Gibson ES-330 Long Neck Sparkling Burgundy 1968

Wow! And, also, actually, wow!! A 1968 ES-330 is always exciting, but even more so when it’s finished in rare and highly desirable Sparkling Burgundy custom color, and even more more so when it’s as awesome as this one is.

The ES-330 model was introduced by Gibson in 1959 as a fully hollow counterpart to the more famous ES-335. It was equipped with dual P-90 single-coil pickups, delivering a warm, rich tone that appealed to a wide range of players. Unlike the ES-335, the ES-330 does not have a center block, giving it a more resonant acoustic character. The model evolved over time, with changes such as a narrower nut width and the neck joint shifting from the 16th to the 19th fret introduced for 1968.

The guitar is all original, with only very few and minor changes. The finish has faded over time due to UV exposure, giving the top a unique copper-like metallic hue, which is of course normal for these finishes. As a nice detail, the originality of the finish is confirmed by a piece of factory tape inside the F-hole, marked “Sparkling Burgundy” in pencil. Electronics are all original, although no date codes are legible on the pots. A non-original “poker chip” plastic reinforcement has been added around the input jack. It’s been there for a long time (the finish is unfaded underneath it), but most importantly it does not cover any cracks or other structural damage.

The guitar has original frets, which are low but perfectly playable, and of course the narrow 40mm nut typical of the year. Weight is 3000g. It comes with a newer Gibson case for added protection.

SPECIFICATIONS

Body: Fully hollow, laminate maple
Neck: Mahogany, 24.75″ scale length
Nut width: 40mm
Frets: Original, low profile
Pickups: Dual P-90 single-coils
Finish: Sparkling Burgundy, faded to copper
Bridge: ABR-1 Tune-o-Matic
Tailpiece: Trapeze
Weight: 3000g
Hardware: Chrome
Serial Number: 513097