Santa Cruz H13 Custom Sitka Spruce

This H13 Sunburst is out of this world!  An absolutely stunning instrument.  The H13 defines the Santa Cruz sound.  Elegant, bold, bright, articulate the incredible Santa Cruz Guitar's H13s.  Richard Hoover has only gotten better with time.  He continues to build mind blowing acoustics that are simply at the pinnacle of American Lutherie.

So, What’s up with thirteen frets? The historical precedent for this classic shape was the Gibson ‘Nick Lucas Special’ from the 1920’s and ’30’s, the one Bob Dylan holds in early photos. The “H” designation is an acknowledgment to the guardian of the lore of all things vintage and stringed, Maestro Paul Hostetter, who commissioned SCGC to build the prototype in 1978. In spite of the question of whether the historic 13 frets to the body had any basis in acoustic science, our reason for using it does.

SCGC’s concept for the H-13 is to achieve power beyond what would be expected in a small-bodied guitar. Two fundamental lutherie tricks make this possible: a longer string length (more downward pressure at the saddle) and more air space via a deeper body (increased volume and bass response). To place the bridge in the optimal position for power and maintain the longer string length, the neck needs to join the body at the 13th fret. Cool, huh? This is a gorgeous classic with power and presence expected from a much larger instrument. Perfect for aggressive fingerstyle blues and vocal accompaniment, the H-13 feels really sweet to hold.  HBG is an authorized dealer for all Santa Cruz instruments.  Call now to for more info on this SC gem!