Santa Cruz OO Custom Acoustic Guitar with Sitka Spruce and Cocobolo

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The Santa Cruz OO Custom in Sitka Spruce and Cocobolo is a study in balance, restraint, and deep musical intention. Compact in outline yet expansive in voice, this instrument reflects the philosophy that has guided Santa Cruz Guitar Company since its founding. The Sitka spruce top is clear and refined, chosen for its ability to speak quickly and mature gracefully over time. It responds with an immediate openness, offering clarity in the high register and a focused, singing midrange that suits fingerstyle and light flatpicking with equal confidence.

The back and sides are crafted from rich-grained cocobolo, a tonewood prized for its density, harmonic depth, and striking visual character. Cocobolo lends the guitar a resonant low end and a complex overtone structure that blooms as notes decay, adding warmth and dimension without ever overwhelming the fundamental. Internally, scalloped Sitka spruce braces are voiced with care, allowing the top to move freely while maintaining long-term structural integrity. The result is a voice that feels alive under the hands, articulate yet full, intimate yet commanding.

Visually, this OO Custom is unmistakably Santa Cruz in its refined elegance. Snakewood binding frames the body, fingerboard, and headstock with subtle drama, its natural patterning offering a beautiful counterpoint to the warm hues of cocobolo. A herringbone purfling traces the Sitka top with classic detail, while the zipper backstrip adds a quiet nod to traditional craftsmanship. The snakewood rosette and matching snakewood pyramid bridge tie the design together with cohesion and purpose, never ornamental for ornament’s sake.

The slotted headstock, capped with an ebony veneer, completes the vintage inspired silhouette. Nickel Waverly tuning machines with grained ivoroid buttons provide smooth, precise tuning while complementing the guitar’s understated aesthetic. The standard soft V neck profile feels immediately familiar and supportive, finished in clear matte for effortless movement. An ebony fingerboard with white side dots and the MOP SCGC 12th fret inlay offers both visual restraint and unmistakable identity.

In terms of feel and proportion, this OO body is beautifully resolved. Measuring 19.25 inches in body length with a lower bout width of 14.25 inches, a 10 inch upper bout, and an 8.60 inch waist, it sits comfortably whether played seated or standing. The 12 frets to the body and 24 3/4 inch scale length contribute to a relaxed string tension and a slightly sweeter attack. With a 1 3/4 inch nut width and 2 3/16 inch bridge spacing, the guitar offers ample room for nuanced right hand articulation. At just 4 pounds 3 ounces, it feels light, responsive, and effortlessly resonant.

Underlying every detail is the legacy of Richard Hoover and the small, dedicated team he has led for decades. Since the mid 1970s, Hoover has pursued a singular vision rooted in prewar design principles, precise voicing, and an unwavering respect for the individuality of each piece of wood. Santa Cruz guitars are not mass produced. They are built slowly, thoughtfully, and collaboratively, with each instrument receiving the attention of craftspeople who understand that great guitars are coaxed into being rather than forced into shape.

Finished in a clear gloss on the body and a clear matte on the neck, fitted with a tortoise shell pick guard, and housed in an Ameritage hard case, this Santa Cruz OO Custom is a complete expression of the company’s ethos. It is a guitar built for players who value nuance, history, and integrity, and who understand that the finest instruments are those that disappear in the hands and leave only the music behind.

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