Newshttp://www.mcswainguitars.com/news/en-US2012-02-11T03:35:56ZSquarespace Site Server v5.11.81 (http://www.squarespace.com/)Auction To Benefit Surfers Healinghttp://www.mcswainguitars.com/news/2011/11/23/auction-to-benefit-surfers-healing.htmlMcSwain Guitars2011-11-23T17:50:38Z
Every Holiday season, Surfers Healing has an online auction to help raise money for their non-profit organization in order to support children with autism. Please take a look at all of the items.
Surfers Healing was founded by Israel and Danielle Paskowitz.Their son, Isaiah, was diagnosed with autism at age three. Like many autistic children, he often suffered from sensory overload-- simple sensations could overwhelm him. The ocean was the one place where he seemed to find respite.
A former competitive surfer, Israel hit upon an idea--with Isaiah on the front of his surfboard, and Izzy steering from the back, the two spent the day surfing together. Surfing had a profound impact on Isaiah. Israel and Danielle decided they wanted to share this unique therapy with other autistic children. They began to host day camps at the beach where autistic children and their families could be exposed to a completely new experience of surfing.
]]>Historical Artifacts... well, sort of...http://www.mcswainguitars.com/news/2011/11/14/historical-artifacts-well-sort-of.htmlMcSwain Guitars2011-11-14T20:33:22ZI've always loved graphics that are somewhat subtle but very memorable. Budweiser is not exempt from this concept. I found these old steel Budweiser cans and decided to give them a 2nd life as part of a McSwain guitar. These cans conjure up images of an old pickup truck with several of these rolling around in the back with the trusty old dog. So does the tone of the guitar. It is straight up punch and grit! The pickups are Rio Grande Texas and BBQ humbuckers.
I laminated the cans to the arched top of the tone chambered redwood body which has a book-matched koa back. The neck is 3-piece mahogany with an aluminum bound 24-3/4" ebony fretboard. The inlays are aluminum Bud crowns. Just to add a bit more colloquialism, I made the volume and tone knob from glass Bud bottle tops. My buddy Jhon Doria dug up an old pull tab in his garden, so I inlaid it into the koa truss rod cover. What else was I gonna do with it???!!! The finish is what I call a "dirty finish" which is distressed and looks like it has been around for as long as the beer cans.
Email with any questions.
]]>Welcome back!http://www.mcswainguitars.com/news/2011/8/24/welcome-back.htmlMcSwain Guitars2011-08-24T20:05:04ZIt has been a while since my last post, so I figured it was now time! Yes, I have been very busy over the last 8 months. Lot's of new things have been added to the galleries, so look to the right and scroll down and peep the new additions.
First, my Fuel Series is in full swing with Cort Guitars and can be found around the country (and world) in various music stores. These are renditions of my custom Gasoline and Motor Oil can guitars and Cort did a superb job of replicating the prototype I made for them as a template. I have been playing the Gasoline and it RIPS!!!!
Next, My good friends Scott and Ken from The Crystal Method called my to see if I'd join them on an art project for Pioneer DJ to benefit the Save The Music Foundation. They wanted to take a Pioneer CDJ 2000 and somehow attach 2 bass necks and a keyboard to create one unit. It really turned out cool and Pioneer liked it so much that they commissioned two more that actually work! The Crystal Method has them on tour right now and they are a huge part of their stage rig. I LOVE to do create things that is completely out of my "normal" guitar building regime.
I have also added a new section called "non-guitar related artwork". This section will feature some of the other things I do when not working on guitars. Right now, it shows a piece of wall art that I did for Sushi Roku in Hollywood, CA. My buddies at Innovative Dining Group asked me to come up with some kind of "tree wall art". This is the result. It is a 5'x30' (7 panels connected) depiction of a Bonsai forest made of nails, string, wire, twine, leather cord, etc...
That's about all for now. Fun things coming up so stay posted and I promise to be more diligent about putting up new things as the are finished. In the meantime, check out the Mini McSwain Guitars and t-shirts.
AGAIN.. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT!!!
Best, Stephen
]]>Winter, The Holidays and the New Yearhttp://www.mcswainguitars.com/news/2010/12/1/winter-the-holidays-and-the-new-year.htmlMcSwain Guitars2010-12-01T17:57:43Z
It's been busy over the last couple months at McSwain Guitars. Lot's of custom guitar orders filled and many more being finished and worked on. I thank you all for your continued support and kind emails. I truly feel lucky and blessed to be able to have a "job" doing what I love.
Happy Holidays and see you in the New Year.
Stephen McSwain
]]>Here's the latest dirt (or dust, as the case may be...)http://www.mcswainguitars.com/news/2010/9/14/heres-the-latest-dirt-or-dust-as-the-case-may-be.htmlMcSwain Guitars2010-09-14T06:19:27ZThe Dragon Dust was commissioned by my buddy Daniel in NYC, who is the patron saint of McSwain Guitars, after he saw the first Dragon V that Tak Matsumoto of the japanese mega band B'z ordered. Daniel wanted to see the Dragon realized with color. I carved it like the first Dragon, except continued the scales to wrap around the back of the guitar body and neck. I stained the Dragon and gold leafed each scale...yes, it took A LOT of time!!! But, it was all worth it!!!!!
Scroll down to see more pix (by my good buddy Kimo Easterwood of www.kimopix.com) and webisode 3 of Metalhead Shop Class (produced/edited/put together/wrangled by my brother, Jhon Doria of Future Shock Films.
Also,
NEW T-SHIRTS and MINI GUITARS are IN!!!!!!!! Order now por favor!
Love and respekt!!!
Stephen McSwain
]]>Metalhead Shop Class with McSwain Guitars (webisode 3)http://www.mcswainguitars.com/news/2010/7/20/metalhead-shop-class-with-mcswain-guitars-webisode-3.htmlMcSwain Guitars2010-07-20T16:15:20ZHope your summer is going good. Everything is all good and very busy/HOT here in the shop... with the occasional moment to slip out and get some So Cal surfing in! Thanks for tuning in to the world of McSwain Guitars. Jhon Doria of Future Shock Films and I have been busy shooting the entire process of building a McSwain Guitar in short little "webisodes". (Actually, it's just a great excuse to get to hang out with Jhon "on the clock"... he's one of my best buds)!! In the series, you'll see the full build process of the McSwain Starlingear Kamikaze guitar that was the idea of uber-designer/artist, Ryk Maverick of Starlingear (also one of my best buds!!).
In this "webisode", we get a little further into the building process.
Tune in and keep tuned in to see more webisodes which will be up soon!! There is a nice guest appearance coming up in the next couple episodes.
]]>New Crossfade video "Killing Me Inside" with Les Hall playing The Machine #0004!http://www.mcswainguitars.com/news/2010/6/2/new-crossfade-video-killing-me-inside-with-les-hall-playing.htmlMcSwain Guitars2010-06-02T19:57:15ZThanks to my buddy Les Hall, the McSwain Guitars Machine #0004 is all over the new Crossfade video for "Killing Me Inside". Thanks Les! You make McSwain Guitars look good!!!
]]>Metalhead Shop Class with McSwain Guitars (webisode 2)http://www.mcswainguitars.com/news/2010/5/12/metalhead-shop-class-with-mcswain-guitars-webisode-2.htmlMcSwain Guitars2010-05-12T15:36:03ZHey everyone! Thanks for tuning in to the world of McSwain Guitars. Jhon Doria of Future Shock Films and I have been busy shooting the entire process of building a McSwain Guitar in short little "webisodes". (Actually, it's just a great excuse to get to hang out with Jhon "on the clock"... he's one of my best buds)!! In the series, you'll see the full build process of the McSwain Starlingear Kamikaze guitar that was the idea of uber-designer/artist, Ryk Maverick of Starlingear (also one of my best buds!!).
In this "webisode", I'm babbling on about the construction of the neck. And yes.. at the beginning, I have some sawdust in my eyes! Just one of the hazards of guitar building.
Tune in and keep tuned in to see more webisodes which will be up soon!!
Thanks for watching y'all!
]]>The Dragon Vhttp://www.mcswainguitars.com/news/2010/3/9/the-dragon-v.htmlMcSwain Guitars2010-03-09T19:11:29ZDragon V Front
Dragon V Back
Dragon V Detail
Dragon V Detail of Glowing Ruby Eyes
Dragon V Detail of Claw
]]>Electric Playground interviews McSwain Guitarshttp://www.mcswainguitars.com/news/2009/12/11/electric-playground-interviews-mcswain-guitars.htmlMcSwain Guitars2009-12-11T06:28:39ZCanada's Electric Playground came over to the shop and did this sweet little piece on McSwain Guitars and what it's all about!!! Thanks Miri!!!
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