Short Takes: 2014 330-F

Quick: what’s wrong with this 2014 1997?

Trick question! It’s NOT a 1997! If it was, it would have a trapeze tailpiece, toaster pickups, black vintage KK knobs, Ric Deluxe tuners, a plexi TRC, and—most importantly—a 21 fret neck. This guitar has NONE of those. It’s basically a stock 330 with an f-hole instead of a cat’s eye/slash soundhole. So what the heck is it?

No, it’s not a 330F. That would be one of these:

1960 330F

It’s a 330 DASH F, a special run produced for UK distributor Rosetti in 2014. There were (I believe) ten in Fireglo:

And ten in Jetglo:

As near as I can tell, it was the first 24-fret guitar to get an f-hole. And I’m pretty sure it’s the only 24 fret 330 to EVER get an f-hole. There was a special run of f-holed 24 fret 360WBs in Light Mocha Cream and Matte Black in 2017, and I’m pretty sure that between those two runs that’s it as far as 24 frets and f-holes go.

So yeah, it’s pretty unique. But is it “interesting” unique? It’s “different”, for sure…but if it doesn’t excite a guy like me who’s always looking for the unusual…? Look what this guy did: he took one, added toasters, and blacked out the knobs and plastics.

Now THAT’S interesting! If you’re gonna order a special run, make it SPECIAL!