Collection: Santa Cruz Guitars
Experience the unparalleled craftsmanship and exquisite tonal quality of Santa Cruz Acoustic Guitars. Each instrument is meticulously handcrafted for superior sound, durability, and repairability. Utilizing responsibly sourced wood and advanced voicing techniques, Santa Cruz guitars offer a vintage sound from day one. Discover our collection of acoustic guitars, built with precision and passion in every detail.
Boutique Acoustic Excellence, Handbuilt in California Since 1976
Santa Cruz Guitar Company has earned its place among the finest boutique acoustic guitar makers in the world. Founded in 1976 by master luthier Richard Hoover, Santa Cruz Guitars are revered for their exceptional craftsmanship, old-growth tonewoods, and heirloom-quality builds. Each Santa Cruz acoustic guitar is handmade in Santa Cruz, California, using traditional lutherie methods and modern innovation to create instruments with soul, resonance, and character that only improve with age.
From the Santa Cruz OM model to dreadnoughts and custom shop builds, these guitars are built to be treasured by discerning players and collectors alike. Whether you're shopping for a Santa Cruz guitar for sale, looking to buy a used Santa Cruz acoustic, or exploring custom Santa Cruz options, Chicago Music Exchange is proud to offer one of the best selections of Santa Cruz guitars online.
Why Choose a Santa Cruz Guitar?
Every Santa Cruz guitar is a testament to quality over quantity. The company produces only a few hundred guitars each year, with each one receiving individual attention from Hoover’s small team of expert luthiers. Whether you're playing solo fingerstyle, backing vocals, or performing Americana, folk, or bluegrass, the Santa Cruz tone is unmistakable—warm, articulate, and responsive.
Key reasons players love Santa Cruz guitars:
- Hand-voiced tops and tap-tuned braces for optimal tone
- Premium, responsibly sourced tonewoods like Adirondack spruce, Brazilian rosewood, and mahogany
- Custom neck profiles, scale lengths, and nut widths tailored to the player
- Exceptional tonal clarity and balance across the frequency range
Santa Cruz Guitar Models & Styles
Santa Cruz Guitar Company offers a wide range of traditional and custom body styles. While each model shares a reputation for world-class build quality and tone, every Santa Cruz guitar is unique.
Popular models include:
- OM / H13 – Beloved for balance and fingerstyle responsiveness
- D / D Pre-War – Vintage-inspired dreadnoughts with huge projection
- 1929 Series – Depression-era aesthetics with warm, rootsy tone
- RS Model (Richard Hoover Signature) – Reflecting Hoover’s personal preferences
- Custom Builds – Choose your own tonewoods, inlays, bracing, and more
Each Santa Cruz guitar can be built to custom specs—from nut width and scale length to top voicing and rosette design. At CME, we help guide players through custom Santa Cruz guitar orders to get the exact tone and feel they’re after.
Artists Who Play Santa Cruz Guitars
Some of the world’s most discerning players trust Santa Cruz guitars for both recording and performance. Notable Santa Cruz artists include:
- Tony Rice – His signature model is a legendary dreadnought design
- Eric Clapton – Played a Santa Cruz FTC in the 1992 “Unplugged” concert
- Brad Paisley – A collector and player of custom Santa Cruz models
- Ben Harper – Has been seen using custom SCGC instruments
Their choices reflect the tonal nuance and build integrity that Santa Cruz guitars bring to the stage and studio.
History of Santa Cruz Guitar Company
Richard Hoover, an accomplished luthier, founded Santa Cruz Guitar Company in 1976 with the mission to combine traditional violin-making methods with modern acoustic guitar design. Hoover’s vision centered on responsible tonewood sourcing, sustainability, and luthier-driven builds—not mass production.
SCGC was among the first boutique acoustic guitar makers in the U.S. to prioritize:
- Old-growth, reclaimed, and responsibly harvested tonewoods
- Luthier-built consistency over CNC manufacturing
- Client relationships and customization
This commitment to craft has made Santa Cruz guitars a staple in the world of handmade acoustic guitars, competing head-to-head with giants like Martin Custom Shop and Collings.
Price Points & Investment
Due to their handbuilt nature and top-tier materials, Santa Cruz guitar prices typically range from $5,000 to $14,000, with custom builds reaching beyond. They hold value well in the boutique guitar market, with used Santa Cruz guitars retaining strong resale desirability.
At Chicago Music Exchange, we offer financing options, used/vintage models, and Santa Cruz custom shop consultations to help players find their perfect fit.
Why Buy a Santa Cruz Guitar from Chicago Music Exchange?
Chicago Music Exchange is the #1 destination for vintage, used, and custom boutique acoustic guitars. Trusted by collectors, touring professionals, and tone seekers worldwide, we offer:
- One of the largest selections of Santa Cruz guitars for sale anywhere
- Expert help with custom orders and builds
- Thorough documentation and in-hand inspection by our acoustic team
- Used & vintage Santa Cruz guitars with verified specs and serials
- Clear pricing and photos of the exact guitar you'll receive
Santa Cruz FAQ's
What makes Santa Cruz guitars special?
Santa Cruz guitars are handbuilt in California using premium, responsibly sourced tonewoods and luthier techniques like tap tuning. Their tone, playability, and craftsmanship are unmatched.
Are Santa Cruz guitars good for fingerstyle?
Yes. Santa Cruz models like the OM and H13 are extremely popular among fingerstyle players for their clarity, responsiveness, and balance.
How much does a Santa Cruz guitar cost?
Prices typically range from $5,000 to $14,000 depending on tonewoods, model, and custom options. CME offers both new and used models.
Where are Santa Cruz guitars made?
Every Santa Cruz guitar is made in a small shop in Santa Cruz, California, by Richard Hoover and his team.
Can I custom order a Santa Cruz guitar?
Absolutely. Chicago Music Exchange can assist with Santa Cruz Custom Shop orders, helping you choose tonewoods, neck specs, inlays, and more.
What artists play Santa Cruz guitars?
Tony Rice, Eric Clapton, Brad Paisley, Ben Harper, and many others have used Santa Cruz guitars on stage and in the studio.
Santa Cruz Strings
Santa Cruz Guitar Strings are crafted with the same obsessive attention to detail as the legendary Santa Cruz Guitar Company acoustics themselves. Designed by Richard Hoover and his team to bring out the best in boutique instruments, Santa Cruz Parabolic Tension Strings are precision-engineered to balance tone, feel, and response across every register. Unlike mass-produced guitar strings, Santa Cruz Strings are made with premium materials and exacting standards, ensuring consistent intonation, longer string life, and the perfect tension for fingerstyle, flatpicking, or strumming.
Available in low tension and mid tension sets, these acoustic guitar strings are favored by discerning players who want their guitar to sound rich, open, and balanced—without excess string tension choking out the tone. Whether you play a vintage Martin, a boutique Santa Cruz, or any finely built acoustic guitar, Santa Cruz Parabolic Tension Strings help unlock the instrument’s full voice, giving you shimmering highs, articulate mids, and deep, resonant bass.
At Chicago Music Exchange, we stock the full line of Santa Cruz Acoustic Guitar Strings so players can experience the difference a truly hand-crafted string can make. Shop Santa Cruz Strings today and discover why serious acoustic players worldwide swear by them.