FGM400QM
Frank Gambale Signature Model

Details & History

The FGM400QM pictured was bought on Ebay, then STOLEN from me....and later retrieved on EBAY no less!!
I have the whole story on my website if anyone cares...but it's quite interesting: http://johninman.nstemp.com/frank.html

Details & History

Details & History

The Mfr's Sug. Retail was $2,200, the Blue Book listing has the current used retail of these for $1,200-$1,650. Good luck finding one though, I got this from a dealer on Ebay about a year ago and haven’t seen one since, not even one of the painted FGM400’s. This guitar is rare and somewhat collectible. You do see the 100 series more often, occasionally the 300’s, but I’ve never seen the non-whammy hardtail FGM200 version for sale either.

I believe this top of the line Frank Gambale signature series model FGM400QM was only made in 1997 and 1998. It has an ultra-thin, sculpted, offset double cutaway, Saber/S Series type mahogany body, with a gorgeous quilted maple top. It has a maple neck and a bound rosewood fingerboard with pearl block Frank Gambale signature inlay @ the 12th fret. Humbucker, single coil, single coil pickup configuration with a push/pull volume knob (phase switch) and a tone knob. It has a double locking Lo Pro trem and Gotoh tuners.

The neck is wide and fast, and there’s a lot of tonal possibilities with the different pickup and phase switch combinations. It’s also very light and comfortable to play. The sustain is better than average for a bolt-on neck. All in all, I think it’s a fine and somewhat under-rated instrument ( at least by Fender and Gibson " purists " ). Next to an old 60’s strat ( my childhood guitar ) it’s what I play most frequently.

At the bottom of this letter is a spec sheet for this model I found somewhere – It should answer any technical questions.

Love your site, keep up the good work.

Cheers

Doug in LA