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1957 Gibson Super 400CESN Alnico V

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Serial #: A-25892 FON#: U8767-8

Body size at lower bout: 18" Scale length: 25 1/2" Nut width: 1 11/16"

Materials: 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.

Hardware: Original hardware includes twin Alnico V 480 'Staple' pickups, engraved gold-plated tailpiece, gold Kluson Sealfast tuners, 5-ply bound marbleized celluloid pickguard, gold bonnet knobs and three way switch, truss rod cover, compensated adjustable gold Tuneomatic bridge with Brazilian rosewood base.

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 first electric model, the Super 400CES, arrived in 1951, equipped with twin P-90 single coil pickups, which were briefly replaced in 1955 with the fabled Model 480 Alnico V 'Staple' pickups.

Developed by renowned Gibson engineer Seth Lover, the Alnico V pickups were more powerful than the P-90s, and were fitted only to Gibson's top-shelf models, including the L-5CES, ES-5, Byrdland, and the legendary 'Black Beauty' Les Paul Custom. Complicated and costly to machine, and noted for its clarity and detail, the Alnico V was Gibson's rarest postwar pickup. Debuting in 1955, it was seen for less than 2 scant years until it's disappearance in mid-1957.

This spectacular guitar is one of just 15 Super 400CESN models built that year in the coveted natural blonde finish, and one of perhaps less than half to be fitted with the last of the Alnico Vs. Babied since new by the family of the original purchaser, this stunning guitar is carved of solid bookmatched fiddleback maple of astounding intensity. The warmly ambered golden blonde finish is all original, and the instrument is remarkably free of pick, thumb or fingerboard wear. Even the typical finish checking one normally expects in an instrument of its vintage is largely absent. A single grainline crack on the side from near the jack to the waist was soundly cleated and resealed long ago, and the original pickups returned to the body after a pair of Gibson humbuckers were seamlessly installed and removed.

With a bookmatched, quartersawn soundboard of solid carved spruce, this guitar shows a handsome 3 piece tiger flame neck with walnut centerstripe, and sides crisscrossed with deep rollers of curly maple. The neck has a solid, gentle C profile, full 1 11/16" nut, dark ebony fingerboard, and a fresh high-precision setup over fine original fretwork.

The voice is incomparably rich and luxuriant, as befits an instrument of its imperial pedigree, with a buttery warmth unique to the super jumbo body design. Nestled in her 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. One only: 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 (.012-.054). The guitar will accommodate lighter or heavier gauge strings, according to preference. String action is set at 4/64" to 5/64" 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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