Gibson Super 400 China Dragon Custom Masterpiece Archtop Guitar

Beakybird · #1 09-01-2019, 11:43 AM

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Gibson-Supe...4383.l4275.c10

Ain't this a beautiful instrument?

I'd love to have this guitar! I feel a special kinship with dragons. Especially in the morning before I brush my teeth.

WordMan · #2 09-01-2019, 12:05 PM

I would only be interested in buying that if I could mount it onto a specially-designed codpiece set up to enable the guitar to spin at the...mounting point of the codpiece...like a guitar in a ZZ Top video.

I figure that presentation matches the subtlety of the guitar itself.

Wade Hampton · #3 09-01-2019, 04:10 PM

Holy Mackerel, Andy! (As my father used to say.) That's incredible work.

And, yeah, it's visually extravagant, no question about it, but that's kind of the point. I don't think the original intention was to build a guitar that would be gigged out with every weekend.

Red is an auspicious color in Chinese culture. You'll notice that the dragon has four claws on each foot, not five - five claws are reserved for the Emperor, four claws are appropriate for aristocrats and high officials.

Having grown up visiting the world class Chinese art collection at the Nelson-Atkins Gallery in Kansas City on a regular basis (and visiting it every time I return to town,) I like this guitar a lot. Can't afford it, wouldn't buy it if I could, but I think it's wonderful.

Guanyin of the Southern Sea

https://www.nelson-atkins.org/collection/chinese/

Wade Hampton Miller

Tube Sound · #4 09-01-2019, 05:32 PM

Curiosity got the better of me and I clicked on the "see all items" by this ebay seller. Some serious guitars for serious coin. My eye quickly went to the cheapest on the list, still above my budget.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/gibson_supr...1&_ipg=&_from=

Pitar · #5 09-01-2019, 06:10 PM

Nice sampling of factory custom collectibles.

guitar george · #6 09-01-2019, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tube Sound

Curiosity got the better of me and I clicked on the "see all items" by this ebay seller. Some serious guitars for serious coin. My eye quickly went to the cheapest on the list, still above my budget.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/gibson_supr...1&_ipg=&_from=

This seller, "gibson_supreme", has been an ebay seller since 2003 and has been selling mostly lavish Gibson and other guitars all that time. Most are one of a kind. I wonder where he gets them all from?

Brucebubs · #7 09-01-2019, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by guitar george

This seller, "gibson_supreme", has been an ebay seller since 2003 and has been selling mostly lavish Gibson and other guitars all that time. Most are one of a kind. I wonder where he gets them all from?

Yes, he's had some incredible guitars including Harvey Leach Martins.

Wade Hampton · #8 09-01-2019, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by guitar george

This seller, "gibson_supreme", has been an ebay seller since 2003 and has been selling mostly lavish Gibson and other guitars all that time. Most are one of a kind. I wonder where he gets them all from?

From the guitar companies themselves, one must presume. It seems likely that he or she is a retailer with both Gibson and Martin dealerships, and in addition to the regular models offered has a special fondness for high end custom models.

More power to ‘em.

whm

ALBD · #9 09-01-2019, 09:47 PM

Cool guitar. I count 6 dragons. How can you go wrong with 6 dragons??

Probably a good investment

Teleplucker · #10 09-02-2019, 06:23 AM

Quite a collection. The PRS dragon looks better than the Gibson or the Martin.

zombywoof · #11 09-02-2019, 06:38 AM

That guitar comes off like a bad crash on the highway you have to slow down to look at. The ultimate rubber necking guitar.

WordMan · #12 09-02-2019, 07:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zombywoof

That guitar comes off like a bad crash on the highway you have to slow down to look at. The ultimate rubber necking guitar.

Ha. I call those Trainwrecks - can’t help but look.

It is amazing for what it is, no question.

Steve DeRosa · #13 09-02-2019, 07:18 AM

If you're playing comp guitar in the house band at one of those tiki bar/night club/Chinese restaurants that were popular in the '50s, it's the perfect gimmick...

Beyond that, I could have a nice stash of Triggs, Campellone, vintage Gibson/Epiphone, and maybe even a D'Angelico/Stromberg or two for the same $150K...

An answer for which there's no question IMO...

mot · #14 09-02-2019, 07:50 AM

I can see myself getting the $500 laminate version for a theme party, but that's about as far as I would go. Cool guitar, but I don't think I'm the target buyer.

If I had 150 grand to blow, I might put 10 to 30% on music and invest the rest or take an exotic vacation. I don't think this guitar would ever make the cut.

Loren Tilley · #15 09-05-2019, 01:39 AM

Well I hate it, but to each his own.