1964 Gibson ES-330
This late 1964 Gibson ES-330 arrived in a filthy state, but after a cleanup and some minor repairs, it’s ready for another fifty years.
The finish has decades of caked on dirt and grease.
There’s even more dirt under the pickguard and the hardware is removed to make the cleanup easier.
If you think the outside is dirty, it’s nothing compared to inside body and all this dust and debris needs to be cleaned off the controls.
As usual, the glue holding the celluloid marker has deteriorated and they have begun to lift out of the fretboard.
Placing masking tale around the block markers helps to keep the glue off the fretboard as they’re being stuck back down.
With the blocks glued, the frets polished and the fretboard treated with lemon oil, the playing experience is much improved.
The nickel hardware is quite dull but it’s in good condition under the dirt.
Chrome polish brings the shine back but it’s best to retain a bit of vintage patina by not over polishing.
The finished guitar!
After cleaning and polishing, the ES-330 is reassembled and set up ready for the new owner.