2003 Santa Cruz H/S 00-Size Flattop Guitar

It's really hard to complain about a Santa Cruz. These guitars sound top of the line and feel it, too. They've got confidence. The H model is loosely based on the outline of a Gibson L-00 instrument but this one has a cutaway and a bracing style and sound that gives it more of that "old Martin velvet" voice -- a bit more like a rosewood-backed 00-size Martin than the drier, punchier L-00 sound. Because the waist is tighter and the upper bout is narrower than a Martin 00, though, you do get a hair more compression and forward focus of the sound than you otherwise might.

It arrived here quite clean and the only work that needed doing was glorified setup stuff. It's now playing spot-on and is ready to go. The neck feels a bit like an old Gibson profile, with a slim-to-medium C shape that feels fairly "retro" under the fingers.

Repairs included: a light fret level/dress and quick setup.

Top wood: solid spruce

Back & sides wood: solid Indian rosewood

Bracing type: x

Bridge: ebony

Fretboard: ebony

Neck wood: mahogany

Action height at 12th fret: 3/32” bass 1/16” treble (fast, spot-on)
String gauges: 54w-12 lights

Neck shape: medium C

Board radius: 12"

Truss rod: adjustable

Neck relief: straight

Fret style: medium

Scale length: 25 3/8"

Nut width: 1 11/16"

Body width: 14 3/4"

Body depth: 4 1/4"

Weight: 4 lbs 5 oz

Condition notes: it's clean with only minor blem here and there from handling and use -- very light scratching here and there and a little bit of open pore/weather check to the finish. There's a "lip" of discolored finish around the bridge -- sort-of a milky color in front of it -- that I've also seen on plenty of other guitars from time to time. There are a few scratches on the face of the guitar to the bass side of the fretboard extension. There's mild pickwear around the soundhole and on the pickguard. The top has a couple saplines on the lower bout in the grain that look a little like very tight hairline cracks but they're not -- they're just mildly-open pores. The finish has also yellowed/milked a bit here and there over the top binding just like it did in front of the bridge. There is a K&K pickup installed (not by me, but a good job) with a volume control at the soundhole. These are great-sounding, passive, high-output pickups. No preamp or batteries needed!

It comes with: a good hard case.