El Dobro - Posted - 01/22/2009:  16:00:32

---

Does anyone have any info about the Super 400's Gibson made during the 90's? I e-mailed the person that placed this ad telling him that Gibson did make them, but he says, according to his research, that Gibson didn't make any.

http://cgi.ebay.com/GIBSON-SUPER-40...7C240%3A1318

Don
http://www.myspace.com/eldobro
http://www.myspace.com/pasttimesband
http://www.pasttimesbluegrassband.com
http://www.youtube.com/user/pasttimesbluegrass

TMarshall1 - Posted - 01/22/2009:  17:46:16

---

Don, you have always been my resource of unending Gibson info and I trust ANYTHING you say regarding Gibson history. BUT the owner sure does seem to have all the "particulars" about the building of this banjo. Heck, it isn't but 15 miles from here, I may ride up to "Mt. Pilot" and give her a look!

BTW - Greg Rich posted pics over at the Banjo Mafia a while back about a Top-Tension Super 400 (w/pics). Go take a look here:
http://www.banjomafia.com/index.php...297&catid=13

It''s a gDGBD (Gosh Darn Good Banjo Day)!
Tony

Proud Member of

The Gibson Chapter

"...if ya got time to breathe, ya got time for music..."
Briscoe Darling - Apr.29,1963

---

Edited by - TMarshall1 on 01/22/2009 17:54:10

Cosmic Hippo - Posted - 01/22/2009:  17:48:27

---

I looked at the ebay post and it seems this was not made by Gibson but made by others. The ebay listing says,

the neck was made by fqms
the bridge by arnold clayton
huber tonering
inlay by arnold clayton

Finally the post says, "PLEASE NOTE: THE GIBSON COMPANY DID "NOT "MAKE A SUPER 400 BANJO!

THE CONCEPT FOR THIS BANJO CAME FROM THE BRILLIANT MIND OF ARNOLD CLAYTON"

[not my upper case, just copy and pasted from ebay]

Rod
Pickin a bowtie in the Bluegrass

---

Edited by - Cosmic Hippo on 01/22/2009 17:49:12

farley - Posted - 01/22/2009:  18:23:59

---

There was at least one Super 400 banjo made by Gibson in the nineties, I played it.
I was getting some work done on my Scruggs Standard, and in general just aggravating the guys at the factory. Erik Sullivan brought out the banjo (Super 400) to show it to me.They had made it for the NAMM show in Nashville. When I picked it up I immediately looked to see the wood in the resonator, and told Erik there was a long scratch in it. He thought I was kidding him, but I wasn't. It was there.
He said the banjo had been shown that morning at the show, and somebody must have scratched it.
Erik took the banjo back to the work area, and came back with it (it couldn't have been a full five minutes) and said "Where's the scratch?".
It was completely gone.
I'm not sure, but, I think they sold it at NAMM. Farley

El Dobro - Posted - 01/22/2009:  18:33:03

---

Not only did Gibson make the Super 400 5-strings in the 90's, I played one at the Mandolin Brothers. There was a limited run of the things, but I can't track down the info on them. I know all about the one of a kind Super 400 that was in the Tsumura collection and I know who the current owner is. The ad for the eBay banjo is wrong. Here's a link to show pics of the Super 400 copy that Dave Foster (banjodr) had made and it looks just like the ones Gibson made in the 90's.

http://www.banjohangout.org/myhango...albumid=2052

Don
http://www.myspace.com/eldobro
http://www.myspace.com/pasttimesband
http://www.pasttimesbluegrassband.com
http://www.youtube.com/user/pasttimesbluegrass

banjomartin88 - Posted - 01/22/2009:  19:24:22

---

This one was not made by Gibson. It was made by Arnold Clayton. Arnold is a good friend of mine and I can vouch that this banjo sounds great.

96'' Earl Scruggs Golden Deluxe
05'' Gibson Blackjack
04'' Sullivan Greenbrier (Custom)
60''s RB-250
30''s Gibson (not sure on model, I think its a 3)
01'' Washburn B-16

GerhardP - Posted - 01/22/2009:  23:37:53

---

Don,

here's a picture of the 90's Super 400 from the Mandolin Brothers website back then. The photo doesn't do it justice though, it was extra fancy. Abalone leaves inlaid into pearl on the top of of the resonator screws! And it did sound great, I played it and it sounded great, the best in the shop at the time.



This is the description from the Mando Bros website in typical lingo :
-------
83-1538 Gibson Banjo Custom Shop "Super 400 Five String," S400-03, H.

A nearly one-of-a-kind banjo (this could be one of three made so far) the details of which will, like Regan in The Exorcist turn your head around. The sound is piercing, man - clear as the bell brass tone ring which hides inside. It's heavily gold plated and nearly every inch of the surface is thoroughly and deeply engraved. Even the thumbscrews which hold the resonator to the flange are gold with a pearl inset at the top with a five-pointed star in abalone. The headstock is the l950s Gibson guitar peghead with 5-ply black-white binding, fat Gibson script in pearl, a Super 400 (also Les Paul Custom) split diamond and rectangle inlaid, and the truss rod cover is entirely pearl trimmed in abalone border with an abalone inlaid fleur-de-lis (wow!). Tuning buttons are iridescent mother of pearl. Fretboard inlays are split blocks in ebony (lark's tongue in aspic) and white bound. The skin is not actual ram's bladder (as we had ordered) but only living mylar. The resonator is actually carved, convex flame maple and two piece in the style of the top tension, but this is not a top tension banjo. Sides of resonator are triple bound top and bottom and as flamey as a piece of maple gets. The neck is a veritable barber pole. The back of the headstock has the split diamond Super 400 inlaid motif. This is the kind of banjo that you don't actually have to ever play in order to feel like the fulfilled individual that you are (or should be). You can place this on the oriental rug in front of the fireplace and sip your sherry and watch the fire's glow reflect off its golden visage. List is $9500. We won't charge you that. Not even close. Call us for the price.
----

If I remember correctly they were asking $6800, or was it $8600 ?

Gerhard

---

"Most bullet holes in banjos are a result of poor aim"
(Fretless Josh Saw in BNL July ''02)

Banjoman - Posted - 01/23/2009:  00:35:30

---

Maybe he should have said, "Gibson didn't make THIS Super 400.'

Hugh
Picking since 1964

“...Bobby Thompson? He is the future! He has this whole new style-you can hear the melody! ''Hard Hearted'' ''Dixie Hoedown!'' Oh my!”---John Updike

Click Here: Banjo Hangout Rules & Guidelines.

Click Here: Bobby Thompson''s Home Page

southerndrifter - Posted - 01/23/2009:  06:12:43

---

I think the seller went back and added to his discription that Gibson DID make some 400's.

Lynwood Lunsford


If we had some ham, we could have some ham & eggs.........if we had some eggs!

mattrogers5 - Posted - 01/23/2009:  07:01:49

---

this banjer is being offered by my mom's husband , i played it a bit at christmas.this banjer has the solid reso construction like the Gruhn 400 only out of one full piece ..not bookmatched. and the satenwood is some pretty dense stuff..heavier than maple . when you take in the 2piece flange design ,huber ring and solid reso ,you get a heavy banjer with good tone and alot of volume..plus the workmanship is very good..not biased, just the facts, matt

''If it wasn''t easy I couldn''t play it" John Hartford

El Dobro - Posted - 01/23/2009:  17:46:49

---

Thanks Gerhard, that's exactly what I was looking for. I played that banjo at the Mandolin Bros. too. When I saw it, I wondered why Gibson didn't go all the way with making it a top-tension.

Don
http://www.myspace.com/eldobro
http://www.myspace.com/pasttimesband
http://www.pasttimesbluegrassband.com
http://www.youtube.com/user/pasttimesbluegrass

banjomartin88 - Posted - 01/23/2009:  19:39:27

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by mattrogers5

this banjer is being offered by my mom's husband , i played it a bit at christmas.this banjer has the solid reso construction like the Gruhn 400 only out of one full piece ..not bookmatched. and the satenwood is some pretty dense stuff..heavier than maple . when you take in the 2piece flange design ,huber ring and solid reso ,you get a heavy banjer with good tone and alot of volume..plus the workmanship is very good..not biased, just the facts, matt

''If it wasn''t easy I couldn''t play it" John Hartford

---

Yeah that satin wood is some good stuff huh? But holy cow its expensive. Speaking of the satin wood, Arnold recently finished up a fiddle made out of satin wood, and it sounds absolutely amazing.

96'' Earl Scruggs Golden Deluxe
05'' Gibson Blackjack
04'' Sullivan Greenbrier (Custom)
60''s RB-250
30''s Gibson (not sure on model, I think its a 3)
01'' Washburn B-16

El Dobro - Posted - 01/24/2009:  03:59:53

---

The seller e-mailed me that I'm wrong and Gibson never made the Super 400 5-strings. Well, what do I know.

Don
http://www.myspace.com/eldobro
http://www.myspace.com/pasttimesband
http://www.pasttimesbluegrassband.com
http://www.youtube.com/user/pasttimesbluegrass

---

Edited by - El Dobro on 01/24/2009 04:01:26

GerhardP - Posted - 01/24/2009:  04:30:29

---

Did you steer him to this thread ?

Gerhard

---

"Most bullet holes in banjos are a result of poor aim"
(Fretless Josh Saw in BNL July ''02)

El Dobro - Posted - 01/24/2009:  05:18:48

---

Sure did, Gerhard. He still insists Gibson never made the Super 400 5-strings and that his banjo is unique. I even left links to Janet Davis and the Mandolin Brothers AND to pictures of banjodr's Super 400 copy. If anyone wants to contact him through the eBay ad, be my guest.

Don
http://www.myspace.com/eldobro
http://www.myspace.com/pasttimesband
http://www.pasttimesbluegrassband.com
http://www.youtube.com/user/pasttimesbluegrass

beegee - Posted - 01/24/2009:  05:57:50

---

Never let facts get in the way...

__________________________
"It is better, of course, to know useless things than to know nothing."
-Seneca

Kevin B - Posted - 01/24/2009:  07:54:28

---

This discussion topic does make me think I would like a Super 400. My phantom Super 400 would have a bow tie headstock and be top tension. Alas, it shall remain in my dreams.

Kevin ( )==''=~

''Possum, It''s what''s for dinner . . ."

El Dobro - Posted - 01/25/2009:  09:30:04

---

It's still available.

Don
http://www.myspace.com/eldobro
http://www.myspace.com/pasttimesband
http://www.pasttimesbluegrassband.com
http://www.youtube.com/user/pasttimesbluegrass

RT - Posted - 01/25/2009:  19:55:36

---

I saw a super 400 at Intermountain G&B in 97 or 98. In was in a glass case sitting right next to a really ornate engraved and vine inlayed Mastertone. The 400 was ornate but much more tasteful in my opinion.

mikehalloran - Posted - 01/26/2009:  07:29:02

---

He also insists that Gibson stopped making the Super 400 guitar in 1955.

I emailed him the Mandolin Bros. add and pics.

Mike Halloran