Swope Guitars Geronimo - Pickup Prototype EARLY Pilot Run #008 (2000s - Seagrass Trans)
Here for sale is a SUPER rare and special piece. This is an early Geronimo pilot run from Swope Guitars with a rare pickup prototype variant. Swope has rocketed in popularity in recent years since Chris Swope invented arguably the best offset tailpiece on the market - the Descendent.
This is one of his earliest "Geronimo" models. One of the biggest and most unique things about this one is that the pickups actually have poles. The regular run Geronimos have "soapbar" style pickups. This one is also one of the only ones I have seen with a stain finish -- we have been calling this color "Seagrass Transparent." EDIT: Since posting, the original owner tells me he had the finish redone in the stain and the original color was Honeyburst.
This thing is masterfully made. Alder body. Maple neck. Impeccable neck and fretwork. Sounds INCREDIBLE.
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The first Geronimo was built in 2002 in the interim between when Chris began to plot his move to Nashville and his actually leaving NYC. Named after a favorite childhood pet of his father’s, this Geronimo featured a similar but smaller body and a pair of pickups styled after a popular ‘50s model by a well-known California builder.
The second Geronimo was built the following year and featured a much larger body and included a separate control plate. This was inspired in part by Chris’ history on the repair side of the business. Easy access to the control assembly without having to remove strings, remove entire faceplate, etc. made addressing simple matters such as a scratchy potentiometer or cold solder joint a breeze! Then 2004 brought Chris the opportunity to move into the Engineering Dept. at Custom and for the next four years he dedicated his creative energy to that job.
Once Chris left Gibson Custom he used every stolen moment he could to make Geronimo a unique guitar with a voice of its own. Years of tweaks to the design and electronics were followed by more than a year and a half of road testing which continues to this day. Feedback from professionals has been an invaluable contribution to the development of this guitar. We hope you have the opportunity to try one out.
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This thing is SUPER sweet and SUPER my speed, so PLEASE buy it before I am tempted to keep it.
As always, I cleaned it up, polished the finish, flushed the electronics, changed the strings and set the action low and smooth. This guitar has a super nice gig bag, but I pack my guitars up tight and insure every package for the full purchase amount.
Got questions? Shoot me a message, I love nerding out with other gearheads!