The Gibson Super 400CES made its debut in 1951 as the flagship electric guitar model in the company's catalog. The 18” wide Super 400 archtop had been the company's most prestigious offering since its inception in 1938, and the electrified Super 400 CES of the early 1950s was designed to be the equivalent in Gibson's line up of electric instruments. While the model went through several design changes throughout the following years and decades, the most iconic version of the Super 400 CES was the PAF-equipped variant built between 1957 and 1960.

Based on the Gibson Super 400 CES guitars of the late 1950s, this 1999 build features a rounded venetian cutaway and a pair of vintage-voiced PAF humbucker pickups. This exquisite instrument is crafted with a carved Sitka spruce top, beautifully figured maple back and sides, and a three-piece maple neck with two walnut streamers. An ornately adorned instrument, this guitar is appointed with multi-layer binding throughout, split block fingerboard inlays, split diamond inlays on both the front and back of the headstock and gold-plated hardware including hand-engraved Super 400 tailpiece and Kluson Sealfast tuners.

Like many guitars of this quality, this Super 400 has been meticulously cared for over its now 25 years of life. The finish, gold-plated hardware, and frets are all in excellent condition with very little wear to speak of. The only evidence of the guitar's age comes in the form of minor finish crazing and some small sections of chipped finish along the bottom edge of the fingerboard binding, all of which is common to see on a Gibson instrument from this time period.

Equipped with a pair of Gibson '57 Classic pickups that measure 8.7k in the neck and 8.6k in the bridge, this guitar offers rich and full-bodied humbucker tones that are complemented wonderfully  by the open and airy sonic characteristics imparted by the instrument's fully hollow 18" body. The 25-1/2" scale length provides a subtle but present clarity to the guitar's response that can be lacking in some Gibson models, resulting in a defined note separation that lends itself well to chord melody arrangements and lead playing. Featuring a C carve, 1-11/16" nut width and a depth that tapers from 0.803" at the 1st fret to 0.925" at the ninth, the neck has a comfortable profile perfect for making complex chordal shapes and fast lead lines up and down the fingerboard while retaining a relatively full feel.

This Super 400CES is a one-owner instrument. It’s been setup in our shop and is strung with 12-52 flatwound strings and a fast Jazz action. It previously had a Bigsby tailpiece mounted, any evidence of which is hidden by the original tailpiece, now reinstalled.

With original warranty card (matching serial number) and original hardshell case.