Santa Cruz OM Podium

This guitar is a custom variant of Santa Cruz's standard OM model. Mine was made in 2004 I believe. It's a soft or Venetian cutaway model based on their standard, not the pre-war or advanced-X bracing. Woods are all solid with a Sitka Spruce top, Brazilian Rosewood back/sides and Mahogany neck. Finish is gloss nitro/lacquer on the body and satin on the neck. Scale is 25.5", width at nut is 1-3/4" and about 2-7/32" at the bridge. Trim level is subtle including a B/W/B top binding, single black back binding, stripeless bookmatched two piece back, single black endpiece stripe, black bound fingerboard and unbound square Brazilian faced head stock. Rosette is also subtle, focused around a delicate herringbone pattern yet including a surprising total of 10 different stripes. Fingerboard, bridge and pins are black ebony. Nut and saddle (compensated) are polished bone.. Tuners are Santa Cruz's 18:1, open backed Waverly-like offering in chrome finish with ebony buttons. Neck profile is a soft-Vee shape terminating at the 14th fret with a jazz heel at the body. Pick guard is Tortoise patterned and uniquely Santa Cruz colored. All things totalled, this guitar is very attractive, despite its seemingly spartan appointments. The Brazilian is beautiful and captivating and the Sitka top has lots of silking with little to no run-out. There is nothing 'in your face' about the trim but the more you look, the more you see. To my eye, it's understated elegance at its finest.

This is the best part... This guitar has some major mojo. Its timbre is woody, rich, full and clear with lots of character. Sustain and overtones are well balanced with the fundamentals. I'm primarily a plectrum guy who embarasses my self occasionaly with attempts at fingerstyle. This guitar does both well. Open arpeggio chords just float out of this thing and are totally captivating. The bass is surprisingly deep and full with an uncanny syncronous quality. It's like a subtle lack of dissonance in the overtones. I don't know if it's the Brazilian but it leaves you wanting for more. Trebles are loud and clear and well balanced with the bass strings all the way up the neck. Fills and solos are much more pronounced than with my Martin dreads. This guitar is by far and away the most expressive guitar I own. From whisper to growl, it does it all.

Action, from the factory, was set a bit high. This is fairly typical however and, after some saddle adjustments, action is fine. Fretwork is unique to Santa Cruz with a fairly sharp profile to the fret crown. Glides are a little tougher to execute but fret height and polish are faultless. My particular guitar has a couple problems with fit and finish. There is a finish flaw on the back. There is a 'dip' in the finish about 2" long and 3/16" wide. It appears as though there was a dry spot in the sealer coat (just guessing) that caused a dip in the finish coat. I'm sure SC will fix this but I can't bring myself to part with it (yet) long enough to allow it. Another small issue is the fit of the heel to the body. There is a small amount of overhang to the heel at the cutaway where the two mate. I'm sure the intent was for this to be flush but it isn't quite perfect. This doesn't effect playability in any way but it does sort of bother me. I guess one could have the attitude that these add 'character' to the guitar and make it identifiable and unique. On the other hand, this guitar wasn't cheap and should be visually perfect as possible. Were it not for these, I'd give it a 10.

I don't gig with this guitar but I wouldn't hesitate to do so. Finish is thin but I wouldn't be concerned with it wearing through. These guitars are built light and due prudence should be taken. It's not built like a tank but more like an airplane. With proper care and humidity control, I'm sure it will hold up fine.

I can't really speak to this as I've never contacted them. I feel very confident, however, that Richard and Dan Roberts will be responsive and responsible when and if I need their help.

'm 52 and a former professional (gigging) musician. Just play for my own pleasure now. I own multiple Martin, Gibson (and other) guitars but wanted something 'special'. After much research, I took a chance with the Santa Cruz. I'm very glad I did. This instrument is truly special and close to my heart. I find I have to play to my Martin guitars to some extent to make them sound their best. With the Santa Cruz, it's the opposite. It responds to me and any technique I throw at it. There's a subtle world of discovery there waiting to be explored. It's alive, responsive and expressive beyond all my other instruments. Would I replace it if lost or stolen? This guitar is irreplaceable IMO...

New OM model by Santa Cruz for the Podium. Brazilian Rosewood back and sides with cutaway. Sitka top, 1 3/4" nut. This guitar is detailed rather plain, something like the OM-PW but has the standard OM bracing and cut away. Workmanship is so amazing that gets a 10 even without a lot of extra features. To date, I think that only 4 of these have been produced. The Brazilian Rosewood is fantastic.

This is where it is at. If I could give this guitar a 20 in this category I would. Amazing in every way. Up the neck, base to trebble. I am a fingerstyle player and the sound just leaps off of the top with a light touch. If you dig in it just says "come on". There are some great guitars sitting in the case at my house these days because of this guitar.

I can not find a flaw anywhere on this guitar in fit or finish. Set up was a little high but that is better than it starting out lower than I would have liked. Set up now to my taste, medium/low I find all the tone and ease of play that I could ask for.

My experience with Santa Cruz in the past,(a D model and a OO),is that the finish might be a little fragile. However, I think the thin finish is part of the reason that they sound so good when new. By saying thin please don't take that term as a bad thing. Hardware is first class as is construction. These would, and do, hold up to any normal use any sane person would put a guitar like this to.

The few times I have contacted SCGC in the past they have been prompt to respond and happy to help. I have never had to do any repair but hear good things about their service. Once set up they seem to stay there so little contact with the maker is necessary.

I am 53, play every day and own some great guitars from Goodall, and SCGC. I have owned Collings, Martin, Webber and a little of just about everything else. This guitar is world class in every way. My Grandson will own this. If something were to happen to it I would make every effort to hunt the person responsible down. Since there have only been 4 of these made to date replaceing it might be a challenge. I am not the kind of guy that hands out high praise like this but this one really is something special. Even at $4k this guitar was a steal.