1961 Gibson ES-330

Dan Orkin of Reverb.com takes a look at the evocative little brother of Gibson’s 335 and explains how to find a good vintage example at a fair price...

When it comes to both historical notoriety and collector desirability, the Gibson ES-330 hollowbody has always lived in the shadow of its semi-hollow cousin, the ES-335. Both guitars were launched in a wave of new thinline designs in the late 50s in what is usually considered to be the peak era of Gibson guitar craft. The 335 was the more popular design then and remains so in today’s vintage market.

The two models look almost identical, but there are key differences. Most significantly, the 330 is a genuine hollowbody guitar, which means it lacks the centre block of wood that makes the ES-335 a semihollow. The lack of this feature renders the 330 more prone to feedback and fosters a different tone. Beyond this difference, early-60s 330s sport P-90 pickups to the 335’s PAF humbuckers, and trapeze tailpieces to the 335’s stopbar. The neck and body on the 330 also join the 16th fret rather than the 19th fret as seen on other Gibsons of this period. This means the ES-330 is something of a silver medal for a collector.

original pricing

The best ES-330 specimens have sold in the range of £3,750 to £4,500 over the past year on Reverb. Guitars in this bracket are free of defect or modification beyond minor playwear and non-structural imperfections. We have not seen a single ’61 ES-330TD with a natural finish sell recently, though a pristine example might sell for £6,500.

Guitars with breaks, visible damage or non-original parts range considerably in resale value with sales for less-coveted examples dipping towards £2,200. The fully hollow construction style makes for a fragile soundboard, so potential buyers should be on the lookout for any cracks in the top, especially along the F-holes.

The single-pickup ES-330T is less desirable, though guitars in all-round solid condition will sell for £2000 to £2500.

other Buying options

Gibson discontinued the ES-330 in 1972, though has reissued the 1959 model through its Custom Shop. While not rare, these finely crafted instruments are still priced near the original vintage models. Buyers looking for a more affordable entry into the vintage Gibson hollowbody realm could consider the student-level models of the 1950s like the ES-125T.

Modern manufacturers building affordable fully-hollow thinlines include Eastman and the Loar with its LH-301T. Higher-end boutique builders like Collings and Sadowsky also dabble, but the instruments come with a hefty price tag.

The most famous alternative of all is the Epiphone Casino, which is based on the ES-330TD. Modern Asian-manufactured Casinos are affordable. Those from the 60s were built using the same design by the same luthiers as the Gibsons. Notably, in the field of Epiphone guitars from the 60s based on Gibson designs, the Casino is the model that tends to earn as much or more than its Gibson equivalent on the vintage market. This is almost exclusively due to its association with the Beatles and John Lennon in particular. Dan Orkin is content director at Reverb.com, where he reviews the thousands of listings and manages the Reverb Price Guide