Sold: Gibson ES-330, sunburst, 2018, case and candy - £2250

DB1

A funny thing happened. I saw this advertised by the lovely @camf four weeks ago today and sprang on it like a pig at a potato.

Committed to it there and then and sorted the deal out the following Saturday up in sunny Scotland. I've had half a dozen other ES-330's - a '61 reissue, two CS330-L's, a 1968 ES-330L, a Wildwood spec '59 blonde reissue, another 2018 ES-330 - I know that everyone says this, but this is my favourite. Not only does it play beautifully plugged in, but it's acoustically very resonant and it's got the most vibrant burst, with a deep, rich red, well... red. It's in fabulous condition, with a just a few faint swirl marks near the strap button (neck).

It begs the question: 'why is it up for sale then, you swivel-eyed lunatic?'

OK, I'll tell you. On the Monday after committing to this beauty, I saw a birth year ES-330 at ATB, and I just liked it. In case you're thinking 'they didn't make them in 1925', I should point out that it's a 1960 model, and yes, I do look young for my age, thanks.

I wouldn't back out of buying this one though, as it's not polite, and I'm really glad that I bought it. One, I met up with @camf who is an extremely nice geezer, and who also gave me a teeshirt, a CD and a cuddly toy drive pedal for doing a few more miles to meet up with him, and also it's a delightful guitar which I was able to A/B with the 1960 version.

Just to meander off for a moment (for a change) acoustically, the two guitars - 58 years apart in age - were very, very similar. This one is bassier plugged in, has a slightly chunkier neck and weighs just a little more.  This one has the rich red of the sunburst in full bloom, and the 1960 version doesn't. They're both lovely, for slightly different reasons and I had hoped to keep both - I still do, if finances work out OK!

Anyway, if you fancy this, I'm selling it for what I paid for it, in true forum tradition. I'm not posting it, so you can brave me and Kenny the Staffie/Collie (he's 14 today and we're having a little party). He's a sweetheart - tbh, we both are. Breath not the best though.  Me, not him.

Alternatively, I'll get in the car and meet up or deliver. You might have to slip me a few quid for delivery, as it was a 450 mile round trip to pick this beauty up, but we can have a chat about that. Transfer or cash would be good, and I'm very happy to meet -as ever - in laybys, public conveniences, notorious dogging spots, deserted woodlands, and other areas of dubious hygiene. I may also be able to give you a free copy of my guide to public conveniences throughout the UK: ' Swing Out Cistern'.

PM me if you're interested - either in the guitar or the laybys, etc. If funds shake themselves up in the next couple of days, I hope to keep it, so fingers on the button, folks.

stickyfiddle

Really lovely thing though you really need to show us the 1960 one as well...

I know everyone says this whenever they're selling something, and I don't believe in "good wood eras" and all that internet guff, but I maintain these 2018 Memphis ES-330s are some of the absolute best guitars Gibson has made in very a long time. And I'm not going to make the mistake of selling mine second time around! 

DB1

stickyfiddle said:

Really lovely thing though you really need to show us the 1960 one as well...

I know everyone says this whenever they're selling something, and I don't believe in "good wood eras" and all that internet guff, but I maintain these 2018 Memphis ES-330s are some of the absolute best guitars Gibson has made in very a long time. And I'm not going to make the mistake of selling mine second time around! 

I will when I get it.

I don't really go for the 'good wood' thing either, but I've had two now from 2018 and they've both been excellent. It's genuinely something that I don't want to sell, but I feel a bit daft having two, although it would be preferable to keep them both and compare them long-term, being 58 years apart.

It's my nod to being 'sensible (haha!) but, as I mentioned above, if funds work themselves out, I'd love to hang on to it.

pjf

A thing of beauty, GLWTS and happy birthday to Kenny.

DB1

pjf said:

A thing of beauty, GLWTS and happy birthday to Kenny.

He thanks you very much, unless you're a postman.

Hattigol

pjf said:

A thing of beauty, GLWTS and happy birthday to Kenny.

I can wholeheartedly agree. A thing of beauty.

And he is selling a lovely guitar too...

Happy 14th Kenny!

DB1

He says thank you and, as you can see, also finds the guitar very tasty. Good lord, I love that dog.

vincechu89

Oh my days! (Oh my Dave!?) that burst is stunning, really love the red hue in it, good luck with the sale, shame I’m more focused on classical and acoustic or id have it!!

Hattigol

I'd add that I've played this and it is absolutely wonderful. Genuinely. I'd love it but I have run out of bloody guitar hangers in the mancave...

DB1

vincechu89 said:

Oh my days! (Oh my Dave!?) that burst is stunning, really love the red hue in it, good luck with the sale, shame I’m more focused on classical and acoustic or id have it!!

Thanks Vince - hope all's well with you!

DB1

Hattigol said:

I'd add that I've played this and it is absolutely wonderful. Genuinely. I'd love it but I have run out of bloody guitar hangers in the mancave...

Not a problem. I have a guitar hanger as well.

Hattigol

DB1 said:

Hattigol said:

I'd add that I've played this and it is absolutely wonderful. Genuinely. I'd love it but I have run out of bloody guitar hangers in the mancave...

Not a problem. I have a guitar hanger as well.

You have that many, I suspect you are referring to an actual man who hangs your guitars,  right?

DB1

Ah yes, his official title is 'The Hangman', and it has the added advantage of keeping the kids away at Halloween. 

DB1

Now sold to a Fretboard chum. Wonderful guitar, and I'll be sad to see it go, but I've asked for dibs.

peanuts

these 2018 330s never hang about long & I know why being lucky enough to have one - it amazes me every time I pick it up & even more when I plug it in. Congrats to the new owner!

Wazmeister

DB1 said:

Now sold to a Fretboard chum. Wonderful guitar, and I'll be sad to see it go, but I've asked for dibs.

Dibs second from you please

Hattigol

Wazmeister said:

DB1 said:

Now sold to a Fretboard chum. Wonderful guitar, and I'll be sad to see it go, but I've asked for dibs.

Dibs second from you please

Sorry Waz, you are third!

DB1

Crikey,I haven’t been this popular since I walked through a cattery with a haddock sellotaped to my head.

It is a wonderful guitar and the dibs are mine, although the same forum member promised dibs on something else that I sold to him and I haven’t been able to prise it away from him since. 

No names, but just saying, @danishbacon - just saying. 

danishbacon

DB1 said:

Crikey,I haven’t been this popular since I walked through a cattery with a haddock sellotaped to my head.

It is a wonderful guitar and the dibs are mine, although the same forum member promised dibs on something else that I sold to him and I haven’t been able to prise it away from him since. 

No names, but just saying, @danishbacon - just saying. 

DB1

Now for sale again!

So here's what's happened:

1) I see this guitar advertised by @camf ;;;

2) I agree to buy it

3) In the meantime I see a 1960 ES-330 at ATB. Want that as well

4) Don't want to let @camf down so buy the ES-330 from him

5) Also decide to buy the 1960 ES-330

6) So this one has to go, right?

7) Sell this one to @danishbacon, with a dibs request

8) @danishbacon is funding a dream guitar so offers dibs

9) I say yes

10) I find that I prefer this one to the 1960 ES-330

11) So I put that one up for sale

12) I get a p/x offer from a forum member for the 1960 ES_330

13) The p/ex is another ES-330 (59 reissue)

14) I say yes

15) I now have two ES-330's again

16) There's something wrong with me.

Slack-jawed oaf that I am, I've spent the past few months wondering which one to keep - the '59 has slightly bigger frets than I'd like, and is a pretty chunky neck, but I'm finding that my fingers are becoming more sausage like, so it's OK. It potentially needs a little work, but it's OK for me at the moment. I'd want to sort out a couple of issues on it before I was comfortable with selling it on.

So - this one is up for sale. This 2018 ES-330 is great. Fred (  @danishbacon ;;; )  set it up beautifully with something that I'd never have put on it - 12 gauge flatwounds. but it works really well and is set up a treat, so I haven't even changed strings. I can change them if anyone doesn't fancy them, but I'd suggest giving it a go first - great for jazz, and old-fashioned blues and swing stuff.

What can I say that I didn't say before? Not much. I've added a couple of public conveniences to my list of meeting places and I've heard of a promising new dogging spot  just off the M5, but apart from that, nothing else.

Happy to deliver it to you, or meet up,  as long as you live in an area of reasonable civilisation, although North Yorkshire is also fine *.  Not the Staffordshire Moorlands though. For one thing, I don't have a goat.

* I await the abusive reverse charge phone calls. 

vincechu89

@db1 Dave, what a stunning guitar, the burst is perfect, really love the red in it, shame I’m broke or I’d have it off you! Good luck with the sale.

Everyone, Dave’s a gent to deal with, good pics, and items are well described.