Product: Santa Cruz OM-MS
Price Paid: USD 3,295.00
Submitted
02/02/2007
at
05:48pm
by
booboo
Features
:
10
A 2006 all mahogany OM model with short-scale mahogany neck & ebony fretboard. This guitar also features a Brazillian rosewood overlay on the headstock with the MOP SCGC logo, tortoise shell binding on the front & back of the body, BWBW purfling, and black binding on the fretboard. The ebony bridge has ebony bridge pins with MOP dots. The MOP dots are on the fretboard as well in a tasteful doppler pattern. The tuners are open-back nickel SCGC tuners and the nut & saddle are hand fitted dense bone. The case is the upgraded SCGC-Ameritage OM case.
Sound
:
10
This model has a deep, soulful, wooden tone. Very mellow & rich. It is very well suited for a dynamic playng style. Very versatile.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
10
The fit & finish are perfect. This is hand-buliding at its very best. The body woods are mastergrade quality, bookmatched mahogany. Very beautiful & striking in appearance. The set-up was excellent out of the box. Zero flaws or faults!
Reliability/Durability
:
10
This guitar is very light-weight but with proper care and caution it should last my lifetime.
Customer Support
:
10
The warranty is limited-lifetime. SCGC sent me a letter of a adknowledgement just a few days after receiving my warranty registration. From my research and limited experience it appears that SCGC provides excellent customer service for its customers.
Overall Rating
:
10
Although expensive, the build quality, attention to detail, and superior sound & playability make this guitar a true bargain in the long run. This is hands-down the best sounding hand-built acoustic guitar I have ever owned or played.
Product: Santa Cruz OM-MS
Price Paid: N/A
Submitted
09/13/2005
at
07:42pm
by
Dr. Dave
Features
:
10
OM style body, short scale 24 3/4 (same as an es-175, Gibson) Sitka Spruce top, Mahogany body and sides, ebony fretboard, simple dot markers, open back tuners, med/thin neck, very slight V, dovetail join, 2005 new model, no electronics, very minimal, sort of a wonderful 000-18 Martin style, 1 3/4 neck (feels like a 1 11/16), very well set up out of the box, low/med action, TDK case. I'm giving it a 10 for features because it is what it is...I have a Taylor 30th Aniversary with all the "stuff", but this guitar has "all the stuff" it supposed to have.
Sound
:
10
Very strong fundamental, loud and clear, articulate, nuanced, bright w/o being tinny. Surprisingly open for a new guitar. Very good for country, jazz, blues, folk. Extremely versatile. Not a "new age" sound. The combination of sitka spruce and Mahogany is classic, strong fundamental, can be picked loud w/o breaking up. Very nice for finger style. Once again a 10. Sound is VERY SUBJECTIVE. I a/b'd it against a 1953 0-18, Taylor 30th Aniversary, 1951 Gibson L-4C...I have to say, they all sounded great! The Taylor surprisingly has mellowed and sounds more like an articulate jazz box now...the Engleman and Koa has a nice "soft" combination. The Santa Cruz sounds more classic, like an old martin...actually, I think it sounds better than my old Martin! But, that's because its my new baby!
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
10
Very nice, not as perfect as a Taylor, But, the intonation and clarity may actually be better. It is very, very light, yet constructed very well.
Reliability/Durability
:
No Opinion
Don't know. BUT, I had an OM Santa Cruz before and it was perfect until the day I traded it for a Gibson Super 400 (that was a mistake! I tought bigger, and older was better...wrong!)
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
Don't know
Overall Rating
:
10
Playing 42 years. I play a lot, all styles. Played professionally for many years, own lots of guitars. I really like shorter scales, I really like Santa Cruz guitars, I love the OM models, I have been an archtop player for years so I am used to good action and short sustain. The Santa Cruz is articulate and accurate, light, comfortable, fretts well and just feels good. It's a "plain Jane". All the work went into its construction and sound.
I think that Mahogany guitars are an aquired taste. They don't have the "richness" of Rosewood or the sustain...and that can be a very good thing as the notes don't "get in the way" of each other.
These are pricy guitars $3300 and only 10 per cent off list, so they ain't cheap, but good stuff. I would look for a used one, but hey, its a new model. I really wanted a short scale, just so comfortable for me.
I'll write an other reveiew again in a year (G-d willing) or so to let you know how it opens up, "endures" and grows on me. Its nice to have guitars around the house. My heart goes out to the flood victims.
