Exploring inventive designs at his store in Georgia, luthier Ian Reddick aimed to resolve a standard drawback – cowl a variety of tones on a gig with out lugging a small military of guitars. His answer is the Voyager, a modular and extremely customizable guitar that allows a participant to swap out pickups in seconds.

And after we say “seconds” we imply, like, three. In Reddick’s hot-swap design, every pickup set is in a 6×4″ picket field that matches right into a cavity behind the strings; pull the present module from the again utilizing the thumb gap, and snap a brand new one in place.

Not like prior ideas stretching again to Ampeg’s acrylic Dan Armstrong in 1969, Reddick’s design focuses on the quick-change; no instruments are required and also you don’t even should take your guitar from round your neck. Plus, you’re not restricted within the number of pickups. Seymour Duncans are normal, however Reddick will customise a module with most any pickups. Management panels are modular, as effectively, with Les Paul and Strat configurations and three-way and five-way blade switches.

Reddick is dedicated to a steampunk-meets-artisan vibe for the Voyager CS. The compact, semi-hollow mahogany physique with flame-maple prime and Aqua end on our tester was personalized with a Duesenberg vibrato (hardtail is inventory). Brushed-aluminum controls contrasted tastefully with the wooden pickguard and granadillo fretboard with compound radius and offset markers. The 22-fret neck was maple with a singular headstock that positioned the G-string tuner on the tip.

We had been equipped with two modules – one with Fender Noiseless single-coils, one other with Fralin humbuckers. Performed clear, low frequencies from the Fralins had been a bit muted, main us to wonder if some resonance was misplaced given the three-part physique. However the guitar has good maintain, and the more-driven tones attribute of every pickup set had been delivered faithfully.

With its nice woodwork and an ingenious modular design, the Voyager will take you thru a wide-ranging gig on only one guitar.

This text initially appeared in VG’s September 2023 concern. All copyrights are by the creator and Classic Guitar journal. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.