1999 Santa Cruz 00 Natural East Indian Rosewood

SN 105. Lovely Santa Cruz 00 built near the end of 1999. She has aged gracefully over twenty-four years of playing and is still in EX+ to near mint condition. Very lightly built, she is a reimaging of a late stage Martin 12-fret 00-28 with some updates for the modern player. Materials include a Sitka top, East Indian Rosewood back and sides, herringbone trim, b/w rosette and zigzag center strip on the back and end. Top and back, fretboard and headstock are bound in ivoroid top and back with a subtle w/b/w detail. Bridge and fretboard are ebony. Fretboard inlays are the “short pattern” snowflakes and diamond. The bridge has a drop-in saddle and the bridge pins have the pearl inlay we associate with style 21 Martins. The mahogany neck has a modern-feeling soft-V profile with volute and high quality Waverly tuners. The finish is nitrous-cellulose gloss except the back of the neck. Once a matte finish, the neck itself has shined up from play. The SCGC logo is inlayed in the face plate of the headstock adding to the overall lovely appearance.

Inside, as you might expect, we see a maple bridge plate, scalloped X-brace and two delicately scalloped tone bars. The voicing delivers a vintage-like sound with strong volume and fat bass and mids. The response is lightening quick and the notes balanced and articulate. The 1-3/4” nut and 2-3/16” spacing at the bridge make this a comfortable player for the finger-stylist and well as the flatpicker and strummer. The neck has a non-magnetic stainless steel reinforcement and the action is an easy 6/64” on the bass side and 5/64” on the treble.

It’s hard to find any flaws in the condition; there’s a small capo mark which is visible in the picture of the neck and a couple areas in the headstock that have some small marks from changing strings. That’s pretty much it. She comes with the original case and a tortoise pickguard that was (thankfully) never applied. A fantastic little guitar; if she landed in my lap before I developed my vintage addiction, who knows? I might have looked no further.

CONSIGNMENT

Specs:
Top: Sitka Spruce
Band & Sides: East Indian Rosewood
Bridge & Fretboard: Ebony
Appointments: “Small pattern” snowflakes & diamond
Nut width: 1-3/4”
String spacing: 2-3/16”
Body width: 14-1/4”
Depth: 4”
Scale length: 24.75”
Case: OHSC