Up for sale, a 1998 Gibson Super 400 CES in near-mint, 100% original condition and perfect working order, complete with the original hardshell case. This exceedingly rare Gibson is a faithful recreation of the early ‘50s iteration of the Super 400 CES platform, loaded with a pair of Alnico V staple P-90 pickups. This style of Super 400 CES is perhaps best associated with Mark Knopfler, who played one throughout the late ‘80s and early ‘90s.
The largest Gibson archtop ever produced with an impressive 18" lower bout width, this Super 400 CES boasts a fine grained carved and bookmatched Sitka spruce top, a highly figured carved tiger flame maple back, curly maple sides, and a three-piece flame maple neck capped with a bound ebony fingerboard. Tonally exquisite and currently strung with flatwound 12s, this Gibson offers singing, articulate tones with a breadth and depth befitting the Super's dimensions and tonewood complement. The original pickup pair is very faithful to '50s spec, featuring Alnico V staple pole pieces, and these pickups deliver a certain grit plus enhanced clarity and overall punch with a glassy treble response. The bridge pickup is notably crisp and responsive to picking dynamics with a touch of natural compression, and the neck pickup is broad and smooth with a defined, midrange-forward chop. This Super 400 CES weighs 8lbs 10oz, professionally setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar with 12-53 flatwound strings, low action, and spot-on intonation.
Neck Specs:
-Wood: Flame maple (three-piece, walnut stringers)
-Shape: Slender C, full shoulders, measuring .820” 1st fret, .930” 9th fret
-Fretboard: Ebony, mother of pearl split-block inlay, multi-ply binding
-Frets: Medium jumbo, faint wear beneath the plain strings on frets 1-7
-Scale Length: 25 1/2”
-Nut: 1 11/16”
-Headstock: “Custom” truss rod cover, split diamond inlay on face, stinger and inlay on back
-Tuners: Kluson Sealfast, gold-plated
Body Specs:
-Wood: Carved Sitka spruce top, flame maple back/sides
-Pickups: Alnico V staple P-90 x2
-Controls: Volume x2, Tone x2, Three-way pickup selector
-Hardware: ABR-1 bridge (ebony base), “Super 400” tailpiece (gold-plated)
-Plastics: Amber bonnet knobs and switch tip, bound tortoise pickguard
-Label: Orange oval Nashville label
The gloss Antique Natural nitro lacquer finish highlights the truly stunning cuts of top-tier carved flame maple chosen for the back and rims, extremely straight and highly dimensional. The center seam on top has been reglued, and the seam repair extends from the bridge to the edge of the lower bout below the tailpiece. Cosmetic wear is otherwise limited to a few faint scratches in the clear coat on the body as a whole. The gloss on the neck is flawless save for some checking on the headstock face.
The original brown tolex Gibson USA hardshell case is included, along with a couple hangtags.