Supro Super Single Model 1507 Model Solid Body Electric Guitar (1960), Chicago, serial # T-48173.
This little Valco-made instrument is about as simple as electric guitars get: A flat slab single-cutaway body, short-scale neck bolted on and a single pickup with tone and volume knobs and a tone bypass switch on a single-layer black plastic pickguard. This "Super Single" was made in early 1960 and is the direct descendant of the earlier 1950s National solid bodies, which had evolved considerably by this point into more sophisticated creations. This diminutive guitar represents one if the last gasps of these super simple early designs and was available into the early 60s.
The Model 1507 was the next-to-least expensive electric Supro cataloged in 1960, aimed primarily at student players and listing at $74.50 including strap and cord. The chipboard case was $12 extra! This was $15 less than the better known Ozark model, long considered a bad-boy classic of budget electrics. There is not much to the "Super", but it works. The black-finished neck has a very short 22" scale length, designed for be extremely easy to play for young student hands. The slab body is finished in black to-greenish beige lacquer that sort of resembles he screen tones on a 1950s B&W TV (if you're old enough to remember that!)
The always great sounding single coil Valco pickup situated down by the bridge is the heart of this guitar. The controls and jack are mounted on the small single-layer pickguard. The adjustable wooden bridge and short brass tailpiece are standard Valco fittings and the tuners are Kluson Deluxe strips with plastic buttons. The very short scale length takes a bit of getting used to for full-size hands but is very easy to play, and the Valco pickup snarls with authority and makes for a powerful sounding guitar despite its diminutive size.
Overall length is 34 in. (86.4 cm.), 12 1/4 in. (31.1 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 1/4 in. (3.2 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 22 in. (559 mm.).
This 60+ year old guitar remains original, showing a decent amount of general wear and tear but its funky vibe is fully intact. The original body finish has light checking and numerous dings, chips and scrapes, with some fairly major loss on the lower back edge where it looks like it was dragged across a concrete floor more than once. There is also some heavy scratching on the upper side, and a number of areas around the edges of the guitar have been discreetly touched up.
The black lacquer neck finish is cleaner with some light checking, small dings and chips and a long scratch on the bass side but is not as heavily worn as the body. There is some scuffing to the Supro logo sticker. The hardware has some moderate corrosion but overall is decently preserved.
The original small frets have very little wear, the neck is straight (for a Supro at least). The guitar plays very well for a budget Valco product, and has a distinctly gnarly and surprisingly powerful sound for such a little thing. The Supro Super is perfect for those deep blues and swamp rock occasions when even a Les Paul Junior seems too elegant, as down-n-dirty an electric guitar as has ever been made with no pretensions but a killer vibe. Very Good + Condition.
