Es330 neck profile and P90's

hipbluescat · Dec 7, 2014

Hi

I have read the the 59 neck profiles were substantial.

In 1960 and 1961 the slim profile necks were made.

What happened from 1962 to 1969?

In relation to the P90's was there ant differences from 1959 to 1969?

Cheers

Frost · Dec 8, 2014

Hi there,

I've owned four vintage ES-330s and here are the neck #s:

Neck Depths:
1959 ES-330 TD: 1st fret: 0.90", 12th fret: 1.01"
1960 ES-330 TDN: 1st fret: 0.80", 12th fret: 0.90"
1962 ES-330 TDC #1: 1st Fret: 0.79" (No longer own so no idea on the other measurements)
1962 ES-330 TDC #2: 1st Fret: 0.84" (No longer own so no idea on the other measurements)

All four have the 1 11/16" width at the nut.

I think the P90s changed in 1961? (Mapleflame would know on this).

Hope this helps at all. Take care,

Heiko

MapleFlame · Dec 9, 2014

Frost said:
Hi there,

I've owned four vintage ES-330s and here are the neck #s:

Neck Depths:
1959 ES-330 TD: 1st fret: 0.90", 12th fret: 1.01"
1960 ES-330 TDN: 1st fret: 0.80", 12th fret: 0.90"
1962 ES-330 TDC #1: 1st Fret: 0.79" (No longer own so no idea on the other measurements)
1962 ES-330 TDC #2: 1st Fret: 0.84" (No longer own so no idea on the other measurements)

All four have the 1 11/16" width at the nut.

I think the P90s changed in 1961? (Mapleflame would know on this).

Hope this helps at all. Take care,

Heiko

Thanks for the thumbs up. The P90's followed the same path as the specials,juniors, and later firebirds. 59-62 they got hotter. Great for grinding out tweed amps. 62 ish and on went to one white and one black lead, wound with the orange wire on the bobbins and we're consistent in windings like the Pat. No. Humbuckers. Most read 7.4-7.6. Later 60's 68 went to clear bobbins. Most like the 59-65 variants with neck size and pickups. Of course any year 330 can be a great guitar. I've heard 68 330's in pro players hands drop me to my knees. These are just some of the nuances from the P90 varieties.

MapleFlame · Dec 9, 2014

Frost said:
Hi there,

I've owned four vintage ES-330s and here are the neck #s:

Neck Depths:
1959 ES-330 TD: 1st fret: 0.90", 12th fret: 1.01"
1960 ES-330 TDN: 1st fret: 0.80", 12th fret: 0.90"
1962 ES-330 TDC #1: 1st Fret: 0.79" (No longer own so no idea on the other measurements)
1962 ES-330 TDC #2: 1st Fret: 0.84" (No longer own so no idea on the other measurements)

All four have the 1 11/16" width at the nut.

I think the P90s changed in 1961? (Mapleflame would know on this).

Hope this helps at all. Take care,

Heiko

Thanks for the thumbs up. The P90's followed the same path as the specials,juniors, and later firebirds. 59-62 they got hotter. Great for grinding out tweed amps. 62 ish and on went to one white and one black lead, wound with the orange wire on the bobbins and we're consistent in windings like the Pat. No. Humbuckers. Most read 7.4-7.6. Later 60's 68 went to clear bobbins. Most like the 59-65 variants with neck size and pickups. Of course any year 330 can be a great guitar. I've heard 68 330's in pro players drop me to my knees. These are just some of the nuances from the P90 varieties.

The new Custom Shop 330's have big necks, long tenon and really are great guitars. $$$$ not far off Vintage though

Don · Dec 9, 2014

Frost said:
Neck Depths:
1959 ES-330 TD: 1st fret: 0.90", 12th fret: 1.01"

How does the neck profile on the '59 feel?

I have a '59 ES-225TD and the neck's specs are pretty similar to you '59 ES-330TD- 1st fret: .895", 10th fret: .998" (can't measure the 12th fret due to the neck joint) and 1-11/16" wide.

The neck feels a little smaller because the shoulders are "soft". The neck is almost a very soft "V" shape. The "'50s rounded" (or whatever they called it) neck profile on my 2001 ES-135 felt larger.

The P-90s are 8k and 8.3k though I think they've be re-wound.

TM1 · Dec 9, 2014

My neck on my `60 single cutaway/dbl pickup Melody Maker is .086 @ the 1st fret/ .988" @ the 12th and 1 11/16" wide at the nut.
Oddly enough, my `63 Reissue ES-335TDC is .087 @ the 1st fret and 1.08" @ the 12th fret. The nut measures 1.704" width.
Both have a "D" shape neck that's flat on the back.
P-90's became more consistent as Gibson got some auto-stop counters in `61. Pretty much by `63 the plain enamel wire and dual black coil leads were gone. They went with the poly coated wire(I've seen red and orange coloured coatings), white & black coil leads. Shorter magnets were introduced in `61. Some say it was July of `61 when the shorter 2.25" magnets were introduced. By that time, most of the magnets were either A-5 or A-2. What I've found over the years with the magnets from this era is that they are either very strong or very weak. I've got around a dozen short magnets from this time frame. I should get my ($$$) gauss meter out and see what they read.
I have seen the clear bobbins with green poly coated wire. Looks pretty strange to take a P-90 cover off and see that.

DoubleBoogie · Dec 24, 2014

Oops. Double post!

DoubleBoogie · Dec 24, 2014

TM1 said:
My neck on my `60 single cutaway/dbl pickup Melody Maker is .086 @ the 1st fret/ .988" @ the 12th and 1 11/16" wide at the nut.
Oddly enough, my `63 Reissue ES-335TDC is .087 @ the 1st fret and 1.08" @ the 12th fret. The nut measures 1.704" width.
Both have a "D" shape neck that's flat on the back.
P-90's became more consistent as Gibson got some auto-stop counters in `61. Pretty much by `63 the plain enamel wire and dual black coil leads were gone. They went with the poly coated wire(I've seen red and orange coloured coatings), white & black coil leads. Shorter magnets were introduced in `61. Some say it was July of `61 when the shorter 2.25" magnets were introduced. By that time, most of the magnets were either A-5 or A-2. What I've found over the years with the magnets from this era is that they are either very strong or very weak. I've got around a dozen short magnets from this time frame. I should get my ($$$) gauss meter out and see what they read.
I have seen the clear bobbins with green poly coated wire. Looks pretty strange to take a P-90 cover off and see that.

I think you missed the neck thicknesses at the nut by a factor of 10.

eace2

DANELECTRO · Jan 12, 2015

1962

.834" @ the 1st fret
.962" @ the 12th fret
1.676" nut

johnbeddoe · Jul 11, 2017

Mine is a 2012 es-330 VOS. I love the neck!

1st/12th fret thicknesses: 0.95/0.99

But the profile? I would like to know how to describe it. C shape but with some shoulder due to rolled binding? I'd love some other opinion describing the VOS neck profile

Es330 neck profile and P90's

hipbluescat

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Frost

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MapleFlame

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MapleFlame

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Don

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TM1

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DoubleBoogie

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DoubleBoogie

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DANELECTRO

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johnbeddoe

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