Switch No 4

The Name Says It All

We designed and built this extraordinary instrument for Nico Braband. Nico is a huge fan of Frank Rohles and Brian May, as well as the guitars they built themselves. Taking these instruments as inspiration, we worked closely with Nico to design his personal dream guitar — in fact, this is the fourth one we’ve created for him! 🙂 Unlike its first version, the “Switch 1”, this model features a Wilkinson VS-100 vibrato, which is significantly easier to handle than a Floyd Rose system. We recessed it to allow for a “floating” setup, enabling pitch bends in both directions. Combined with a perfectly filed bone nut and Schaller locking tuners, this system offers tuning stability nearly on par with a double-locking vibrato.
For this build, Nico chose a top with spectacular birdseye maple figuring, which we finished with a green stain and a subtle burst. The back is finished in a transparent brown, while the top is framed by a natural wood binding. The hollowbody construction not only reduces weight but also gives the sound a more open, percussive quality. We opted for a “neck-through” design to ensure a quick response, endless sustain, and excellent access to the higher frets. Furthermore, the goal was maximum tonal versatility; at Nico’s request, we installed three Seymour Duncan “Little ’59” humbuckers, which can be configured in a wide variety of ways using a 3×3 array of mini-switches.