Gibson Memphis 2013 ES-330
with Jamie Dickson
Way back in issue 392, I became acquainted with one of the excellent products from Gibson’s Memphis division – a reissue of a 1959 ES-330 that came in for review. For me, it was love at first fret. After playing mainly Fenders for years, the ES-330 opened new musical avenues. Suddenly, I had access to a whole spectrum of classic blues, R&B and rock tones that I hadn’t realised I was missing. Where my Teles and Strats were sparkling and shimmering the 330 was fat, blunt and warm – a ‘B’ pencil to the Fender’s ‘H’ if you will. I gigged with our review 330, rehearsed with it, recorded with it… We were inseparable for a while. Friends would say without prompt, ‘That guitar suits you,’ and I could only agree.
Just when everything was going swimmingly, however, Gibson somewhat loudly cleared its throat as a hint that it wanted its guitar back. I was forced to concede this request was not unreasonable. Did I want to buy it, they asked? Well, yes, of course I wanted to buy it – I just couldn’t afford to! And so back the 330 went to its maker, leaving me wistfully wondering what might have been.
Fast forward to 2018 and myself, Mick Taylor and Nev Marten had just completed a run of Cream tribute gigs for which I had bought a nice-sounding but rather workaday 335 with a satin finish, built in 2005. With no further gigs in view for the foreseeable future, I hit upon the idea of selling the 335 and using the proceeds of that, plus some savings, to get something really nice. This accomplished, I took a casual stroll up to Vintage ‘n’ Rare Guitars in Bath just to see what happened to be in stock. I walked through the front door and... cupid’s arrow thudded straight into my chest. Right in front of me, hanging on the wall, was a Cherry Red Memphis ES-330.Almost the same spec as the one I’d had before – just in a better colour, with a Bigsby. I gulped, knowing there could be no escape this time.
Just to confirm what I already knew, I asked to try it. Paul behind the counter grinned and said, “Certainly,” helpfully adding that it was one of the best guitars in the shop. I nodded like a condemned man being told that, yes, the guillotine was working fine this morning. Just checking... Then I sat down to play and revelled afresh in those big, blooming clean tones that seemed to leap from the tracks of an old R&B album. Turn up the gain and there were the teetering-on-the-edge drive tones that sounded as fat as a brick of butter.
“Turn up the gain and there were the teetering-on-the-edge drive tones that sounded as fat as a brick of butter”
“Its jazzy, rounded voice demands you string together notes worth playing, rather than milk long, bluesy bends or doodle aimlessly”
Anyway, you all know how this story ends. Yes, of course I bought it. If this was a film, the credits would now roll on a happy ending. But, actually, having waited this long for fate to reunite me with my perfect Gibson model, I now want to document what happens next, when a long- GAS’d-for dream guitar becomes your day-to-day instrument. I’m already thinking this guitar will teach me to play better. Its jazzy, rounded voice really demands that you to string together some notes worth playing, rather than milk long, bluesy bends or doodle aimlessly. It’s a proper grown-up’s guitar, I suppose.
I’ve also realised something that never struck me before, which is that the hollow 330 is less like my old ES-335 – with its solid centre block – than you might think. In fact, I’d even argue that a Tele has more in common with a 335 than a 330 does. Why? Well, although a Tele and a 335 are very different beasts, you can use them in much the same general way. Booting on an overdrive pedal at reasonably high gain doesn’t really bother a 335 or a Tele. Do that with a 330 and you might just get unhorsed, though, as that hollowbody has its limits when it comes to resisting feedback.
Although I should also point out that those limits aren’t anything like as restrictive as some might have you believe.You can play a 330 loud and you can use overdrive. Go above a certain level, however, and like a brolly turning inside out in a gust of wind, the 330’s top will fall prey to feedback and start singing a throbbing resonant frequency that’s almost as loud as the note you’re fretting. You can either turn down the volume or the gain at this point or just grapple with the dragon of feedback a bit, turning away from the speaker to quell it or leaning in to make everything go crazy. It’s sort of fun and not unmusical if you can learn to stay near the edge without falling off it. Anyway, proper road testing still lies in the future. For the moment I can just bask in that New Guitar Day feeling – and dream about what gigs and musical quests I can take my new partner-in-crime on.
Reviewed 392 (sort of) Price £1,995 On Test Since March 2015 Studio Sessions None with this guitar Gigs None with this guitar Mods Not yet www.gibson.com