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1957 Gibson Super 400C
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Serial #: A-25399 FON#: U9865-5
Body size at lower bout: 18" Scale length: 25 1/2" Nut width: 1 10/16"
Materials: Handcarved bookmatched fine grained solid carved spruce top; figured solid carved fiddleback maple back and sides; solid tiger flame maple neck; ebony fingerboard with mother of pearl block fingerboard and peghead inlay; 5-ply body, neck, head and pickguard binding, triple bound f-holes, polished bone nut.
Hardware: 100% original gold hardware includes engraved art deco trapeze tailpiece, Kluson Sealfast tuners, 5-ply bound marbleized celluloid pickguard, bound truss rod cover, compensated adjustable Brazilian rosewood bridge. Gold DeArmond 1100 Adjustable Rhythm Chief pickup, with volume and tone controls and mini jack output under pickguard.
Notes: Introduced in 1934, the Super 400 is the pinnacle of the Gibson line, the largest and most expensive production guitar of its era. The cutaway version made its debut in 1939, and the Super 400C has always been built in vanishingly small numbers: this exceptional instrument is one of a mere 11 examples produced in its model year, and would certainly have to be among the finest surviving specimens anywhere .
Babied since new, this stunning guitar been maintained in breathtaking condition, with all original finish and hardware. Remarkably free of playwear, the gleaming sunburst finish is masterfully shaded, showing only a small patch of thumbwear on the upper neck, and only the lightest traces of the typical finish checking one expects in an instrument of its vintage. Apart from some a few small scratches near the treble soundhole, and some light buckle dents on the back, the instrument looks much as it did when it left Kalamazoo over half a century ago.
With a bookmatched, quartersawn soundboard of solid carved spruce, this guitar shows gorgeous fiddleback figure in the solid carved maple back and sides, and a dramatic 3 piece tiger flame neck with walnut centerstripe. The neck has a sleek effortless feel, with a gentle C profile, and a solid ebony fingerboard that glides smoothly under the fingers with a fresh precision setup over immaculate original frets.
The voice is incomparably rich and luxuriant, as befits an instrument of her imperial pedigree, with a buttery warmth unique to the super jumbo body design. Deep and clear, the response is evenly balanced across the entire fingerboard, from sweet warm comping to brilliant solo passages. A happy addition is the genuine vintage DeArmond 1100 Adjustable Rhythm Chief pickup, the most sought-after jazz pickup ever. Unavailable for almost half a century, the 1100 combines exceptional clarity and detail, for a highly faithful tone that is simply unmatched. (Superior examples such as this now fetch a king's ransom on the vintage market, when they can be found at all.)
Nestled in her exquisite original Lifton Faultless 'California Girl' case, she's one of the rarest and most coveted models Gibson ever produced: an incomparable find for player and collector alike. Call now.
Setup: The frets have been precision leveled, crowned and polished; trussrod tension and neck relief adjusted; bridge height adjusted; bridge compensation set; string slots at nut and bridge inspected and recut as necessary; bridge foot contour inspected and fit to top as necessary; bridge radius inspected and recurved as necessary; bridge wheels and tuners lubricated; fingerboard and bridge oiled; body and neck cleaned and hand polished.
This instrument is strung with medium gauge nickel strings (.013-.056). The guitar will accommodate lighter or heavier gauge strings, according to preference. String action is set at .070" to .080" at the 12th fret, with moderate relief for acoustic playing with medium strings. The action may be lowered or raised to your requirements with the adjustable bridge.
Case: Original brown Gibson Lifton Faultless arched hardshell case with pink plush lining.
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