McSwain guitars, functional art
Never heard of McSwain guitars? Neither did I. No wonder; McSwain guitars is a very small, private Los Angeles USA based company, founded by Stephen McSwain. No mass production; McSwain guitars are all "Custom Shop ordered" built. His guitars are a mix between art and guitar, or as McSwain himself calls it: functional art.
It's difficult to describe the guitars built by Stephen McSwain as there is no standard range or series of guitars. You have to take a look at McSwain guitar pictures to get an idea of the individuality of each McSwain guitar. To confirm the unique, "arty" character of his guitars, Stephen McSwain creates his functional artworks in his so called "laboratory" (instead of an ordinary workshop), a converted garage in the heart of Los Angeles.
It's difficult to describe the guitars built by Stephen McSwain as there is no standard range or series of guitars. You have to take a look at McSwain guitar pictures to get an idea of the individuality of each McSwain guitar. To confirm the unique, "arty" character of his guitars, Stephen McSwain creates his functional artworks in his so called "laboratory" (instead of an ordinary workshop), a converted garage in the heart of Los Angeles.
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McSwain guitars, owned by the happy few
McSwain guitars are no ordinary looking guitars; they just scream for attention, and maybe that's why there are some, not so ordinary, guitar players around, who are in the possession of a McSwain guitar. Some of the names: Slash, Tak Matsumoto, Steve Vai, Steve Jones and Tommy Lee. McSwain, on his website, pictures the guitars he built for his clients and tells about the the building process.
The first guitar McSwain built. (carved faces in the wood), carries no. 001, and is owned by Steve Vai. One of McSwain's latest projects was a surprise gift from a couple of friends, for Duff McKagan. This guitar was built in collaboration with "Chrome hearts", and is loaded with Chrome Hearts sterling silver crosses and pluses.
It appears that the building process of one McSwain guitar can take up to several weeks, so production, in term of numbers is limited, which makes these McSwain guitars very rare. Original, second hand McSwain guitars can't be found. Fretted Americana , linked as "friend" on McSwains website, has a "Budweiser" McSwain 2011 on sale for 10.000 USD; it's the only McSwain guitar for sale, as far as I know. Fretted Americana has information about the number of guitars Stephen McSwain produces: less than twenty-five guitars per year.
The first guitar McSwain built. (carved faces in the wood), carries no. 001, and is owned by Steve Vai. One of McSwain's latest projects was a surprise gift from a couple of friends, for Duff McKagan. This guitar was built in collaboration with "Chrome hearts", and is loaded with Chrome Hearts sterling silver crosses and pluses.
It appears that the building process of one McSwain guitar can take up to several weeks, so production, in term of numbers is limited, which makes these McSwain guitars very rare. Original, second hand McSwain guitars can't be found. Fretted Americana , linked as "friend" on McSwains website, has a "Budweiser" McSwain 2011 on sale for 10.000 USD; it's the only McSwain guitar for sale, as far as I know. Fretted Americana has information about the number of guitars Stephen McSwain produces: less than twenty-five guitars per year.
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| mcswain guitar headstock |
MacSwain by OLP and Cort
With prices starting at 5000 USD, and the fact that McSwain produces less than twenty-five guitars per year, his guitars are only available for a few lucky guitar players / collectors. There are other options though. McSwain collaborated with Cort Guitars and OLP Guitars, to put some models in the market with the McSwain Guitars authentic look and feel, factory made, at affordable prices.
OLP Guitars, Officially Licensed Products, produced replicas of famous models from other guitar builders. OLP guitars were built in China, with hardware and electronics (probably) made in Korea and doesn't exist any more. Fore some period, McSwain Tin Top / Machinery and Anarchy models were manufactured by OLP. These McSwain / OLP Tin Top (metal) top guitars can easily be found on the internet. They are for example listed on Ebay for prices around 300 USD (used) and 650 USD (new).
In 2011, Cort Guitars came out with the McSwain Gasoline 1 and Motor Oil 1 electric guitars, inspired on the McSwain Fuel Guitar, based on vintage gasoline and oil drums. The main difference between the McSwain Gasoline 1 and Motor Oil 1, besides the graphics on the guitars, is the way the neck is mounted to the body.
The Cort McSwain Gasoline 1 has a set-in neck, and the Cort McSwain Motor Oil 1 comes with a bolt-on neck. Both Cort McSwain guitars share the same (aged) hardware and a black satin finish.OLP Guitars, Officially Licensed Products, produced replicas of famous models from other guitar builders. OLP guitars were built in China, with hardware and electronics (probably) made in Korea and doesn't exist any more. Fore some period, McSwain Tin Top / Machinery and Anarchy models were manufactured by OLP. These McSwain / OLP Tin Top (metal) top guitars can easily be found on the internet. They are for example listed on Ebay for prices around 300 USD (used) and 650 USD (new).
In 2011, Cort Guitars came out with the McSwain Gasoline 1 and Motor Oil 1 electric guitars, inspired on the McSwain Fuel Guitar, based on vintage gasoline and oil drums. The main difference between the McSwain Gasoline 1 and Motor Oil 1, besides the graphics on the guitars, is the way the neck is mounted to the body.
At present, Cort Guitars only offers the McSwain Gasoline 1 with ClassicRocker pickups.
Next to the Cort McSwain electric guitar models, Cort produced the McSwain Motor Oil 2 and Gasoline 2 acoustic guitars with Cort piezo pickup. These acoustic electric McSwain Corts can't be found anymore on the Cort website.
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| mcswain guitar fuel |
McSwain miniature guitar (as seen in Guitar Hero 5)
Guitar Hero 5, released in 2009, featured several McSwain Guitar models. To celebrate, Stephen McSwain decided to offer a limited edition of miniature McSwain's, modeled after the originals, and the ones featured in Guitar Hero 5. A must have for McSwain and Guitar Hero 5 fans.
These McSwain miniature guitars can be obtained at bigcartel.com, a shopping cart for artists. Four Miniatures were for sale; the Flame, Anarchy, Machine and Life McSwains. The Flame miniature is sold out, and as a result, the McSwain miniature Collection is sold out. The miniatures available are on sale for 29.99 USD; a mini price for an authentic McSwain mini guitar!
These McSwain miniature guitars can be obtained at bigcartel.com, a shopping cart for artists. Four Miniatures were for sale; the Flame, Anarchy, Machine and Life McSwains. The Flame miniature is sold out, and as a result, the McSwain miniature Collection is sold out. The miniatures available are on sale for 29.99 USD; a mini price for an authentic McSwain mini guitar!
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