#76
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Has SCGC changed in that time? If not, it's still a relevant question for those who care (I don't). I would rather pick, strap, capo.... threads be reactivated rather than have 10 new ones every week.
Last edited by ManyMartinMan; 11-22-2019 at 11:25 PM. |
#77
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You are starting from a point where you have nice guitars. And as every guitar is slightly different even between large production (like Martin D28s) you might already have a special guitar in your stable,. So it is possible you won't be wowed by SCGC products.
My only experience with them is a Vintage Jumbo I bought used from a fellow American in Thailand. I kept that guitar there for almost 10 years in my condo. The AC would not be running in the months I was in the USA and humidity would rise to tropical levels. On return I would fire up the AC and after a day or two the guitar was playing and sounding perfectly. Action stayed put and intonation was excellent. And when the excess moisture was drained out by the AC it sounded perfect. I liked it a lot. Is/was it great? I don't know. I currently own a McPherson Brazilian I think is better and a Ryan that is awesome. I think it is a better guitar than my R Taylor (which is an excellent guitar). But I'd not feel deprived if that SCGC was the only guitar I would have the rest of my life. |
#78
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In my experience, yes.
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#79
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Yes. I put them right there with Collings.
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#80
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I have a rosewood SCGC D P/W, and recently compared it to a Collings D3 and my personal favorite a Larrivee D03R.
The SCGC has a very nice lower midrange tone, and more presence than the Collings. The Collings is very balanced. My Larrivee sounds similar to the SCGC... |
#81
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Are Santa Cruz guitars really that great?
Pick one:
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Emerald X20 Emerald X20-12 Martin D18 Martin 000-15sm |
#82
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My SCGC Skye 00 is amazing in terms of the volume and clarity it produces. Being a small body, the bass is somewhat subdued but it's the perfect amount for fingerstyle playing which was the design basis of the guitar. Fit and finish is superb.
So from my experience with this guitar (it's a forever guitar), I'd consider another SCGC and the H-13 looks intriguing.
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Doerr Trinity 12 Fret 00 (Lutz/Maple) Edwinson Zephyr 13 Fret 00 (Adi/Coco) Froggy Bottom H-12 (Adi/EIR) Kostal 12 Fret OMC (German Spruce/Koa) Rainsong APSE 12 Fret (Carbon Fiber) Taylor 812ce-N 12 fret (Sitka/EIR Nylon) |
#83
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I think they build nice instruments. The construction is consistently good and they seem reasonably consistent in tone. While I’ve played a lot of them, I’ve never found one I wanted to take home. I acknowledge that they make nice instruments and I understand why people would like them, but my tastes in production instruments tend towards vintage Martins and Collings - two admittedly different beasts that I admire for their differences. To me, Santa Cruz seems to be aiming at the vintage Martin sound but not quite nailing the target. I understand why people like them and would never question someone’s judgment for saying “I love Santa Cruz guitars” - but I don’t.
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#84
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I adore the company and their guitars! I had a 000 slothead a couple years back that I mistakenly traded. It's the one guitar I miss. Someday I bet I own another SC...they are fantastic guitars.
scott |
#85
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Quote:
It truly is fabulous that we have so many great choices in guitars with nuances that speak to what our unique tastes in tone are. Best, Jayne |
#86
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Quote:
For me, there's no single brand or model of guitar in which every instrument -- or even the majority of instruments -- is a wowzer. Including Martin and Collings. |
#87
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Quote:
My Santa Cruz go-to is the VS, which is generally their version of a J-45. Compared to the good J-45's I've played, I wouldn't say it replicated that Gibson tone, but it's fine in its own right. I agree that many SCGC models lean towards the vintage sound. But if you throw in some of their other creations, like the Eric Skye 00, it throws off that generalization. Santa Cruz guitars are fine guitars, but just one of many great choices available to us. Personally, I haven't been blown away by every Santa Cruz I've played, but when they do speak to you, they're hard to resist. A lot of comments for a zombie thread. |
#88
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The thread might be old but the topic isn't so I guess that is why folks jumped on board. I have found that when we discuss "brands" here that people have strong feelings both ways so many feel the need to speak their minds.
Best, Jayne |
#89
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I played a few, and based on that experience I'd say they're probably great guitars, but I didn't deem the sound to be anywhere close to what I expected based on the figures I remember seeing on some of their price tags. Me personally, I'd take a Collings over an SC any day, unplayed and unseen.
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"I've always thought of bluegrass players as the Marines of the music world" – (A rock guitar guy I once jammed with) Martin America 1 Martin 000-15sm Recording King Dirty 30s RPS-9 TS Taylor GS Mini Baton Rouge 12-string guitar Martin L1XR Little Martin 1933 Epiphone Olympic 1971 square neck Dobro |
#90
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Whats really interesting to me is that Santa Cruz builds like the best solo luthiers - they can build the guitar you want, with the kind of tone and response you want, but only if you know what you want. I can’t imagine how anyone could spend 30 seconds with a guitar of that quality and feel they understand it.
What anyone interested in a SC needs to understand is that their basic models are built to match a tonal model they’ve established for that guitar, and the different models are truly different - more so than guitars from many small shops and factories. Some builders have a kind of signature tone - bright & sharp, or a dominant bass, and people buy that brand because they want that tone profile - or they’ll excitedly buy the one that has that dominant characteristic tempered. But SC can make adjustments, each model is capable of a range of customization to adjust the tone or response to meet the desires of the customer (its more than choosing the kind of wood) - thats the kind of customization that you can normally expect only from the most experienced solo luthiers. There is a good reason the great majority of their builds are custom, and relatively few guitars make their way into the retail dealer chain. No one builds a better guitar than Santa Cruz - but I understand that they are hard to find, so hard to try, and I cannot recommend anyone buy one without having played one (or many more!) first - especially since they are not inexpensive. But find the right one (or the right few - 😎 ) and they really are that great - and it really will be, the one you keep -
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More than a few Santa Cruz’s, a few Sexauers, a Patterson, a Larrivee, a Cumpiano, and a Klepper!! |