The groundbreaking double-cutaway thinline electric guitar series initiated by Gibson with the ES-335 in 1958 extended to both upper- and lower-end models by 1959. These included the higher-priced, gold-hardware-outfitted ES-345 and ES-355, as well as the student-level ES-330T, ES-330TD, ES-125TC, and ES-125TCD. (The “D” was used to denote a double-pickup model.) The ES-330 shared the same body dimensions as the ES-335, ES-345, and ES-355, but had a very different interior construction. Rather than having a semi-hollow body, the ES-330 was fully hollow, similar to the original 1955 thinlines like the ES-350T and ES-225. In spite of the ES-330’s low price, the high quality and deep sound made it a favorite of jazz guitarists. Grant Green was perhaps the most notable proponent of the ES-330 sound.
The 1966 Gibson catalog text describes the guitar, stressing the correlation to the ES-335: “A wonderful instrument with truly magical tone, available with twin adjustable pickups. The double-cutaway body and thin silhouette make it wonderfully easy to hold and play.” The catalog also outlines the basic appointments: “Constructed from the finest curly maple and rosewood. Chrome-plated metal parts. Slim, fast, low-action neck joins the body at 16th fret. One-piece mahogany neck, adjustable truss rod.”
Note the block inlays, chrome P-90 covers and trapeze tailpiece, and the sparkling burgundy finish—all era-perfect appointments of the 1967 ES-330TD. The “TD” stands for thinline, double-pickup.
The ES-330 pictured has the standard features for 1967, including a rosewood fretboard with block inlays (changed from dot inlays after mid 1962), two single-coil P-90 pickups with chrome covers (the original black plastic covers were changed to nickel-plated metal in 1962, and to chrome-plated by 1965), a Tune-o-matic bridge with nylon saddles, and a chrome-plated trapeze tailpiece. Sparkling burgundy was a standard color for that year, along with sunburst, and sherry. The 1967 list price was $365. The current value for one in excellent all-original condition is $3,500.
This thin-faced, beveled headstock and Kluson tuners are also signatures common to many low- and
mid-priced 1960s Gibsons.
The amp behind the guitar is a 1968 Fender Super Reverb. The front panel has a “normal” channel, with volume, treble, and bass knobs, and a “vibrato” channel with volume, treble, middle, bass, reverb, speed, and intensity controls. Two 6L6 power tubes push 40 watts through four 10" Oxford speakers. The 1968 list price was $429.50. The current value for the amp is $1,500.
Sources for this article include Gibson Electrics: The Classic Years by A.R. Duchossoir, Gibson Shipment Totals: 1937-1979 by Larry Meiners, The Gibson 335: Its History and Its Players by Adrian Ingram, and Fender Amps: The First Fifty Years by John Teagle and John Sprung.
Gibson originally launched the EB-6 model with the intention of serving consumers looking for a “tic-tac” bass sound.
The Gibson EB-6 was announced in 1959 and came into the world in 1960, not with a dual-horn body but with that of an elegant ES-335. They looked stately, with a thin, semi-hollow body, f-holes, and a sunburst finish. Our pick for this Vintage Vault column is one such first-year model, in about as original condition as you’re able to find today. “Why?” you may be asking. Well, read on....
When the EB-6 was introduced, the Bass VI was still a glimmer in Leo Fender’s eye. The real competition were the Danelectro 6-string basses that seemed to have popped up out of nowhere and were suddenly being used on lots of hit records by the likes of Elvis, Patsy Cline, and other household names. Danos like the UB-2 (introduced in ’56), the Longhorn 4623 (’58), and the Shorthorn 3612 (’58) were the earliest attempts any company made at a 6-string bass in this style: not quite a standard electric bass, not quite a guitar, nor, for that matter, quite like a baritone guitar.
The only change this vintage EB-6 features is a replacement set of Kluson tuners.
Photo by Ken Lapworth
Gibson, Fender, and others during this era would in fact call these basses “baritone guitars,” to add to our confusion today. But these vintage “baritones” were all tuned one octave below a standard guitar, with scale lengths around 30", while most modern baritones are tuned B-to-B or A-to-A and have scale lengths between 26" and 30".)
At the time, those Danelectros were instrumental to what was called the “tic-tac” bass sound of Nashville records produced by Chet Atkins, or the “click-bass” tones made out west by producer Lee Hazlewood. Gibson wanted something for this market, and the EB-6 was born.
“When the EB-6 was introduced, the Bass VI was still a glimmer in Leo Fender’s eye.”
The 30.5" scale 1960 EB-6 has a single humbucking pickup, a volume knob, a tone knob, and a small, push-button “Tone Selector Switch” that engages a treble circuit for an instant tic-tac sound. (Without engaging that switch, you get a bass-heavy tone so deep that cowboy chords will sound like a muddy mess.)
The EB-6, for better or for worse, did not unseat the Danelectros, and a November 1959 price list from Gibson hints at why: The EB-6 retailed for $340, compared to Dano price tags that ranged from $85 to $150. Only a few dozen EB-6 basses were shipped in 1960, and only 67 total are known to have been built before Gibson changed the shape to the SG style in 1962.
Most players who come across an EB-6 today think it was a response to the Fender Bass VI, but the former actually beat the latter to the market by a full year.
Photo by Ken Lapworth
It’s sad that so few were built. Sure, it was a high-end model made to achieve the novelty tic-tac sound of cheaper instruments, but in its full-voiced glory, the EB-6 has a huge potential of tones. It would sound great in our contemporary guitar era where more players are exploring baritone ranges, and where so many people got back into the Bass VI after seeing the Beatles play one in the 2021 documentary, Get Back.
It’s sadder, still, how many original-era EB-6s have been parted out in the decades since. Remember earlier when I wrote that our Vintage Vaultpick was about as original as you could find? That’s because the model’s single humbucker is a PAF, its Kluson tuners are double-line, and its knobs are identical to those on Les Paul ’Bursts. So as people repaired broken ’Bursts, converted other LPs to ’Bursts, or otherwise sought to give other Gibsons a “Golden Era” sound and look ... they often stripped these forgotten EB-6 basses for parts.
This original EB-6 is up for sale now from Reverb seller Emerald City Guitars for a $16,950 asking price at the time of writing. The only thing that isn’t original about it is a replacement set of Kluson tuners, not because its originals were stolen but just to help preserve them. (They will be included in the case.)
With so few surviving 335-style EB-6 basses, Reverb doesn’t have a ton of sales data to compare prices to. Ten years ago, a lucky buyer found a nearly original 1960 EB-6 for about $7,000. But Emerald City’s $16,950 asking price is closer to more recent examples and asking prices.
Sources: Prices on Gibson Instruments, November 1, 1959, Tony Bacon’s “Danelectro’s UB-2 and the Early Days of 6-String Basses” Reverb News article, Gruhn’s Guide to Vintage Guitars, Tom Wheeler’s American Guitars: An Illustrated History, Reverb listings and Price Guide sales data.
Billy Gibbons is an undisputable guitar force whose feel, tone, and all-around vibe make him the highest level of hero. But that’s not to say he hasn’t made some odd choices in his career, like when ZZ Top re-recorded parts of their classic albums for CD release. And fans will argue which era of the band’s career is best. Some of us love drum machines and synths and others don’t, but we all love Billy.
This episode is sponsored by Magnatone
Originally released in the 1980s, the Victory has long been a cult favorite among guitarists for its distinctive double cutaway design and excellent upper-fret access. These new models feature flexible electronics, enhanced body contours, improved weight and balance, and an Explorer headstock shape.
A Cult Classic Made Modern
The new Victory features refined body contours, improved weight and balance, and an updated headstock shape based on the popular Gibson Explorer.
Effortless Playing
With a fast-playing SlimTaper neck profile and ebony fretboard with a compound radius, the Victory delivers low action without fret buzz everywhere on the fretboard.
Flexible Electronics
The two 80s Tribute humbucker pickups are wired to push/pull master volume and tone controls for coil splitting and inner/outer coil selection when the coils are split.
For more information, please visit gibson.com.
Gibson Victory Figured Top Electric Guitar - Iguana Burst
