Introducing the Stealth Star: A Limited Run, Aluminum-Clad SM2
- Stephen McSwain
- Apr 30
- 2 min read
Polished aircraft aluminum, a mahogany and walnut core, and a maple fretboard clad in aluminum sheet — only five being built — this is what we're calling the Stealth Star.
The Build
This one is built on the SM2 body style — our larger, tone-chambered shape — and the top is the polished aircraft aluminum we've become known for. It's super clean, super reflective, with little stars around the perimeter that give it its name. The body itself is mahogany and walnut, and for the first time on any McSwain build, we put an aluminum back on it as well — so the guitar has metal on both faces, sandwiching the wood.
Neck & Fretboard
The neck is a three-piece mahogany set neck with a maple fretboard that's clad with aluminum sheet — another first. There's a pin line of stained maple, finished off with our patented tone-layer binding and a screw side dot.
Weight & Tone
Even with all that metal, the whole guitar comes in at about seven and a half pounds. You get the warmth of the wood, but you also get the punch and sustain you only get with metal in the build.
Pickups
Pickups are Arcane Triple Clone humbuckers, wired so each one can split to a single coil. That gives you a lot of versatility — full humbucker bridge, split-coil neck, and everything in between. The middle position with the bridge full and the neck split has this great twangy, country vibe to it. Roll the gain up and it gets nasty fast.
Limited Run of Five
This is #1 of only about five Stealth Stars we're going to build. If you want to be on the list, get in touch. Email stephen@mcswainguitars.com or DM us on Instagram and Facebook (@mcswainguitars), and we'll get you in line for one of these.
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