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1958 Gibson Super 400CESN
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Serial #: A-27838
Body size at lower bout: 18" Scale length: 25 1/2" Nut width: 1 11/16"
Materials: Handcarved bookmatched fine grained solid carved spruce top; figured solid carved fiddleback maple backand 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 hardware includes twin gold Patent Applied For humbucking 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 with "Custom" imprint, compensated adjustable gold Tuneomatic bridge with Brazilian rosewood base; original pots, caps and wiring harness.
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. Alnico V pickups were introduced in 1955, and Gibson's famed Patent Applied For humbucking pickups were added to the model in late 1957.
From the first full year for the fabled PAFs, this exceptional instrument is one of just 15 Super 400CES models built that year in the coveted natural blonde finish: the single most expensive instrument in the entire Gibson catalog. Babied since new, this stunning guitar been maintained in breathtaking condition, with all original finish: no cracks, buckle, thumb or fingerboard wear are in evidence. Remarkably, the warmly ambered golden blonde finish is almost entirely free of the typical finish checking one normally expects in an instrument of its vintage. Apart from some normal plating wear on the pickups, and a few incidental finish nicks, 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, full 1 11/16" nut, 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. An older gold strap pin was moved from the neck heel to the heelcap long ago, and the original multi-bound pickguard has a small hairline crack soundly resealed, with no sign of crystallization in its rare marbleized material. 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.
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 5/64" to 6/64" 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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