Guitar
Maker
Gibson, Inc.
Maker
Gibson
Date1936
Place MadeKalamazoo, Michigan, United States, North America
ModelSuper 400
Serial No.93759
SignedInlaid into peghead front in mother-of-pearl: GibsonBelow bass sound hole printed on an oval label of white paper in black ink, the words "Super," "400," and "1 1/4" are all handwritten: Gibson Super Style "400" / Number 93759 is hereby / GUARANTEED / against faulty workmanship or material. Should / this instrument, with proper care and usage, prove de- / fective, we agree to repair it free of charge at our / factory or replace it with another of the same value. / 1 1/4 [handwritten] GIBSON, Inc. / KALAMAZOO / MICHIGAN, U. S. A.
Engraved on heel cap and brass tailpiece: Super "400"
MarkingsBelow treble sound hole printed in black ink: 777
Immediately following 777 but handwritten in black pencil: 5
The number 777 is a factory order number to identify the batch of guitars being made, the number 5 indicates the number this specific guitar made within that batch (see Van Hoose p. 155.) There however is no factory code letter visible between these two numbers.
DescriptionThe Gibson Super 400 was an aptly named model daringly introduced at the end of 1935, during the Great Depression. Selling for a princely $400 when new, the Super 400 was a top-of-the-line guitar made from fine materials, with a large body for projecting through the bands of the era. It was eagerly embraced by professional guitarists employed by radio stations, movie studios, and with big bands playing pre-War jazz and popular music across the country.
The Super 400 was introduced at the same time as several other arch-top guitars with f-holes, the L-7, L-10, and L-12. The 18-inch body width of the Super 400 prompted other arch-top makers, such as Elmer Stromberg and John D’Angelico, to begin producing giant instruments.
The Super 400 was distinguished from Gibson’s other arch-top models by sumptuous details, such as gold-plated metal parts (as seen here on the tailpiece), engraving, highly figured maple, and choice spruce.
Dimensionstotal instrument length: 1118 mm (44 inches)
fingerboard length: 444 mm (17 1/2 inches)
vibrating string length: 621 mm (24 3/4 inches)
nut to body: 349 mm (13 3/4 inches)
fingerboard width at nut: 43.6 mm (1 3/4 inches)
fingerboard width at body: 53.2 mm (2 1/10 inches)
width of upper bout: 324 mm (12 3/4 inches)
width of lower bout: 457 mm (18 inches)
width of waist: 273.5 mm (10 3/4 inches)
body depth at neck: 85 mm (3 5/16 inches)
body width at bottom: 85.5 mm (3 6/16 inches)
ProvenancePurchased from Gruhn Guitars, Nashville, Tennessee, 1997.
Published ReferencesJames Westbrook and Ted Fuller, The Complete Illustrated Book of the Acoustic Guitar
(Wigston, UK: Lorenz Books, 2012), p. 230.
Credit LineBoard of Trustees, 1997
Object number06073
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