OM Guitars is focused on building high-quality instruments, using precision construction methods, beautiful tone woods, and durable parts. There are several factors that set OM S1 guitars apart, from the finishing process, to the suite of electronics, to the integrity of construction. Please take a moment to learn more.

OM S1 Standard and Custom guitar bodies are built from African Mahogany. This wood has a balanced and warm tone, and a sumptuous grain. The wood is initially cut and routed on a CNC machine to ensure a high level of precision. It is then hand-sanded.

After sanding, the body is put through a ten-step oil-and-wax hand-finishing process. This process is completed over the course of several days, to ensure that each coat of oil or wax sets properly. Oils and waxes are selected to ensure beauty and durability of the finish. All cutting, sanding, and finishing is done by skilled American luthiers.

Those who have played oil-finished instruments will tell you there's just something about the tactile feel of a natural wood finish. It has an almost silky quality to it, and each body has a unique grain and character all of its own.

OM S1 Necks are made in the USA by highly-skilled luthiers. Maple necks with maple fingerboards are made from a single slab of wood for very high stability and excellent tone. Two-piece necks are also available on the S1 Standard and Elite models. All necks are treated with a very light satin finish, for a fast feel. Rosewood and ebony fingerboards are treated with a mineral oil rub to protect the wood.

The joint between the neck and body is extremely influential on the tone of the guitar. A loose joint will lead to a weaker and less-focused tone. OM Guitars uses a true bolt-on neck joint, not the much more common screw-on neck joint. We use stainless steel threaded inserts and steel machine screws to create a tight neck joint. String vibrations are transmitted between the body and neck with very high fidelity. The tonal benefits are quite obvious to the discerning ear.

All OM S1 guitars come with a special electronics package that provides maximum tonal flexibility. They come with two pick-ups (neck/bridge), with either a single-coil or humbucker in the neck position, and a humbucker in the bridge. A three-way miniswitch is used to select between or combine them.

Line-capacitance is controlled by a second three-way switch. Line-capacitance has a significant effect on tone, and can also be altered by using different lengths and types of guitar cables back to the amp. Jimi Hendrix and B.B. King are two notable artists who used line-capacitance to shape their guitar tone. OM S1 guitars have a 220pF cap to round out the presence, and a 470pF cap to fatten the treble. Center detent takes the capacitance switch out of the circuit.

High-quality electronic components are used, including Orange Drop tone capacitors, Carvin potentiometers and jacks, and All Parts miniswitches. High-grade copper wire is used to wire all components together. Copper shielding tape is used to cover the entire interior of the control cavity, to reduce noise.