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Topic: Fender 400 Silverframe |
Paul Redmond
From:
Illinois, USA
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Posted 26 Feb 2014 12:32 am |
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A while back I restored a 400 I had acquired from ebb. The serial number is '00179'. I sent Jody a pm, but I don't think he received it. Can anyone tell me when this guitar was built? I even contacted Fender last week and they no longer have records on this info.
PRR |
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Jeff Mead
From:
London, England
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Chris Lucker
From:
Los Angeles, California USA
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Posted 26 Feb 2014 2:41 pm
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You can confidently say it is a 1958. It could be a 1957, not likely a 1959, but it could be.
If your pedals do not have the flat retainer spring strips to hold the pedal rod ball ends in place, then yo have the earliest version of the 400. If you have the spring strips, then you have the second 400.
The next pedal looks just like your stamped pedal, but it is cast aluminum and has a little steel tip added to the toe.
Then the pedals changed to the completely different cast pedal.
Rather than focus on a year, focus on features to describe your guitar.
Here are the first style pedals in the middle of this photo. On the far right you see the same pedal with the screws that indicate that the spring plate has been added.
Here is the cast pedal that looks like the early stamped pedal. These came off a black Tolex case guitar. The guitar was mahogany.
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Chris Lucker
Red Bellies, Bigsbys and a lot of other guitars. |
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Paul Redmond
From:
Illinois, USA
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Posted 26 Feb 2014 8:11 pm
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The pedals are stamped WITH the spring strips. The wood is swamp ash. The paint was originally white.
PRR |
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Chris Lucker
From:
Los Angeles, California USA
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Posted 26 Feb 2014 8:37 pm
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You have generally the second version of the 400. You can say 1958 and pass the straight face test.
Right now, by the way, I am changing out the tuning screws at the endplate of a ten pedal two knee lever 400. I am replacing the Phillips heads with black and bright cap screws.
I have extras.
Also, because I live in a big city with Century Spring in person service, if anyone needs some softer return springs, I can get them for you without the minimum order hassles.
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Chris Lucker
Red Bellies, Bigsbys and a lot of other guitars. |
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Paul Redmond
From:
Illinois, USA
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Posted 26 Feb 2014 9:15 pm
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Thanks for the help. That does nail it down pretty close. I also replaced the tuning stop screws with bright and black alloy socket heads. Several of the Phillips-heads on mine were completely trashed. I've got a whole bunch left over if anyone else needs them.
I retained the solid grooved nut, and the solid adjustable bridge as I wanted the guitar to sound as close to original as possible. To prevent string breakage, I de-tuned the guitar from E to Eb, then made extra long hog rings to get the strings as short as possible. The guitar is fun to play and sounds great.
PRR |
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Paul Redmond
From:
Illinois, USA
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Posted 27 Feb 2014 3:39 am
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Chris - send me your email address and I'll send you some pics of this guitar. Every time I try to post this stuff, I fail....I'm a computer dummy and wish to remain so. Ignorance is sometimes bliss....and a whole lot less aggravating.
PRR |
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Russ Tkac
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Posted 27 Feb 2014 12:28 pm
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Here you go Paul.
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 27 Feb 2014 2:55 pm
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| Paul Redmond wrote: |
I retained the solid grooved nut, and the solid adjustable bridge as I wanted the guitar to sound as close to original as possible. |
The solid-bar bridge wasn't grooved! Most have some grooves worn in them, though. You can either turn the bar over, or flip it 180 degrees, however, and that will put the most worn places under the wound strings, where they won't make as much difference. Your guitar has been refinished, and it's a nice job - original non-painted frame too, as evidenced by by the serial number.  |
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Paul Redmond
From:
Illinois, USA
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Posted 27 Feb 2014 8:58 pm
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Hey, thanks, Russ!!! The bridge had no grooves in it as the former owner had removed it and installed a home-made Rube Goldberg set of rollers made out old bearing races. It was a mess. So the bridge on it now is in great shape.
The paint is pearl black. It's hard to see the pearl in it, but it's there. Rather than add the pearl pigments to the clear coat, I added them to the black paint. The results are quite different.
I kept the frame as original as possible EXCEPT I satin-finished it with Scotch Brite rather than re-buff it. I'm partial to satin, pewter-like finishes anyhow. This thing has turned quite a few heads whenever I have dared to take it out gigging. That has been seldom!!!
PRR |
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