These days, Richard Hoover is a bit of a legend in the industry. When he started building Santa Cruz guitars in 1976, the goal was to push guitar-making to a new level of perfection. At SCGC, the goal is to build the finest, most expressive instruments possible—not to maximize sales or profits. That purity of intention translates into exceptional instruments.
The Santa Cruz 1929 OO pays homage to the simple and elegant instruments made for players enduring the Great Depression of 1929: a straightforward 12-fret OO-size body with Mahogany top, sides, and back. Vintage-inspired appointments include scalloped bracing, a period correct script style logo done tastefully in Ivoroid and beautifully executed Ebony pyramid bridge, Ebony bridge pins, Ebony tuner buttons, Ebony head-plate, and Ebony fretboard. The rosette is classy but unpretentious—a tortoise ring nestled in a vintage Ivoroid border. Citing lessons from the history of violin making, Richard Hoover insists that binding and purfling impact the sound in important ways, so the 1929 OO has Mahogany binding a simple strip of purfling on the top, back, and side edges. Since the binding is Mahogany, they blend into the sides. Gorgeous, yet artful and masterfully crafted.
This 1929 OO rolled out of Santa Cruz in 2010, and it features a beautiful full-body sunburst that looks gorgeous on top of the Mahogany grain. Because of the nuanced voicing of the top, this 12-fret responds quickly and produces a rich, articulate sound you don't expect from Mahogany. Sure, the mahogany warmth is there in spades, but there's greater balance, clarity, and a wider dynamic range than most Mahogany tops are able to provide. Careful bracing and the 12-fret design make the 1929 OO a cut above other small-body guitars.
This 2010 Santa Cruz 1929-OO shows some minor play wear and signs of the years, especially around the picking area and on the edges of the headstock (see photos - there is some snark/capo wear to the headstock). All around, this guitar is in excellent condition with no history of repairs or issues, and there's no goofy strap button on the heel, either. The setup is low and inviting, and the frets have plenty of life left in the tank. It is a responsive, lively small-body guitar that is a joy to play. A great living room guitar, it will shine on the stage and in the studio, too. Played in, and starting to open up, this Santa Cruz has a sweet voice and it plays nicely with a 1-3/4" nut width. It includes a tweed hardshell case from Cedar Creek.