Sometimes, it really is all you need. One pickup. One slab of mahogany. No excuses.
"Sofiya” is a stripped-back, all-mahogany JR-Style build that proves just how much tone can come from doing the simple things properly. A one-piece lightweight mahogany body sits beneath a beautifully realised aged TV Yellow nitro finish, paired with a three-piece laminated mahogany neck for added strength and stability (no fragile headstocks here). The dark rosewood fingerboard features pearl markers, 22 medium jumbo frets and a comfortable 12" radius, all finished with a hand-cut bone nut for smooth, reliable playability.
The TV Yellow finish is applied using a traditional nitrocellulose process, built up in very thin layers to maximise resonance and preserve the natural response of the wood. The mahogany body is first grain-filled using a period-correct red/brown filler, which sits beneath the colour coats and plays a crucial role in the final appearance. Rather than being fully opaque, the translucent yellow lacquer allows this underlying filler to subtly influence the hue, giving the finish its characteristic depth, warmth and slightly greened vintage cast.
The colour is carefully tuned to sit within that original mid-’50s range, shifting between warm cream and a more muted, almost olive tone depending on the light - just as the originals were designed to read under studio conditions. Once cured, the lacquer is aged to introduce fine checking, gentle sinkage into the grain and a soft, natural patina. The result is a finish that feels alive, with the texture and visual complexity of a guitar that has actually lived a little.
Hardware is deliberately simple and absolutely right. A lightweight nickel-plated aluminium wraparound bridge delivers that direct, resonant feel, while Kluson vintage-style tuners keep everything stable and true. Plastics are all hand-cut celluloid, including the beautifully aged tortoiseshell pickguard.
At the heart of Sofiya is a single Eternal "VT90" dog-ear pickup. Thick, articulate and unapologetically alive, it’s wired through CTS brass collar pots with ‘50s style wiring, a period-correct Bumblebee-style capacitor and a Switchcraft output jack. Roll it back and it cleans up beautifully. Open it up and it snarls. No compression, no safety net, just the sound of the guitar, exactly as it should be.
Specification
Model: Eternal “Sofiya”
Body: One-piece lightweight mahogany
Neck: Three-piece laminated mahogany
Neck profile: Chunky C
Neck depth: 22.6mm at 1st fret, 24.8mm at 12th
Fingerboard: Dark rosewood with pearl markers
Radius: 12"
Frets: 22 medium jumbo (6130)
Nut width: 43.3mm
Nut: Hand-cut bone
Finish: All nitrocellulose, aged TV Yellow
Pickguard: Hand-cut celluloid tortoiseshell
Bridge: Lightweight nickel-plated aluminium wraparound
Tuners: Kluson vintage-style, three-on-a-plate with oval buttons
Pickup: Eternal “VT90” dog-ear
Electronics: Electronics: CTS brass collar 500k volume and tone pots, Bumblebee-style capacitor, ‘50s style wiring, silver braided hook-up wire, Switchcraft output jack
Strings: Ernie Ball Slinky 10–46
Case: Tweed vintage-style case included
A stripped-back, all-mahogany workhorse with serious attitude and nothing to hide.
Trademark Notice
Fender®, Telecaster®, Stratocaster®, Broadcaster®, Precision Bass® and Jazz Bass® are registered trademarks of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation.
Gibson®, Les Paul®, and Les Paul Junior® are registered trademarks of Gibson Brands, Inc.
Any reference to these names is used solely to describe compatibility, tonal inspiration or historical context.
Eternal Guitars is not affiliated with or endorsed by Fender Musical Instruments Corporation or Gibson Brands, Inc.
