GOWEN SC CUSTOM ELECTRIC GUITAR
This is our SC.
We want it to be your favourite humbucker guitar.
We built our first SC because we couldn't afford an LP. But we promised ourselves we weren't going to get sucked into 're-inventing the wheel,' so we made a decision just to make it more... wheely. A more modern 'wheel' for pragmatic players who value unique, one-of-a-kind instruments. An easier wheel to perform with or learn on. And definitely a cheaper wheel.
You'll find different body and pickup configurations across the SC range, but we’ve deliberately avoided piling on features for the sake of it.
Every SC is built by hand, by us, to the same standard and each model offers subtle differences in feel and tone.
Take a look through the models to find the SC that fits your music.
flat top and back
single pickup from £1099
flat top with front/back contours
single pickup from £1290, twin pickup from £1450
our most ergonomic SC
single pickup from £1575, twin pickup from £1685
Here's what makes our SC our SC.
wraparound bridge
We fit all our SCs with a Gotoh wraparound bridge for improved playability and easier bends, better sustain, and cleaner body aesthetics.
SC No 1 SC No 2 SC No 3 guitar range contact us
carved heel & bolt-on neck
We prefer the greater flexibility of a bolt-on neck for adjusting string action and set-ups and of course easier repairs, should you ever need to replace a neck.
We carve the heel beneath the neck pocket to a smooth ergonomic curve to make access to higher frets effortless.
SC No 1 SC No 2 SC No 3 guitar range contact us
optional thin-line bodies
The SC No 2 and No 3 can be ordered in thinner body depths of around 35mm (similar to the thickness of a Gibson SG) for reduced weight and a more compact feeling performance guitar.
Gowen pickups
We've partnered with one of the UK's leading boutique pickup producers to create our own spec line of pickups. We offer a custom wiring service option on the SC No 3 to create a pickup with your own unique tone.
Satin / eggshell neck finish
We offer either satin oil or nitro with a kind of eggshell finish, to ensure there's never any sense of finger drag on our necks and they feel as slick and fast to move up and down as possible.
Contrasting wood cavity covers
Since our first SC, we've made cavity covers in contrasting woods to the body wood part of our signature look. The control cavities themselves are a modern over-sized shape with plenty of room for additional wiring upgrades.
1914 silver threepence
All of our guitars have a silver 1914 threepence inlaid into the truss road cover. Find out why here.
Partial coil-splitting
For years guitarists have been 'splitting' the coils of a humbucker to deliver a more single-coil pickup sound, and we offer this as an extra on all standard thickness SC No 2 or SC No 3 guitars. However, standard coil splitting can sometimes result in a sound that seems too thin and low volume, so to avoid this we solder an extra resistor into the wiring of our SCs.
The extra resistors mean that the humbucker’s coils are only partially split but still produce a single coil-like tone, only without too much loss in presence or volume. We can even fit resistors in the resistance value of your choice, to deliver the level of coil split you prefer.
body contours
SC No 2 brings the option of forearm and tummy contours and the SC No 3 adds more curved and sculpted body carving.
Gotoh machine heads
Supremely stable and aesthetically stunning, we fit all our SCs with the outstanding Gotoh 501 machine heads.
We fit all our SCs with a Gotoh wraparound bridge for improved playability and easier bends, better sustain, and cleaner body aesthetics.
We prefer the greater flexibility of a bolt-on neck for adjusting string action and set-ups and of course easier repairs, should you ever need to replace a neck. We carve the heel beneath the neck pocket to a smooth ergonomic curve to make access to higher frets effortless.
All of our guitars have a silver 1914 threepence inlaid into the truss road cover.
We fit all our SCs with a Gotoh wraparound bridge for improved playability and easier bends, better sustain, and cleaner body aesthetics.
Our SC No 1 isn't a stripped down or budget version of a higher priced guitar. It's not 'no-nonsense', or a 'workhorse' or even 'basic;' it's actually deliberately intended to be all the guitar some players need.
A flat top and back, sculpted easy-access heel, wrap-around bridge for silkier feeling bends and then just a tone and volume pot controlling a single humbucker.
Choose between our classic Gowen 57-59 PAF+ (9.5k) or the hotter Gowen 68-72 PAF+ (15k) as bridge pickups or contact us for a custom pickup wind to create your own unique tone.
All our SC No 1 guitars are unique instruments and individually priced, starting at around £1099 for a new SC No 1 shape guitar in a solid wood body with no front or rear contours, including a single humbucker pick-up in the bridge position.
Our SC bodies are normally made from Cherry, Alder, London Plane, Ash, Walnut or Mahogany / Sapele, with more expensive woods and figured tops adding to the base cost of the instrument.
SC No 1 Sound Samples
Bridge Pickup
Guitar: SC No. 1, Cherry
Pickup: Gowen 57-59 PAF+ (Bridge, 9.5k)
Strings: Rotosound Yellows (10)
Amp: Blackstar ID Core 100 (Clean Bright)
EQ: Neutral
Bridge Pickup
Guitar: SC No. 1, Cherry
Pickup: Gowen 57-59 PAF+ (Bridge, 9.5k)
Strings: Rotosound Yellows (10)
Amp: Blackstar ID Core 100 (Clean Bright)
EQ: Neutral
Bridge Pickup
Guitar: SC No. 1, Cherry
Pickup: Gowen 57-59 PAF+ (Bridge, 9.5k)
Strings: Rotosound Yellows (10)
Amp: Blackstar ID Core 100 (OD2)
EQ: Neutral
body shaping, thickness and tone options
Commissioning an SC No 2 build lets you tailor guitar body ergonomics.
Choose between normal or thin-line body thickness and whether to include a front fore-arm contour or a rear ‘tummy’ contour…. Or both! Together with careful body wood choice, the Gowen SC No 2 could be the ideal choice for players looking for a guitar which feels effortless to hold and play.
Sound wise, our SC No 2 brings an optional additional neck humbucker, and like the SC No 1 you can opt for one of our suggested pickup pairings or request custom pickup windings.
SC No 2 opens up more aesthetic options too, with figured wood tops and a wider range of finish options.
All our SC No 2 guitars are unique instruments and individually priced, starting at around £1290 for a new SC No 2 shape guitar in a solid wood body with front and rear contours, including a single humbucker pick-up in the bridge position. You can add a second humbucker and an additional set of tone and volume control for that pickup for +£200.
Our SC bodies are normally made from Cherry, Alder, London Plane, Ash, Walnut or Mahogany / Sapele, with more expensive woods and figured tops adding to the base cost of the instrument.
Bridge Pickup > Neck Pickup > Mid Position
Guitar: SC No. 2, Thinline in Ash & Lime
Pickups: Irongear Tesla Sharks (Bridge 8.5k, Neck 7.9k)
Strings: Rotosound Yellows (10)
Amp: Blackstar ID Core 100 (Clean Warm)
EQ: Neutral
Bridge Pickup > Neck Pickup > Mid Position
Guitar: SC No. 2, Thinline in Ash & Lime
Pickups: Irongear Tesla Sharks (Bridge 8.5k, Neck 7.9k)
Strings: Rotosound Yellows (10)
Amp: Blackstar ID Core 100 (Crunch)
EQ: Neutral
Bridge Pickup > Neck Pickup > Mid Position
Guitar: SC No. 2, Thinline in Ash & Lime
Pickups: Irongear Tesla Sharks (Bridge 8.5k, Neck 7.9k)
Strings: Rotosound Yellows (10)
Amp: Blackstar ID Core 100 (OD1)
EQ: Neutral
Bridge Pickup > Neck Pickup > Mid Position
Guitar: SC No. 2, Thinline in Ash & Lime
Pickups: Irongear Tesla Sharks (Bridge 8.5k, Neck 7.9k)
Strings: Rotosound Yellows (10)
Amp: Blackstar ID Core 100 (Heavy Crunch)
EQ: Neutral
Our SC No 3 guitar brings a more sculpted approach to body ergonomics, with increased carving and softer curves to the front, top, sides and back. We think you'll find it's the most comfortable single cutaway guitar you've ever played.
SC No 3 models are typically carved from solid wood slabs without figured tops. The SC No 3 shares the same pickup options as the SC No 2, with optional coil-splitting via push-push pots.
All our SC No 3 guitars are unique instruments and individually priced, starting at around £1575 for a new SC No 3 shape guitar in a solid wood body with front and rear contours, including a single humbucker pick-up in the bridge position. You can add a second humbucker and an additional set of tone and volume control for that pickup for +£200, plus optional coil-splitting for +£250.
Our SC bodies are normally made from Cherry, Alder, London Plane, Ash, Walnut or Mahogany / Sapele, with more expensive woods and figured tops adding to the base cost of the instrument.
Gowen SC Specification
Single cutaway body with either single or twin pickups
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Gotoh 510UB Wraparound Bridge
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Enamelled pickup selector surround washer (2-pup)
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flat front and back (Nos. 1 & 2)
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carved front and back (No. 3 only)
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Schaller straplock buttons
Electrics
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All CTS /Bourns switches and pots
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Gowen 57-59 PAF+ humbuckers or Gowen 68-72 PAF+ Bridge Pickup (15k) (custom voicing option as standard on SC No 3)
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Separate volume and Tone controls for each pickup
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Optional coil splitting via push-pull pots on all standard thickness SC No 2 and SC NO 3 bodies (+£75 per pickup).
* NB We use 500k audio-taper pots with traditional 1950s wiring as a standard wiring configuration for our humbuckers. This helps keep the tone clear as you roll the volume back and gives smoother, more musical control. However, if you prefer 1960s or modern wiring for the wiring loom, just let us know!
The Bourns pots we fit generally have less friction in their action than the CTS pots - if you prefer a freer moving throw, for example for live playing, choose Bourns; if you want a slower moving action, choose CTS.
Neck
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Bolt-on Maple/Mahogany neck, Rosewood /Ebony fretboard, dotted or trapezoid fret markers
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628mm scale length
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Medium-jumbo sized frets
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Chrome Gotoh machine heads
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Silver 1914 threepence inlaid in truss rod cover
Wood finishes
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Satin Lacquer (our standard finish)
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Gloss Lacquer (+£0)
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Nitrocellulose lacquer as a subtly aged, silky, 'heritage gloss' finish (+£250)
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Bespoke oil Finishes: Osmo (satin), TruOil (gloss), Tung (eggshell) etc. ( between +£100 and +£200)
Contact us for more information or to get an estimate for a guitar build.
Gowen SC No. 1, 2018 shape, London Plane
Model History
We first built our SC design in 2018, using offcuts of London Plane trees that had been felled during the clearing of St James Gardens London, in preparation for the expansion of London Euston Station. St James Gardens had originally been planned and planted in the late 1780s, and our supplier has a large stock of 200 year old London Plane timber.
Our original SC in 2018 had a 35mm, thin, 2-piece body which tapered towards the neck pocket, and a set neck. It was fitted with. single Irongear Dirty Torque pickup. We had been experimenting with alternatives to the standard separate bridge and tailpiece configuration and opted for the Gotoh 510UB Wraparound bridge, to improve playability and clean up the aesthetics of the guitar top. So far we've been very pleased with the results and plan to include these bridges on future builds.
In 2020 we updated the body shape of our SC design, to include a more pronounced curve on the lower horn and decrease the waist of the guitar body. We also added a deeper round-over to the body edges. For increased flexibility and to aid future instrument set-ups, the SC switched to a bolt-on neck and Gotoh machine heads. Standard pickups for dual-hum bucker guitars were either a pair of Irongear Tesla Sharks or a set of Irongear Dirty Torque (bridge) and Irongear Blues Engine (neck).
In 2023 we completed our first SC No 2, which featured both front and rear body contours on a thinline body.
In 2024 we introduced the SC No 3, which is typically built around a thicker body (40mm+) and includes more pronounced and complex body carving.
In 2026 we began fitting our Gowen 57-59 PAF+ humbuckers to our SC guitars as standard pickups, with an option for customers to request custom windings and partial coil splitting.