Another thought excersise build to get me used to 3.5. 
This was something I made for a friend, who wanted a 2H Drow Gish. Nothing special here really, just posting it for tips for the future.
(No ToB for this one, mostly everything else is fair game)
Lesser Drow
1: Combat Wizard / Precocious Apprentice, Power Attack
2: Duskblade (BAB+1)
3: Combat Wizard / *free* (BAB+2)
4: Combat Wizard
5: Combat Wizard (BAB+3)
6: Combat Wizard / *free*, Leap Attack (req Jump 8)
7: Combat Wizard (BAB+4)
8: Spellsword (BAB+5)
9: Spellsword / Arcane Strike (BAB+6)
10: Spellsword (BAB+7)
11: Spellsword / Bonus Metamagic or Fighter Feat (BAB+8)
12: Spellsword / Combat Casting (BAB+9)
13: Abjurant Champion (BAB+10)
14: Abjurant Champion (BAB+11)
15: Abjurant Champion / *Free* (BAB+12)
16: Abjurant Champion (BAB+13)
17: Abjurant Champion (BAB+14)
18: Ruathar / *Free*
19: Ruathar (BAB+15)
20: Ruathar (BAB+16)
Wizard: 17th
BAB: +16
Arcane Spell Failure Reduction: 20%
Spellsword Channel: 3/Day
I know Spellsword isn't usually taken past a level 1 entry for Abjurant Champion, but this gave access to a Channel effect, while still reaching 16 BAB and 9th level casting in the end.
Lots of free feats, can go Extend - Persist for 6th level.
There are probably many ways to improve on this!
(Edit: Precocious wasn't needed for early entry into anything, my friend just wanted it. )
(Edit2: I've spent some time with Arcane Gishes. Mostly working out different ways to Persist, and to grab Divine Power. Incantatrix and Sacred Exo for DMM aside, there's things like the Sorcer ACF grabbing the War Domain. A Wyrm Wizard using Spell Research to grab Divine Power, a Wiz/Sorc Ultimate Mages to fuel Persisent Spell and of course Anima Mage)
I would REALLY suggest dropping spellsword beyond 1. Channel Spell just isn't that uber, largely because it's still a separate standard action with a daily limit, and it costs you a caster level. If you must do channelling, play a duskblade (who also get combat casting as a bonus feat and can pretty easily qualify for Abjurant Champion as a result, though they require drake-helms or runestaffs to put it to the best use). You seem to use duskblade here entirely for a +1 BAB and proficiencies, since it doesn't augment anything else, really; you may as well use a Fighter level for that purpose.
Fundamentally, it's all about the caster levels.
Apart from that, it's pretty textbook, and the flexible feats are nice (Extend->Persist, IBR->Shock Trooper, etc. as your friend demands).
Dusk over Fighter was just for the 'free' 3 Detect Magics and a couple of Ray of Enfeeblement / True Strikes a day. Over the bonus feat. But my original version had a Fighter level. ;)
I couldn't get 9th level casting (with 16BAB) going Dusk 3, mainly due to the lack of a caster level for Eldritch Knight 1.
Although if there was something else to take after AC/Ruathar that didn't drop Caster levels and has full BAB, Dusk 3 would be better than SS.
(Edit: Although Lion Barbarian in place of that fighter/dusk 1 would give Pounce, and still unlock SS)
Unless I'm missing something your Duskblade/Combat Wizard will be missing the AP (Heavy) requirement for Spellsword. Barbarian doesn't cut it either unless you spend a feat.
I'm guessing you know this but the "basic" Arcane Gish build is two levels in full BAB classes (needs that AP-heavy), Wizard4, SS1, AbC5, EK8. It get you to a +18 BAB (which is also your casting level) and 17 spellcasting levels. Can take out one of the "warrior" levels at the start of the build and put in Wiz 5 getting you +17 BAB and 18th level casting although that also pushes a level of EK before you dip into SS and take AbC. Of course either of these options carry too many "boring" levels for some people's tastes.
Duskblades are profiient with all armours. ;)
Yeah, you need a feat for Barb. If Pounce was really wanted.