Joe Lazar Posted January 9, 2022 Report Share Posted January 9, 2022 Hey folks, I'm starting to scour the web for resources related to building a Gibson ES330 style guitar and I'm coming up empty. There's some stuff out there on 335s, but even that is relatively light in detail. Does anyone know beyond the obvious differences (e.g. hollow vs. semi hollow) the top, back and sides are between a 335 and a 330? Anyone on here ever built a 330? I tried searching the forum but came up empty. A little background, since I'm new here: I've built one guitar. It was almost 10 years ago in Charles Fox's class. Wow, what an experience. I documented it here if you want to read about it. Over the last handful of years I've built up a pretty complete wood shop with all manner of power and hand tools, and share a CNC with a friend who is more technically savvy than I am, and also quite keen to build guitars. So I'm in great shape tooling wise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted January 9, 2022 Report Share Posted January 9, 2022 I checked out your accoustic guitar build, absolutely beautiful, good luck with the thinline, hollow body. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bizman62 Posted January 9, 2022 Report Share Posted January 9, 2022 This might be of interest: https://kitarablogi.com/2012/02/06/makea-uusinta-gibsonilta-sweet-reissue-from-gibson-es-330/ Although, as you said about the obvious, there may not be much new. But it says the bodies are similar except for the center block. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ADFinlayson Posted January 9, 2022 Report Share Posted January 9, 2022 I don't really know the difference between a 335 and a 330 other than the 330 having a tailpiece and dogear p90s, but if you want an in depth youtube series on 335. Check out the shed of dreams, it's a long series, lots of episodes but lots of detail. Channel link https://www.youtube.com/c/Adventuresfromtheshedofdreams Episode 1: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Lazar Posted January 9, 2022 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2022 4 hours ago, ADFinlayson said: I don't really know the difference between a 335 and a 330 other than the 330 having a tailpiece and dogear p90s, but if you want an in depth youtube series on 335. Check out the shed of dreams, it's a long series, lots of episodes but lots of detail. Channel link https://www.youtube.com/c/Adventuresfromtheshedofdreams Episode 1: I hadn’t seen this, thanks for sharing. What he’s doing is carving the top which, I’d actually prefer to do. Unfortunately these guitars have laminated tops. I think it was for feedback? In any case I’m leaning toward building a form and vacuum pressing rather than a solid top carve. I also think I am in for some misadventures. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bizman62 Posted January 9, 2022 Report Share Posted January 9, 2022 22 minutes ago, Joe Lazar said: In any case I’m leaning toward building a form and vacuum pressing You may be interested in how @argytar built his Stella: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ADFinlayson Posted January 11, 2022 Report Share Posted January 11, 2022 On 1/9/2022 at 4:07 PM, Joe Lazar said: I hadn’t seen this, thanks for sharing. What he’s doing is carving the top which, I’d actually prefer to do. Unfortunately these guitars have laminated tops. I think it was for feedback? In any case I’m leaning toward building a form and vacuum pressing rather than a solid top carve. I also think I am in for some misadventures. I can't see that the lamination has much to do with feedback (happy to be proven wrong), it's the solid centre block that will make the different there - Probably a lot cheaper on materials and easier build process to laminate a few veneers than carve a top. Making a form and laminating with a vacuum bag seems like a good way to go, however I'm not sure how one would go about making the form accurately given that it would need to be slightly smaller than out outer dimensions of the top/back. I look forward to your build thread when you figure it out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Lazar Posted January 11, 2022 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2022 9 hours ago, ADFinlayson said: I can't see that the lamination has much to do with feedback (happy to be proven wrong), it's the solid centre block that will make the different there - Probably a lot cheaper on materials and easier build process to laminate a few veneers than carve a top. Making a form and laminating with a vacuum bag seems like a good way to go, however I'm not sure how one would go about making the form accurately given that it would need to be slightly smaller than out outer dimensions of the top/back. I look forward to your build threat when you figure it out Yeah, I'm not really sure how/why it feedbacks. I'm just reporting back from what the interwebz has told me and that's never wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asgeirogm Posted January 19, 2022 Report Share Posted January 19, 2022 Sorry for linking to another forum (someone please let me know if that's frowned upon), but here is a fantastic, very detailed thread on a laminated 335 build: https://www.tdpri.com/threads/1959-es-335td-proto-build.273300/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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