The body is Warmoth, double-bound mahogany with standard routing and a nitro finish. It's two-piece body, but you really have to look for the seam. It's nicely matched. The bridge is a Joe Barden and it came with the body (no way in hell I'm paying $125 for a freaking bridge). The body came to me nearly scratch free, but it's got a pleasing case of finish checking. I don't know if that's from the cold weather in transit. The neck is USACG, 24.75" conversion (shortscales fo' lyyyyyyyfe), ebony on maple, alabone fretmarkers, and locking Sperzels. It has a 15" radius, which is kind of wierd, but I'm pretty used to it now. There's a light poly finish on, but I think I' going to take it down as far as I can with steel wool.
I have a tortoise guard on it right now. It will eventually be routed for a humbucker in the neck position. I'm content to play it as an Esquire for now. I'm also thinking about losing the guard. I kind of like the lack of pickgaurd and the screws in the wood, like in the pics. Am I crazy? It's also a shame to cover up a top that nice. The original owner should have never used a guard in the first place. The knobs will be gold speed knobs.
I was hesitant about a mahogany body this thick, thinking it might be all dark and muddy. This slab is actually pretty midrange-y and thick. The ebony fretboard adds a little clarity I s'pose. I would really like to pick up an harmonic Design Super-90. It's a Tele bridge pickup that's built and wound like a P-90. I like the feel and sound of Gibson, but prefer the construction methods of Fender. I've been slowly moving toward preferring neck joint styles with less and less glue. I played and preferred SGs to almost anything else for awhile....ended up with all bolt-ons.
