NOS-GIBSON Super 400 “Short” Tailpiece Early 1980’s - Solid Bras Engraved Polished

NOS Gibson - Exclusive *“Short” Super 400 Tailpiece Engraved  Polished Brass-Early 80’s  From the Maudie E. Moore Kalamazoo Inventory…

The Exclusive Super 400 Tailpiece is one of the unique key factors and components that set it apart from all other guitars, completing its revered 18” body design. Not only it’s high bar and status symbol appearance but also in its resonate properties and materials. 

The Super 400 tailpiece is Solid brass, engraved with “Super 400” artistic design pattern that invokes a sense of belonging.

This authentic NOS Early 80’s production exclusive “Short” Super 400 tailpiece has no “Veritone tension adjuster” for a number of reasons. The main and most important is the damage it can cause to the top due to over adjusting or tightening.

The “adjuster”concept was correct by exerting pressure to the top allowing the heavy brass tail to make contact with the top via the “Veritone tension adjuster” applying direct down pressure. However, this proved to be disastrous by cracking the select solid carved spruce top of the Super 400 causing major damage to the instrument.

 Another issue was the tailpiece hight not allowing enough down pressure to the strings across the bridge, Thus allowing it to slide from side to side under string bending, hard playing and or light gauge strings.

By the mid 70’s the “Veritone tension adjuster” was eliminated from both L-5 and Super 400 tailpieces. This improvement allowed the tailpiece to set lower on the top and enhance the string down pressure across the bridge even more.

*This Early 80‘s Gibson “Short 2-1/4” mounting plate Super 400 tailpiece has No keyhole. Fits all Thin version hollow body models with minimum 2-1/4” rim depth along with the standard Non hinged tailpiece Super 400’s with 3-3/8” rim depth from the 1939/40 era going forward.

Perfect upgrade or replacement for Thin Hollow Body Models with Bigsby Tailpiece 

Mounting screws, brass end pin included.

Please see our Maudie E. Moore information sheet and video clip about the Kalamazoo engraver, 1940-2021

By Gregg De Lorto