Fender 400 Local Sale - Should I Buy It?

Chris LeDrew · From: Canada

This guitar is for sale near my city, and I've always been curious about the Fender cable steels. I love the Sneaky Pete sound and all that. The seller says it's a '57, and he's asking $900 ONO. I know that's probably high.

Can anybody give me some input on this guitar or advice on whether or not to purchase it? I'm skeptical of the "no knees" nature of these, of course. But it would probably just be for fooling around at home anyway.

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Jackson Steel Guitars
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Daniel McKee · From: Corinth Mississippi

Not a bad looking steel.Im not sure if that color is original though.Im gonna say they are not far off with the price that is if everything works

Cliff Kane · From: the late great golden state

It looks like the earliest version, '57 may be right, so that may be worth something, but it may be a refin with the blue color--I'm not sure. You can add knees and hot rod them, but if it's a premium vintage piece you may not want to mod, maybe a beater is better if that's how you feel. That's the issue I have with my 1000, it's too mint for me to mod, but I wish I had a more beat one to mod. Great guitars, but a different trip than what you may be orientated to.

ebb · From: nj

silver frame small decal
this thing is the bomb!
the pickup is worth that much imho
nothing like constraints to get the noodle in gear
plus <killer> tone

Chris LeDrew · From: Canada

Thanks guys! Did I hear somewhere that the earlier version without the roller nuts has the superior tone? I remember it being said in a secretive way. Cool

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Jackson Steel Guitars
Web: www.chrisledrew.com

Cliff Kane · From: the late great golden state

Chris LeDrew · From: Canada

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

I think Michael Yahl's kits go in without screws so you can add more without sacrificing originality.
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2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Skip Edwards · From: LA,CA

Hey Chris... The no knees thing does limit you in the sense of lacking modern pulls, but there's still alot of cool stuff you can do. The 400 that I've had a chance to fool around with was set up with pedals 2 & 3 acting as A & B pedals. Pedal 1 raised the E's, and pedal 4 lowered them.
Cool guitar...

Roger Shackelton · From: MINNESOTA (deceased)

I Believe That May Be A Fender Color From The 50s Called "Placid Blue". ???

I Think Ralph Mooney Had A Fender 1000 PSG Of The Same Color.

Roger

Cliff Kane · From: the late great golden state

Yea, these cable guitars are really great in many ways. Like ebb said, it will make you think rather than just going to a lever. These are like a link between non-pedal and modern pedal. If you don't have a pedal or lever you can do a bar slant or string pull. Of course the easy of switching the cables around is very cool, plus the string spacing, great tone, string separation, easy harmonics, Tele style controls, only 8 strings, etc., are all great compliments to your modern 10 or 12 stringer. Check the tuners to be sure they're not stripped.

Robert Parent · From: Gillette, WY

I owned a D8 with the solid bar bridge. I could never get close to a G# before breaking the string. I tuned to Eb and still went through strings like crazy. Tuning to say D would be even a better idea.

The solid bridge even though its case hardened will develop grooves which will need to be polished to hold strings on the thing.

These have a cult following but never once wished for another one.

Robert

HowardR · From: N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville

Dave Mudgett · From: Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee

From the pic, it looks more like Ice Blue Metallic to me, rather than Lake Placid Blue. But the caveat is that old Fender blue metallic shades are hard to assess because of variations in fade and yellowing, it could be LPB. If it's really an original metallic blue finish, I'd grab it regardless of which blue it is, 50s custom colors are rare, period, not to mention the fact that it looks cool as hell. If it's refinished, I'd probably be inclined to try to haggle on the price owing to the limited pedal setup. Cool guitar, though.

HowardR · From: N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville

Was there an "Ice Blue Metallic" finish available for Fender pedal steels?......if there was, I did not know that (as Johnny Carson used to say).....I was under the impression that there were two custom colors, Lake Placid Blue and Inca Silver......

Dave Mudgett · From: Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee

There certainly was an Ice Blue Metallic finish available for guitars, although that was not a published option until later that what this guitar appears to be - I believe that appeared on the custom color chart in 1963 or 64. But my understanding is that in the 50s, custom colors were just that - custom colors, done by special request - and that the generalized 'custom color charts' were a bit later - my understanding is that the first one was in 1961.

Perhaps Jody Carver could shed more light on this. I've seen lots of Lake Placid Blue and Ice Blue Metallic guitars, and at least this pic looks more like Ice Blue Metallic, to me. If anything, that makes me question its originality. But I reiterate my earlier caveat that a truly original 50-60 year old finish like this may look a lot different now than it did then. In addition, one cannot even begin to authenticate an old custom-color finish on the basis of a photograph like this. Ignoring the fact that you really need to carefully examine and even test the finish (e.g., under ultraviolet light), even the lighting while being photographed can change the hue picked up. Fender custom color finishes are tricky, and especially the blue/green/silver finishes. My take.

More on Fender custom color finishes - http://home.provide.net/~cfh/fenderc.html

Skip Edwards · From: LA,CA

According to the '66 Fender catalog, all models of their pedal steels were available in "Sunburst or Custom finishes without extra charge".
But they're pretty rare.

HowardR · From: N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville

Fred Glave · From: McHenry, Illinois, USA

I think it's a little high, but on the other hand if you really want one of these and it's in good playing condition, they don't come around every day. People have been putting knees on these for awhile, but as Ebb said playing with constraints can certainly sharpen your skills. The tone alone makes up for a lot.
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Russ Tkac · Posted 22 Oct 2012 11:22 am

With no logo on the pedal board it is probably refinished. But, these are really fun to play and explore music with. Smile

James Taylor · From: United Kingdom

HI, I bought my Fender last year it was tuned to B6 and altered it to E9 and it seems to be kind enough on the strings so far. I had to alter the pedal settings and the K/n to fit the tuning. I have it at the cromatic setting and it sounds alright.I have no idea what age it is at all; it has an endearing old Fender sound. However I intend moving to a10 string and have been very pleased with the professional help from FORM MEMBERS. Every best wish and success JAMES TAYLOR SCOTLAND

Ronnie Boettcher · From: Brunswick Ohio, USA

The Sho~Bud 400 I had before I bought my LDG, was a toy. Yes you could play it but limited. I tuned mine to the E9, excluding the 9th and 10th strings. Bought it for $225, and sold it for the same. pedals were in the center, and I didn't like that at all. That price was in 76. 77 I got the LDG, and was happy when someone bought the 400.
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Sho-Bud LDG, Martin D28, Ome trilogy 5 string banjo, Ibanez 4-string bass, dobro, fiddle, and a tubal cain. Life Member of AFM local 142

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

I''m pretty sure they didn't do custom colors on the early 400's. (The later Sho~Bud variations were called the "Artist Series" models, and they didn't use cables.) After '65 or '66, they started with offering the custom colors, but very few were made, and most were a 2 or 3 color 'burst finish. This one is '63 or earlier, and they're fun guitars. You can forget the standard E9th, as they will break strings due to the longer (24 1/2") string length. It's a neat guitar...I have one, but IMHO $900 is easily $200-$300 more than it's worth.

I have a lot of experience with these as an old '58 model 1000 was my only pedal guitar for about 8 years. Cool

Joey Ace · From: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Chris, you heard about the "non-roller" advantage from me, discussing Al Brisco's 400, used on the Mooney Style DVD.

Al also advises using D9th and adding a hook onto the G# (now F#) string at the roller to minimize breakage.
Mooney also did this.

The wide pickup on this one confuses me. I thought the early models had a narrow pup. Not sure now...

Only you can decide if you should buy is.
IMO it is worth the asking price, but I'd pass due to my preference for modern mechanics, and reduced weight.

Here a vid of Al's that really showcases THAT FENDER 400 SOUND:
http://youtu.be/gSWzeh7uYgU

Don Drummer · From: West Virginia, USA

I have a friend here in Lewisburg that has this model with a natural finish. It has a distinct sound that can't be found elsewhere.

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