Thorn SoCal C/S
Ron Thorn's bolt-on, Strat-inspired custom-shop model with Thorn VC-50 single coils and a choice of tremolo, hardtail or Brass Knuckle bridges.
About this guitar
The SoCal C/S is Thorn’s continuation of his long-running SoCal series, a bolt-on offset-inspired build in swamp ash, alder, Korina or Black Limba with a maple, birdseye maple or East Indian rosewood neck. A ‘Precision Lock’ custom dovetail lap joint and contoured heel carry over from the original SoCal design, along with a fully shielded cavity. Three Thorn VC-50 single coils run through volume, tone and a 5-way switch with parallel/series blending on the middle and bridge pickups. Bridge choice spans Thorn’s own 1-piece tremolo, a hardtail, or the Brass Knuckle 2 + TailSlide vibrato. Finished in ultra-thin nitrocellulose lacquer with aging options and locking staggered tuners, ships in a G&G hardshell case. Build-to-order — wood, hardware and finish choices are priced individually beyond the base price.
Specs
| Body | Swamp Ash, Alder, Korina or Black Limba |
|---|---|
| Neck | Bolt-on, Maple, Birdseye Maple or East Indian Rosewood |
| Fretboard | East Indian Rosewood or Madagascar Rosewood |
| Scale Length | 25-1/2" |
| Fingerboard Radius | 10" or 10"-14" compound |
| Frets | 22, choice of Jescar including stainless steel |
| Nut | Lube-infused bone, 1.650" or 1.670" wide |
| Neck Carve | Customer's spec |
| Pickups | Thorn VC-50 single coils |
| Controls | Volume, Tone, 5-way switch (middle+bridge parallel & series) |
| Electronics | 250k/500k dual-pot loading, 5-way Super Switch, CTS and Switchcraft |
| Tone Capacitor | NOS vintage Soviet P.I.O. .033 |
| Bridge | Thorn 1-piece Tremolo, Hardtail, or Brass Knuckle 2 + TailSlide vibrato |
| Tuners | Locking staggered, no string tree |
| Neck Joint | "Precision Lock" custom dovetail lap joint with contoured heel |
| Inlays | Mastodon ivory dots |
| Pickguard | Single or multi-ply, various materials |
| Finish | Ultra-thin nitrocellulose lacquer, aging options available |
| Case | G&G Hardshell included |
| Custom Options | Build-to-order — bridge style is a customer-selected option; wood, hardware, pickup and finish choices priced individually, see maker for a full quote |
Quick answers
- How much does the Thorn SoCal C/S cost?
- Thorn Guitars lists it at $7,850 (USD). Dealer and used prices vary.
- Is the Thorn SoCal C/S still available?
- Yes. Thorn Guitars lists it as a current model that's available to order.
- Who makes the Thorn SoCal C/S?
- Thorn Guitars, building gear since 1999. Where it's built: Master built by Ron Thorn in the Los Angeles area. It's listed here as an electric guitar.
- How long is the wait for Thorn Guitars gear?
- No finished guitars currently available. New guitars are built to the customer's specifications by order through thorninlay@gmail.com.