1936 (or maybe 1937) Gibson Super 400 & Lots of Questions

[erlinger]

Hi,

After a good bit of looking, I purchased a 1930s Gibson Super 400. I got a bunch of questions. I bought thinking it was a 1936 with changed parts, but I'm wondering a little bit if it is an early 1937 with original parts. I purchased for the tone and playability. It has what I'm looking for. But I'm also interested in the historic aspect of some of this stuff, and would like to broaden my knowledge a bit.

Serial looks to be 93274, which I understand to indicate 1936. The FON is hard for me to read but seems like it might be 555 or 55C or something else. My current understanding is that 55C would be correct for a 1937 build, but not a 1936 build. I’m attaching a picture and would welcome thoughts on the FON number, serial number and year of the guitar. I must say, I'm not familiar with the FON system for the 1930s –but what I’m seeing in the attached picture is not really what I was expecting to see for a 1936 serial number.


The guitar was well used, but not abused. I got it for a price I can live with, and I really (really) like the tone. Some of which is that I just really like the 18" x-braced, short scale, small shoulders and some of which is that I think I like this particular guitar.

I do know a little bit of the manufacturing timeline for this model, but I've got a few general questions about changes prior to 1938 . . . and again, I'm asking primarily because I'm trying to figure out what hardware on my guitar has been replaced . . . I purchased it with the assumption it was a 1936 with replaced hardware, but I'd like to confirm my assumptions.

The tailpiece is not the early hinge variety. The guitar has what I think is the later, engraved one piece unit with the "varitone" adjust (aka the "top cracker"). Is there any general agreement on when Gibson shifted from using the hinged tailpiece and started using the one piece "Varitone" unit? My current understanding is "early 1937" is when the one piece Varitone was first used.

The tuners are not the open back Grovers 98G (with cats eye etching). Instead this guitar has the later Gold-plated Kluson Sealfast tuners with Catalin/plastic buttons --although I think my buttons are Uncle Lou's replacements. My understanding is that Gibson stopped using the Grover 98G by 1938. I'm wondering how early Gibson started to use the Kluson Sealfast tuners?

I'm going to pull one of the tuners and look for a Grover 98G footprint.

Would pulling the tailpiece give me any clues as to whether a hinged variety was originally used (in other words, do the hinged tailpiece and the one-piece tailpiece share the same screw mounting pattern)?

I need a replacement pickguard (to replace the replacement it came with) and I have reached out to 1929 Pickguards. I know Fox-Guitars also makes a good Super 400 replica pickguard. Anyone else I should check out?

Thanks for any help or comments on this stuff.

Michael


P.S.
Here are a few early 1930s Super 400 related links that have helped me a lot as I was searching to purchase . . .

Hardware

Gibson Super 400

https://1929pickguards.com

Gibson Super 400 guitar pickguard OEM marble acetate with 5-ply binding | fox-guitars.com

1936 Gibson Super 400

1937 Gibson Super 400

https://kcvintageguitars.com/pages/g...LDC8p#section4

[ThatRhythmMan]

Spann’s serial number research does put the number on the label in 1936. It wouldn’t be unusual for a 1936 to have a 1937 FON though. I can’t make out a number in the picture.

The bridge appears original, but the tuners and tailpiece appear replaced to me. The real problem with the tailpiece is that it appears to have postwar engraving as best as I can tell. I’ve never seen a prewar example that didn’t have the one of the more extensive engravings, such as seen here. The first being a hinged 1935 example and the second a 1942 Varitone.





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[erlinger]

Thank you. I really appreciate your help. You've got a great eye to make that out from my fuzzy photo. The tailpiece on my guitar is the block letter with less ornamentation/etching --I get that my tailpiece is definitely not original to my guitar, but I'm trying to get my timeline together on these Super 400s. Was that "block letter" tailpiece first used after the end of WW2?

A better pic of my later tailpiece . . .



Thanks again.

[wintermoon]

Aside from the bridge and truss rod cover the hardware is postwar.
Those aren't catalin button Klusons, they're also postwar plastic and the buttons are likely original.
When Grover Imperials and Kluson Sealfasts became available many people upgraded the open back tuners.
These are prewar catalin button Klusons

[erlinger]

Thanks again for all the tips, info and help with this one.

More of an FYI than anything else, I pulled a Kluson, and I've got extra holes under the Kluson footprint. I'm figuring these are leftover from the original Grover 98g tuners.




I'm in touch with Nick at 1929 Pickguards and moving forward with a new replacement guard.

Honeymoon is still going strong with this guitar, and I'm knocked out by the tone and playability.

Thanks again.
Michael

[Sleeko]

What's a FON number? Haven't heard that one before. Thanks.

[wintermoon]

What's a FON number? Haven't heard that one before. Thanks.

Factory order number

[Sleeko]

Factory order number

Thank you!