Xotic's California Classic Series features "the finest attention to detail in boutique guitars available today"

There are an awful lot of companies in the market of producing high-end versions of, ahem, 'classic' designs, but Xotic - famed for pedals like the EP Booster and SL Drive - reckons it has the edge.

Boasting "the finest attention to detail in boutique guitars available today", the XSC California Classics are handbuilt in the USA and feature nitrocellulose finishes, roasted flame maple necks and Xotic's own Raw Vintage handwound pickups, vibrato springs and cold-rolled steel saddles.

The finish applied to the hand-selected premium-grade woods goes through Xotic's ageing and lacquer checking process, and is available in light or heavy varieties.

Each guitar is signed and numbered with a certificate of authenticity and deluxe softcase - they're available now in two formats: the XSC-1 ($2,500), which packs a trio of single coils, and the XSC-2 ($2,550), which opts for an HSS configuration.

Michael Astley-Brown

Mike is Editor-in-Chief of GuitarWorld.com, in addition to being an offset fiend and recovering pedal addict. He has a master's degree in journalism, and has spent the past decade writing and editing for guitar publications including MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitarist, as well as a decade-and-a-half performing in bands of variable genre (and quality). In his free time, you'll find him making progressive instrumental rock under the nom de plume Maebe.