1937 Gibson Super 400

**58dutchie** · 05-28-2025, 01:52 PM

Hi,

I just bought a 1937 Gibson Super 400! It’s a great guitar, all original, also with the original 1937 leather covered case (in great condition). She has the new for ‘37 wider upper bout and x-bracing. Sides are flamed maple, back of the body and back of the neck are quilted/birdseye maple. FON is 53C-4.

What strings would you use on it? I now have Thomastik Infeld BB113 on the guitar, I like those pretty much but maybe just a tad too thin. Might change to 80/20…

I learned from a friend who has access to the Gibson shipping ledgers that she was shipped on July 14, 1937 to the B.A. Music Company in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She came back to the factory for repair (don’t know what) and was shipped again on March 12, 1940 (to the B.A. Music Company).

This guitar was bought in 1937 by a mr. Ken/Kenneth Spears who was the guitarist in the Minneapolis WCCO radio orchestra in the late 30’s, 40’s and 50’s. It was there that he met his wife and they also performed and played in lots of places with the two of them. Hey, he was even pictured in the 1937 Gibson Y catalogue (with a different guitar).

Here are some pics:

Pics of Kenneth Spears (with the guitar!), first one in Hawaï:

In the 1937 Gibson Y catalogue (bottom pic):

**garybaldy** · 05-28-2025, 04:29 PM

You could try Martin Retro Monels. I think the 13 gauge has slightly heavier bass strings than the TIs.
Beautiful guitar btw!

**kamlapati** · 05-28-2025, 05:34 PM

Fantastic guitar, congratulations. Hope you play the heck out of it.

Try GHS Vintage Bronze, or even D'Addario XS Phosphor Bronze.

**Bob_Ross** · 05-28-2025, 08:18 PM

Wow, what a gorgeous guitar! Enjoy that!

Originally Posted by 58dutchie

FON is 53C-4.

Sorry, what's "FON"? I'm not familiar with that expression.

**ThatRhythmMan** · 05-28-2025, 08:21 PM

Originally Posted by Bob_Ross

Wow, what a gorgeous guitar! Enjoy that!

Sorry, what's "FON"? I'm not familiar with that expression.

FON = Factory order number. In Gibson archtops it’s usually found on the back through the treble side f-hole. There is a stamped batch number, typically followed by a red pencil number that is the particular guitar’s designation within the batch.

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**Bob_Ross** · 05-28-2025, 08:43 PM

Originally Posted by ThatRhythmMan

FON = Factory order number. In Gibson archtops it’s usually found on the back through the treble side f-hole. There is a stamped batch number, typically followed by a red pencil number that is the particular guitar’s designation within the batch.

So it's separate from the serial number? I.e., do some Gibsons have both a Factory Order Number and a Serial Number? Thanks.

**Mark M.** · 05-28-2025, 08:44 PM

Spectacular guitar! Congrats!

**ThatRhythmMan** · 05-28-2025, 08:44 PM

Originally Posted by Bob_Ross

So it's separate from the serial number? I.e., do some Gibsons have both a Factory Order Number and a Serial Number? Thanks.

“Student” models usually only have the FON. Sometimes they don’t even have that. Higher end models would get both FON and a serial number.

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**Marty Grass** · 05-28-2025, 08:53 PM

Speechless.

**Woody Sound** · 05-28-2025, 09:47 PM

Wow wow wow, what a classic beauty!

**Hammertone** · 05-28-2025, 11:04 PM

Wonderful! I like a nice '37 S-400. Here's mine, next to a friend's '39 S-400N.

**Oscar67** · 05-29-2025, 02:47 AM

Oh wow, that’s a real find. So cool to have all that history. Congrats!

**213Cobra** · 05-29-2025, 03:29 AM

OK, while we're showing Super 400s, Here's my 2018 Crimson shop 1939 Reissue S400 Acoustic. Gibson took some liberties, primarily making this X-braced. Magnificent beast, Gibson counterpoint to my 1951 Epiphone Emperor Regent. Big voice, getting bigger by the week. And congratulations to the OP. Beautiful '37 vintage S400 in every way, including its story. -Phil

**58dutchie** · 05-29-2025, 03:48 AM

Originally Posted by Bob_Ross

So it's separate from the serial number? I.e., do some Gibsons have both a Factory Order Number and a Serial Number? Thanks.

Yes, they do. This one also has a serial number.

**Hammertone** · 05-29-2025, 04:17 AM

Originally Posted by 213Cobra

OK, while we're showing Super 400s, Here's my 2018 Crimson shop 1939 Reissue S400 Acoustic. Gibson took some liberties, primarily making this X-braced. Magnificent beast, Gibson counterpoint to my 1951 Epiphone Emperor Regent. Big voice, getting bigger by the week. And congratulations to the OP. Beautiful '37 vintage S400 in every way, including its story. -Phil

Liberties? Both ‘37 S-400s above are x-braced. Ahhh… ‘39. By then, they were typically parallel braced. And yours also has the earlier f-holes.

**213Cobra** · 05-29-2025, 04:19 AM

Right. MY 2018 '39 reissue is x-braced, unlike actual 1939s. -Phil

**customxke** · 05-30-2025, 07:20 AM

I have a new-found affection for x-braced Super 400s. Here’s mine from 1936, strung with .13 Martin Retros (Monel).

**58dutchie** · 05-30-2025, 07:34 AM

Originally Posted by customxke

I have a new-found affection for x-braced Super 400s. Here’s mine from 1936, string with .13 Martin Retros (Monel).

Do you like the .013 Monel strings on this guitar? Could you describe the sound? Have you compared to other strings? I might try a .013 Monel set too…

**customxke** · 05-30-2025, 07:53 AM

Originally Posted by 58dutchie

Do you like the .013 Monel strings on this guitar? Could you describe the sound? Have you compared to other strings? I might try a .013 Monel set too…

It arrived to me with some kind of lighter gauge bronze strings, which were too zingy/bright for my tastes. I switched to the Monel, and it really fattened up across the spectrum. I then tried 80/20 .13s, just looking to see if I could get more out of the guitar, and the it was just too bright, and lost some of the body, so the Monels went back on. Especially with this guitar, I lean more towards 1930s style swing rhythm, so I’m looking for a loud and punchy guitar. I’m not really after a sweet tone better suited for chord-melody work. I only bring that up because my ideal tone might be really far from what you’re looking for. I find that a lot of folks really want their archtops to sound like flat-tops that can cut through, but that’s not really me.