Soloway Guitars Debuts Exotic Swan Series
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August 19, 2004
The Exotic Swan Series guitars are the first in a series of instruments using exotic wood combinations being built by Soloway Guitars. They are the most luxurious and elaborate instruments created by the company, with special attention paid to every detail.
Wood combinations include koa and Bolivian rosewood tops with mahogany, swamp ash or black Limba backs. The necks are 3-piece maple laminate with either pau ferro or cocobolo fingerboards.
Luxury features include ebony or pau ferro pickups rings; ebony or rosewood knobs with inlaid pearl position markers; and various exclusive boutique pickups.
Like all of Soloway's guitars, the Exotic Swans feature a 27-inch extended scale length. The 27-inch scale length, a full 1.5 inches longer than a Strat or Tele, is probably the most important design element to the Soloway Swan guitars, and the elongated neck that results from longer scale length is the inspiration for the model name "The Swan".
The scale length (the distance from the nut to the bridge) is a critical characteristic of the design of any guitar. The shorter 24 3/4-inch scale length that is typical of Gibson guitars make string easier to bend and contribute to the rich tone. The longer 25 1/2-inch scale length of Fender guitars help provide the twang and snap that has made them so useful for country players and the bite that has made them a staple of R&B. Tuned to standard pitch, the 27-inch scale length of the Swan produces a remarkable level of clarity, presence, according to the company. Tuned below standard pitch, the Swan blooms with girth and size.
The Swan is a light weight semi-hollow guitar with most instruments weighing around 6 pounds. Sustain is achieved through stiffness rather than mass, with a pair of graphite rods running along side the truss rod, an extra deep neck pocket and a 3-ply laminated maple neck.
The price for an exotic Swan is $2600 to $3200 depending on the specific features.
An MP3 demo of the instrument in action is available on their web site. For more information, visit their web site at www.solowayguitars.com. | 
