Members gnugear Posted July 25, 2006 Members Posted July 25, 2006 The last time I played a Santa Cruz (10 years ago), I was totally impressed but couldn't afford one. Now that I'm looking again, a couple local dealers quit carrying them and I've heard their quality isn't as consistent. What's up? Have they become a "larger" company or is it a disgruntled dealer?
Members studyscoot Posted July 25, 2006 Members Posted July 25, 2006 was this something you heard here on the board or did one of the washington dealers stop carrying them?
Members Queequeg Posted July 25, 2006 Members Posted July 25, 2006 scgc gets surprisingly little ink in this forum. I haven't played one for years. the two shops I frequent, Herb David and Elderly do not carry them.
Members gnugear Posted July 25, 2006 Author Members Posted July 25, 2006 It was something I heard from the dealers. I was surprised because I few I played were terrific ... I just couldn't afford them at the time.
Members riffmeister Posted July 25, 2006 Members Posted July 25, 2006 Originally posted by gnugear The last time I played a Santa Cruz (10 years ago), I was totally impressed but couldn't afford one. Now that I'm looking again, a couple local dealers quit carrying them and I've heard their quality isn't as consistent. What's up? Have they become a "larger" company or is it a disgruntled dealer? No, they are definitely not a larger company. And the quality is still there........I have no idea what your dealer was talking about.
Members t60 fan Posted July 25, 2006 Members Posted July 25, 2006 I played a used one at GC about a year ago and was in instant guitar-lust. A few weeks later I was in there again and started to play it to show it to my son, and it was all screwed up. I asked the salesman, and he said someone bought it, and returned it in that condition.
Members Whalebot Posted July 25, 2006 Members Posted July 25, 2006 Hey Queequeg, I saw them at Elderly earlier this year! Sounded nice, action was a bit high.
Members Andrewrg Posted July 25, 2006 Members Posted July 25, 2006 Don`t worry, SCGC quality is as good as it ever was. There was an issue a few years ago about tops being too thin and distorting but that`s history now.
Members Queequeg Posted July 25, 2006 Members Posted July 25, 2006 Thanks, I'll look for them next time. I always thought they were pretty nice guitars, but a little stiff, at least when new. I'm going up to Lansing for a Peter Lang guitar workshop there in October. probably won't get there before that.
Members da mayor Posted July 25, 2006 Members Posted July 25, 2006 Santa Cruz has about 20 guys that make around 700 guitars a year. Pretty much all hand made. If you have any questions at all, call their number and often its the owner, Richard Hoover, who answers the phone and will chat with you. Try that with any other maker you can think of. I have mid 90's F I bought used that has some issues (not due to the guitars construction but due to the previous owners abuse, which I won't go into here). I've talked to both Richard Hoover and his chief luthier and production manager, Dan Roberts. Even though I'm not the original owner and so it's not under warranty any longer, their working to, as Richard said, "make it right". Great service, great guitars, and a great company. You can't go wrong, imo.
Members JasmineTea Posted July 25, 2006 Members Posted July 25, 2006 Originally posted by da mayor Even though I'm not the original owner and so it's not under warranty any longer, their working to, as Richard said, "make it right". Great service, great guitars, and a great company. You can't go wrong, imo. Wow. I'd heard somewhere that they were having some quality issues, but I found it hard to believe. The first OM-PW I played will stand out in my memory for a long time. That thing opened my eyes (and ears) to what a great OM can do.
Members Queequeg Posted July 25, 2006 Members Posted July 25, 2006 a friend of mine was travelling out that way about a year ago. He stopped in to have a look around. Richard Hoover gave him a tour of the place. That made an impression on him.
Members da mayor Posted July 25, 2006 Members Posted July 25, 2006 Origionally posted by Jasmine Tea Wow. I'd heard somewhere that they were having some quality issues, but I found it hard to believe. The first OM-PW I played will stand out in my memory for a long time. That thing opened my eyes (and ears) to what a great OM can do. JT, I want to make it really clear that the issues with this guitar have nothing to do with Santa Cruz's quality of construction, but with the previous owner's abuse. Specifically, the guitar had obviously been allowed to dry out, most likely for an extended period, and never re-humidified properly. When I got it, the fret ends were sticking out beyond the binding and it had a really bad buzz all along the low e string. In addition, several of the frets (4-7) had obviously been replaced (obvious because they were of the wrong diameter of fretwire and were not beveled correctly) and the nut had been replaced. I could tell that because the binding had been butchered at the nut, the nut was not positioned correctly in the slot (it was tilted forward), and the fret slots looked like they had been done in someone's basement with a pen knife. None of these issues had anything to do with Santa Cruz, but I think were caused by some idiot trying a home remedy to the damage caused by letting it dry out. Nevertheless, Santa Cruz has been terrific at working with me and Gryphon to get it repaired properly. Gryphon has replaced the nut, done a refret and releveled the fretboard. It still has some buzz on the low e, and I'll likely end up sending it back to Santa Cruz (their offer, by the way) for a likely neck reset. Since its not under warranty, and the issues were not related to any manufacturing problems, I seriously doubt that any other company would even have bothered talking to me, much less offered to make repairs at what amounts to no more than cost (and at much less than Gryphon would charge, by the way). When I pointed out to Dan Roberts that it was used, he told me it didn't matter since Richard Hoover didn't want anyone to be unhappy with a Santa cruz, ever. How can you beat that? Just wanted to make that clear. I don't want anyone getting the wrong impression.
Members da mayor Posted July 25, 2006 Members Posted July 25, 2006 JT, on re-reading, maybe I misunderstood your post. If so, sorry for the long winded response.
Members JasmineTea Posted July 25, 2006 Members Posted July 25, 2006 Originally posted by da mayor JT, on re-reading, maybe I misunderstood your post. If so, sorry for the long winded response. I did'nt take it to mean there was any issue with SCGC, I found it interesting that they seem to be going the extra mile for you. But thanks for going through the trouble to clarify.
Members da mayor Posted July 25, 2006 Members Posted July 25, 2006 de nada. And yeah, the OM-PW is a killer, isn't it. Played one recently, at Gryphon as a matter of fact. It's making me think seriously of what I can trade in for it. Maybe they'll take the F
Members JasmineTea Posted July 25, 2006 Members Posted July 25, 2006 Darn it. There's only one shop within reasonable driving distance to me that carries them. With all this SCGC talk I gotta plan a trip down there just so I can play them again, get an ear-full.
Members min7b5 Posted July 25, 2006 Members Posted July 25, 2006 Originally posted by da mayor de nada. And yeah, the OM-PW is a killer, isn't it. Played one recently, at Gryphon as a matter of fact. It's making me think seriously of what I can trade in for it. Maybe they'll take the F I'm taking my OM/PW to the grave, hopfully not soon though:)
Members studyscoot Posted July 25, 2006 Members Posted July 25, 2006 sorry to be "that guy" but I remember posting about this same topic a while back. I did end-up talking to the dealer about why he decided to quit carrying SCGC. He said that for some reason or another he had noticed the decline in quality as well. Sad story, as I had wanted to play a few of them while I was in town. The store was the "olde town pickin parlor" in denver.
Members knockwood Posted July 25, 2006 Members Posted July 25, 2006 I find it tough to imagine that the folks who made thishttp://elderly.com/new_instruments/items/SCH13.htm ...could ever have QC issues. Not on an ongoing basis, anyway. I did notice when this came up a while back that Buffalo Bros. no longer has SCGC listed on their site, and I found that curious, but I have no clue what's behind that. I was at Rudy's on 48th St. a year or so back - great store, btw - and their acoustic guy, Gordon, was telling me about a custom SCGC git he'd ordered for a customer. This one was running late. Apparently Richard Hoover likes to inspect every git before it ships. Evidently he was displeased with this one because the report on its tardy status was that following his inspection, he had smashed the guitar to little itty bits. Sounded to me like pretty good QC (although I'd prefer they just give the rejects to, say, me).
Members Sweb Posted July 25, 2006 Members Posted July 25, 2006 Originally posted by studyscoot sorry to be "that guy" but I remember posting about this same topic a while back. I did end-up talking to the dealer about why he decided to quit carrying SCGC. He said that for some reason or another he had noticed the decline in quality as well. Sad story, as I had wanted to play a few of them while I was in town. The store was the "olde town pickin parlor" in denver. I remember this. I asked you a couple of questions about the details of the dealers statements but your reply was that is was in a general sense - no details offered by him - and that was a wile ago.
Members min7b5 Posted July 26, 2006 Members Posted July 26, 2006 Originally posted by studyscoot sorry to be "that guy" but I remember posting about this same topic a while back. I did end-up talking to the dealer about why he decided to quit carrying SCGC. He said that for some reason or another he had noticed the decline in quality as well. Sad story, as I had wanted to play a few of them while I was in town. The store was the "olde town pickin parlor" in denver. Most of the time it
Members emir Posted July 26, 2006 Members Posted July 26, 2006 I own a SC 000, and I must say that their basic inlaying job can be A LOT better! from the specimen in my possession, it seemed to me that too much filler material and glue was used. 'shocking' was what my guitar tech said. I also noticed a post about how thin SC's tops are. they are really thin! Richard wasnt kiding about maintaining 47% humidity. ive had some probs with buldging tops around the bridge area, although i have been led to believe that SC pre-arch their tops the late 90's. will post pics upon request by believers and unbelievers alike. and I dont believe Richard destroys his (reject) guitars, I know for sure SC sells seconds. I have proof! dont get me wrong, my 000 may be ugly in her own ways but she sure can sing like the angel that she is!
Members knockwood Posted July 26, 2006 Members Posted July 26, 2006 Originally posted by emir and I dont believe Richard destroys his (reject) guitars, I know for sure SC sells seconds. I have proof! Not sure I believe it either. But when I heard it, I thought it made a cool story.
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