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Ess & Ess case info please

Gibsonian

Member
Joined
May 21, 2005
Messages
451
Anyone tell me which year this Ess & Ess case should be from?

- Both top & bottom sides are arched
- Gator tolex
- Gold hardware
- Four latches and one additional lock latch
- Three studs on the under side
- White stitches on lid sides
- Plastic handle with no fake stitches
- Yellow plush lining inside

It came with a 50's single-pickup ES-330T model. Could this be original to the guitar or could this be a Gretsch or Guild case? Did Gibson ship a guitar in a non-Gibson branded case around this time?

Thanks in advance for your info.
 

Gibsonian

Member
Joined
May 21, 2005
Messages
451
7625.jpg
 

j45

Active member
Joined
Jun 14, 2002
Messages
9,081
I've had this exact case with a couple or three late 60's Fender Coronados. I also had a 1968 EB-2 with an Ess & Ess case. I seriously doubt this case is original to the 330 unless the guitar hung around the store unsold until the late 60's and just happened to get paired with this case at sale time. The plastic handle is an indicator that it would be a late 60's case.
 

MikeSlub

Administrator
Joined
Jul 15, 2001
Messages
15,166
Agree with Kerry, definitely not original to the guitar. Those plastic handles break very easily.
 
Last edited:

dwagar

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 18, 2005
Messages
4,451
I thought 330s came with the cheap cardboardy kinda case. When I bought my '64 used, I had to buy a new 335 case for it. I wasn't about to walk out of the store without a hardshell case. That could be what's happened here too, get a good case that it fits in at the time of purchase.
 

Gibsonian

Member
Joined
May 21, 2005
Messages
451
That’s what I had always believed, a chipboard alligator case for a 330. I believe Gibson originally shipped this guitar in one of those cheapo cases in 1959/1960 and at some point in late 60’s or later the then owner bought the case above to protect the guitar better when traveling. That sounds like the most probable story, right?
 

j45

Active member
Joined
Jun 14, 2002
Messages
9,081
My 59's have all come in a brown Lifton hardshell, two shown below. I've also had many 60's ES-330's and all have come in original hardshell cases. The economy chipboard case was always available for just about every single model Gibson has ever shipped but I find, except for Juniors, MM's, and Es1xx series, they are the exception. Seems most people opted for a hardshell back in the day.

1959-ES-330-TDN-web-1.jpg


330.jpg
 
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