was substituted for natural...In mid-62 the fingerboard was enhanced with small pearloid block inlays and at the end of the year the the pickups were fitted with metal covers" (A.R. Duchossoir, Gibson Electrics -- The Classic Years, p. 230).

The main differences between the ES-330 and the more expensive ($282.50) ES-335 were the absence of the solid center block and the use of a trapeze tailpiece rather than a stop tailpiece. This is one of only 652 ES-330TDCs shipped in 1963.