Would YOU mod this?

Detroitblues

Detroitblues

New member
A 1959 ES-330TD costs around $2000 and can go up to $8000 on the used market (I'm using Reverb.com's Price Guide)

Here is a 1959 ES-330T, a single P90 thinline hollowbody...

https://huberbreese.com/collections...959-es-330t-thin-line-electric-guitar-vintage.

If given an opportunity, depending on the guitar's condition, would you modify this to make it a duel or even a triple P90 guitar?

There seems to be room to put in a bridge or neck pickup; considering its current pickup location, you could go for a triple P90 ES-330.

Its fair to say the value of this guitar compared to the ES-335/345 of the same era is significantly less. Even Les Paul Juniors from that era cost more.

Seems like a good deal if you wanted a vintage Gibson for less than or equal to new reissues.

Just a thought provoker for the day.

Enjoy....
 
Re: Would YOU mod this?

No, if you are spending that kind of money on a guitar, why not buy exactly what you want, and not ruin the value of a historic guitar?
 
Re: Would YOU mod this?

Detroitblues said:
A 1959 ES-330TD costs around $2000 and can go up to $8000 on the used market (I'm using Reverb.com's Price Guide)

Here is a 1959 ES-330T, a single P90 thinline hollowbody...

https://huberbreese.com/collections...959-es-330t-thin-line-electric-guitar-vintage.

If given an opportunity, depending on the guitar's condition, would you modify this to make it a duel or even a triple P90 guitar?

There seems to be room to put in a bridge or neck pickup; considering its current pickup location, you could go for a triple P90 ES-330.

Its fair to say the value of this guitar compared to the ES-335/345 of the same era is significantly less. Even Les Paul Juniors from that era cost more.

Seems like a good deal if you wanted a vintage Gibson for less than or equal to new reissues.

Just a thought provoker for the day.

Enjoy....
Click to expand...

I thought you actually had one and was going to offer you my Peerless Songbird to mod to your heart's content while I kept the original.

Talking hypotheticals, I agree that it would make more sense to buy what you're after.


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Re: Would YOU mod this?

i wouldnt on that guitar. if it had a bridge pup or a neck pup then maybe but with the placement of that pup, id leave it alone
 
Would YOU mod this?

Although I'm not really a fan of one-pickup guitars, I'd say that guitar has managed almost 60 years with that one... why break the streak now?
 
Re: Would YOU mod this?

What that thing needs is a Floyd rose.


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Re: Would YOU mod this?

It's your money, and as you say, single-pickup models from 1959 do not appear to be *as valuable* as even an LP Jr.

While $2K-$8K is a wide range, it's also a very low amount for a 1959 Gibson. Were they historically unreliable? Why aren't they more popular? These are questions one needs to have answered.

One cannot merely say "yeah but it's a '59" and get away with it. The year it was made is of no consequence. It's not "a historic guitar" if it has no history other than being 60 years old. Show me a paper trail to prove its historical worth. If there is none, then it's just an old guitar.

However, as was said, if it's not already in your hands and you're looking to buy, shop around, you can probably find something you won't have to mod. If you have your heart set on modding a '59 because it's a '59, then go for it.
If you require the things only this model can give - Gibson logo, P90 in the middle of a fully-hollow body - then that's what you have for choices. Personally I'd look at the various Japanese lawsuit models, but you may score an Ibanez ES-335 copy for the cost of a 59 Gibson ES-330T. However, those are different construction (semi vs full) and you don't get the Gibson logo.


That said, because this is full-hollow, where you might have a problem is once you cut the top to add another pickup, you will change the voice of the guitar. The top of a full-hollow is the soundboard, even if it does have a pickup. While the amplified tone won't change much, the acoustic tone and overall change in resonance may be enough to make you hate it.

Personally, I would look at surface-mounted floating pickups, even if you needed to have a special bracket that attached to the bridge. However, as far as I know, those only come in one tonal variety. I'm pretty sure Duncan makes one, but I'm not sure if the Custom Shop will do you a floating P-90. I don't even know if it's possible. All the floating pickups I've seen were neck models.

Alternatively, you can look into an L.R. Baggs T-bridge, though the installation instructions say to drill holes into the wood for the signal leads. I'd run them in through the F-hole, but some people get picky about visible wires on the surface more than holes in the body.
 
Re: Would YOU mod this?

I would not mod it. The pickup is not in the center, so you won't get a normal 3-PU out of it anyway, and you're just wrecking a vintage instrument.
 
Re: Would YOU mod this?

I would not mod that guitar. That single-pickup model does have quite a bit of versatility. Two pickups would be better, but modding would just kill the value.

I think their asking price is high, by at least $1500-2000. And the neck binding makes me think that it was made later than 1959. ????

I like 330s. I used to own an early '70s long-neck model, with the neck connecting like a 335. Wish I had that one back; if I ever found another one for a good price I'd pursue it. Great sounding guitar, though feedback was often an issue.

Gibson has made a 335 model with P-90s, featuring the center block. And back in the '70s, they did a special run of three pickup versions that were real popular with the LA session guys, I'm told. I'd love one of those! And they do offer a current reissue 330.

For that price, I'd go for a current Custom Shop guitar, and avoid the depreciating effort to mod it.

Bill
 
Re: Would YOU mod this?

leave it unmolested. it is a cool guitar and it has survived this long. if you need a 330 with two pups, get a reissue.
 
Re: Would YOU mod this?

I had a mid 60s 330TD with two chrome dog ear P-90s.

It was a nice guitar. But keep in mind that they are fully hollow— they don’t have a center block. And the neck joins the body at the 16th fret, not the 19th like a 335. This was a budget model at the time.

I’d just get an Epiphone Casino. It’s a nicer guitar and you won’t be messing up a vintage instrument.


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