Despite the invention of powerful humbucking pickups in 1957 and the availability of a “floating” humbucker like the one Gibson used on it’s Johnny Smith model in the 1960s, some players preferred to stick with the old ways. The classic electric jazz guitar of the 1940s and early 1950s was a fully acoustic archtop with a DeArmond pickup, and that’s how the owner of this 1969 Gibson Super 400 set up his guitar.

The unusual feature of this guitar, signified by “WAL” in the model designation, is a walnut-stained finish on the back, sides and neck. Numerous low-end Gibson models – solidbody as well as hollow – with a sunburst top finish had the dark brown stain over the rest of the guitar, but it was unheard of on any maple-body electric model with a natural top finish.

On the other hand, this guitar was made in 1969, and Gibson was struggling in a market overrun with cheap Japanese-made imports. Any new variation might have attracted attention to traditional Gibsons, but the walnut finish did not catch on.