Santa Cruz DPW

No real bonus features to speak of....no electronics, no fancy inlays, no frills. But there's tones out soundhole that you wouldn't belive. I love this guitar.

Sounds at least $1000 underpriced. The highs are really clear and snappy. The mids project very well with good balance. And the Bass is big and full. You can do anything with this guitar, depending on how you choose to attack it. If you use it for bluegrass, fingerstyle, folk, ect...it will sound great. I installed an LR Baggs I-beam paired with a paracoustic DI. I run into the mixer and everything is great.

I got it used from a bluegrass picker who had raised the action up to high for me. I had that taked care of, now it's great. The frets are good. All wood and craftsmadship is superb.

I play this guitar almost daily and at least two gigs a week. It's very durable, although I take pretty good care of it.

Never dealt with the company.

I've had this guitar for 4 years now. It's been everywhere I've been in that time. I love this guitar. I think for the price, it's one of the best guitars out there.

This guitar is not fancy with inlay and such.But the wood and workmanship of this guitar is as good as it gets.And the wood is as pretty a grain as you would ever want.The case is very top of the line.Heavey built and a very cool green interior.I am pretty shure this guitar is made like the D-18 and D-28 Martins of the 1930s.It is hand made and all the braces are hand shapes for tone.You can put your hand on the back of this guitar and talk into the sound hole,and you can feel the back vibrarate.So you know this guitar is built for sound.

The sound of this guitar is as good as it gets.When playing in an acoustic setting like bluegrass or any other acoustical setting,it will carry its wait.The sound is very mellow on the low end.Not harsh or weak.The high E and B strings are very powerful.A lot of guitars are fine when playing rhythem but when you go to play individual notes with other musicians,it loses volume.But the Santa cruz it very powerful and punchy on single notes.Very powerful,loud,deep tone.When strummy the E cord,you can feel the virbation of the wood.And the harder you play it ,the more the wood seems to vibrate,and the better it sounds.

The set up at the factory was pretty good.The frets,neck alighnment was perfect.But any guitar I have ever owned I have always had to tweek.But all I had to do to the santa cruz was lower the action a little.But the construction of the guitar was about as good, or better than most guitars I have played.I did install a LR Baggs active element.And this guitars sounds fantastic with that pickup system.The element seems to bring out the natural sound of the guitar.

The guitar seems be built very well.Seems to be very solid.You can tell a good constructed guitar by the feel of it.There is just something about a well built,top of the line instrument.

Have not had to deal with them

If you are looking for a nice high end guitar,without inlay and all the fancy stuff.And one with the best wood and craftmanship that you can buy,then try this one.I tried aleast 200 guitars before I found this one.I had never realy heard of the name.I tried every brand I came across.And they all had a weak,tingy,dead sound.No depth.No deep tone.AND WHEN I RAN ACROSS THIS ONE,I KNEW IT WAS THE ONE.

2005 DPW Santa Cruz. Sitka top, Indian Rosewood back and sides. All very nicely bookmatched. Ebony fingerboard, bridge, and heel cap. Santa Cruz's version of waverly open tuners. Very non-ornate guitar with the exception of the SCGC inlay on the headstock. Seems like a very similar appointment set to that of a D21 Martin, or, maybe like a D18GE with a sitka top and indian back and sides. Mine has 1 11/16" spacing at the nut. Some come with 1 3/4". I ordered mine through a shop, and they luckily had one in stock at Santa Cruz. I really didn't specify and couldn't figure out which to wish for. My D18GE is in that spacing, and I like both. The wider spacing is better for agressive cross-picking (and, I've heard, for fingerpicking). I think the 1 11/16" is good for my mix of strumming, hammer-ons, some linear note leads, and a small amount of cross picking. The features rating here is hard to do, as its not a feature rich guitar in appointments, but isn't meant to be. Its feature set is in its wood selection, bracing setup, quality and craftmanship, and a tremendous amount of volume and tone. In all those respects, it's top notch. First acoustic guitar that I've had that I couldn't find a imperfection on new. No unclean construction leftovers, no imperfect patterns of grain, etc.

I play a mix of acoustic styles that wind up being alt-bluegrass'ish, with some blues, country and acoustic rock thrown in there. Gonna use a L.R. Baggs M1, DI, and Crate Acoustic amp. Got the P/U this past week, but haven't tried it in the DPW yet. Acoustic tone and volume is just wonderful on this guitar. Very punchy, with tons of headroom, but still responsive and tone-rich at low volumes. Tone really reminds you of the early D28 Martins. The good tone over such a dynamic range makes you play with accenting via volume ranges with type of playing attacks (like a swell effect, I guess). I think that most Santa Cruz models would differ from this guitar, tonally, just from this model employing the fwd-shift X design of the prewar D28s. Whereas the other SCGC models have this graduated taper bracing design (see Frank Ford's site to see a good pic of that). I've played and listened to a D SC guitar, and it was just as good a tone, but had a different kind of response. Less like a D28, but not less in tone, just different, and still just as rich in overtones. Not as punchy. This DPW is definitely going to sound like a bluegrass guitar when you play it.

Action's where a bluegrasser would want. Could be slightly less and I'd probably like it better, but its definitely not as high as my D18GE came with. The neck setup, intonation, fret dressing, finish, wood joints/seams, bookmatching, and so on, are all simply perfect.

Haven't had this guitar long enough to know of issues. Finish is thick, so I guess the neck back could go sticky with warm temp and sweat (some Martins I've had in the past were prone to this). Mine probably won't see that temp extreme. And, I'd fear humidity cracks from the lightness of the guitar and extreme high-end woods in it. Its a lightly braced guitar, so I wouldn't want to carry it where I'd carry a $500 guitar. But, given that I don't have enough time in, I can't rate Reliability/Durability.

No contact yet, so I can't rate this one. The shop I bought through has always been good in rep'ing the companies and taking care of issues, so I'm not sure I'd be dealing with the company that much if an issue were to come up (i.e., the store would deal with SCGC for me).

I traded in a 80% or so 90's Martin JC40 that needed some finish fixing, a mint used Fullerton Legacy G&L, and a little boot to get this guitar. The first night I played three hours with the DPW and was very pleased with what I got for what I paid. It was definitely worth paying the most I've ever paid for a guitar for this one. From what I've seen and heard, Santa Cruz is consistent in their fit/finish/tone/wood/etc quality across models and individual guitars. I was convinced of that to the point that I ordered this one sight-unseen. Whether that was right or wrong, smart or not, it worked out well in my case. I'd say it's another notch up on my D18GE Martin. Not by a lot, but you really notice it quickly.

New Santa Cruz D/PW dreadnought...complement to the first Santa Cruz H reviewed here on Harmony Central. Indian rosewood body and sides, Sitka spruce top, ebony fingerboard. 1 11/16" at the nut, standard scale length. Pre-war bracing (advanced X bracing) to emulate older, desired American dreadnoughts. Simple design as far as ornamentation: basically none...no back "zipper", simple headstock, no herringbone trim, simple tortoise shell-like pickguard. Tuners are Santa Cruz' version of Waverlys. Quality hard case included with purchase.

As expected with a dreadnought a powerful bass is available when pushing this guitar. However, it is also balanced appropriately with the mid and treble frequencies so that the bass isn't too overpowering. Also, the bass never gets mushy or loose...stays strong but tight and focused. Fair amount of headroom when strummed...this model is quite capable of holding its own in playing sessions...enough volume in reserve if need be. During single string runs the treble notes are not lost vs. those of lower registers...very well balanced yet still having that dreadnought feel and sound. A bonus with this model is that fingerpicking sounds better than expected...not an OM of course, but can do it respectably.

Action is good...not real low but about right for a guitar designed to be strummed hard. Tuners work very well; precise and hold the tension easily. With that in mind it intonates quite well and sounds as in tune high up on the fretboard as it does on first position chords. No problems with guitar so far...it is kept properly humidified as this type of guitar should be...very key for these.

As stated at top of review this is a complement to another Santa Cruz acoustic guitar. That guitar...an H model...is over four years old and doing very well...has opened up perfectly and has no structural issues. Expect this to do the same with proper humidification and ensuring no exposure to temperature extremes.

Never have had to deal directly with the company. The store from where it was purchased is very good about adjusting the truss rod if need be or just taking a look at it to make sure it's aging properly. Lifetime warranty to original purchaser.

Have played for YEARS. Have played many other brands of acoustics but have only purchased Santa Cruz as they deliver what they specifically say they will. High quality guitars that have been painstakingly handcrafted and designed...it shows in the build quality and of course, the tone.

This dreadnought guitar has rosewood back and sides, spruce top,mahogany neck, ebony fretboard, bridge and bridge pins, bone saddle and nut and Waverly tuners. The braces are forwarded shifted and scalloped. It has a full gloss finish. It also has black binding. The appearance is very plain, but the workmanship and materials are excellent. It is also very light in weight.

This guitar is the best sounding acoustic I have ever played and I've been playing for 39 years. It has a bellowing bass, rich mids and sparkling trebles. The sound just explodes from it. It is extremely responsive. If you bang out bluegrass rhythms it will beg you for more. If you want it to whisper, it will with clarity. It is positively addicting. I really wanted a Tony Rice model and found that while the Rice may be more attractive, the D/PW blows it away in tone. And for a lot less money.

As mentioned early the craftmanship is impeccable. Mine has bookmatched woods. The action is smooth and silky. The neck feels very comfortable to my medium size hands. It's a joy to play.

Though this is a light guitar, the construction is strong. Richard Hoover, the King of Cruz, stated the tops on all SC guitars sinc ethe mid 90s are radiused to add to the structural integrity. I'd have no problem playing live with it.

I've e-mailed the company many times, but they've never answered. Richard Hoover himself does respond quickly to questions on the SCGC players forum. I also understand they prefer to speak over the phone. Never had to call them.

I've been playing guitar for 39 years. I own two Martins, a Guild, a Dobro, a Larrivee and a Rigel mando. If I lost this D/PW, I'd be heartbroken. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another one. In fact, this one is making me consider getting rid of several other guitars. I could live with this and one Martin.

2000 Santa Cruz D pre-war. This guitar delivers exactly what I wanted. I didn't want a guitar that would get ooh's and aah's when I opened the case. But I get's them when I play. It has rosewood back and sides with a spruce top. Nice high gloss finesh. Simple and to the point. I use a Fishman Rare Earth soundhole pickup for plug in gigs. I prefer to close-mic the guitar.

I play almost every style out there right now. Rock to gospel to R&B to jazz. This guitar goes with me everywhere now. Awesome responce. Beautiful balanced tone with lots of sustain. Great guitar for bluegrass or county. But can be used anywhere.

Action is a little low for heavy bluegrass flatpicking, but otherwise great. Finish is exceptional. Frets are all good.

Haven't had any problems with it yet!

Never had to call them for any reason.

I have had this guitar almost a year and it is amazing. It took the main axe role as soon as I got it. I have other Martins and a Taylor 414ce and I never even pick them up anymore. I wish that I could find another one cheap so I could have a backup! Great Guitar!

Standard DPW per the Santa Cruz website. I've got a Fishman Rare Earth but would recommend the Rare Earth Blend or some pickup with a condenser mic to get a purer sound. Anyway, I run the DPW through a SansAmp acoustic DI, which works well for what I need. DPW comes with very nice Grover tuners that hold intonation very well. Aesthetically a very plain instrument but the amount of care taken is clear.

Articulation, balance, tone are all outstanding. Rich and warm. I play Elixir lights but have found D'Addario EXPs generate a brighter sound. I am primarily a strummer with some flatpicking and fingerstyle. The DPW is not overpowering, but it does have good projection and the sound is easy to control

Action is a little stiff, even after a custom setup. You definitely can't be lazy. Factory set up was also a bit high, but my experience is that it's not uncommon. I had the guys at Rudy's do a complete set up (they are awesome). There was actually a small flaw with the bridge (it started to separate a tiny bit shortly after I acquired it) but the SC customer service people were very helpful and resolved the situation in no time. Otherwise, everything else was top notch.

This is a workhorse guitar. Very durable and very dependable. I use it for almost all my live playing. Absolutely does not go wrong here.

Outstanding. They get it.

If you're looking for a D under $2,500, I really don't know how you can do better than this.

2004 pre-war model dreadnought. 14 fret, non-cutaway, made in Santa Cruz, California. Solid rosewood back and sides with a solid sitka spruce top. I bought this guitar without a pick-up but will install the L.R. Baggs iMix as soon as it comes in the mail. A very simple but elegant look; I'm especially fond of the old school open back tuners. And I never thought I'd care about fret dressing but the fretwork on this guitar is so nice it deserves comment. Not a lot of bells and whistles, but everything a guitar needs...

I'd been looking for a flatpicking guitar for a long time. I was pretty sure I wanted a dread with rosewood and spruce. Until now, my main acoustic has been a Lowden O 10--incredible sound, poor intonation, less than stellar playability. My priorities were great tone, good intonation, and good playability. I played Martins, Taylors, Larivees, and all the rest before deciding on the Santa Cruz. This was simply the best sounding guitar of the bunch. I also really liked Collings, Huss and Dalton, and a few others, but they were all out of my price range. The tone on this guitar is excellent. This guitar properly transmits what a s/rw dread should sound like. Compared with the others I tried, this guitar sounds like the veil has been lifted off of it. It's loud, clear, and lush. It really sounds as close to an old d-28 as you can get for the price. Nice bass response but especially fine mids and treble. And the louder you play, the better it sounds. Great for anything picked; especially nice for a medium to heavy strum and solos. If you're looking for a finger-style guitar you shouldn't be looking here, but if you occassionaly fingerpick you won't be disappointed in the D/PW as it is nicely balanced. The intonation on this thing blows me away--it's always in tune, everywhere. The nut is 1 11/16, just smaller than the more common 1 3/4. I find the smaller string spacing allows faster single note playing. If you are looking for a dreadnought and are considering a d-28 or 710 I highly recommend that you try the D/PW.

Beautiful set-up. Top-quality workmanship.

Too early to tell, but I plan on playing out with the Santa Cruz and will probably rely on it as my new number 1.

N/A.

Although I love the sound of my Cedar/Mahog Lowden, I've been searching for a Spruce/RW guitar with different sonic qualities. This is simply the best sounding dread I could find in my price range. I recommend it without reservation.

Very expensive guitar not worth the money. A forward pre-war bracing pattern. For the high cost this model is pretty plain jane.

The guitars action was very stiff even though it was a five year old guitar. The guitar is very quiet and unforgiving when the strings are not clamped down perfectly.

Action was stiff however workmanship was perfection. No glue spills and perfect fittings. For such an expensive guitar though, I expect much better action and sound.

I think reliability and durability would be excellent

Very good customer support

I have played just about all brands. Ive owned Martins, Larrivee, Taylor, Froggy Bottom, Breedlove, Goodall, Gibson, Garrison, Takamine and Alvarez Yairi. I have spent way too much money to finally discover that Alvarez- Yairi are the best deal around. Ive owned over a dozen Yairis and only two didnt sound very good.If you are gonna buy unheard guitars on internet, please absolutely stay away from Martins, Gibsons, Santa Cruz, Breedlove and Garrisons.