Another blast from the past –

[tadol]

I’ve posted that I’ve been lucky to pick up a few wonderful old SCs over the years – well, the sofa is out of the living room getting repaired, so I have some major floor space available and I decided to pull all the guitars I have at home out, and spend a little time with each of them. My argument is always to decide which ones to sell, but I never manage to make a decision – they’re all great – 😉

But, I thought I’d post some pics of one I really think is special – I found this online, and jumped quickly on it. I had only heard of this model, and had searched and searched for one, and when one actually showed up, well .  .  .

This is an FTC – #18 – built 8/80 – german maple back & sides, pennsylvania maple neck, western cedar top, koa accents and details. How do I know all this? Its all documented in a letter Bruce Ross wrote to the original customer, included with the guitar as well as the sales receipt and catalog and price list, where he noted that Santa Cruz had made a few guitars with cedar tops at that time, and were quite pleased with it, although it was more easily damaged. Equally nice was when I mentioned this guitar to Richard, he asked “Does it have a black mark in the back? I had a disagreement with Bruce about whether I should re-carve the back because it didn’t look very good, but Bruce said we couldn’t afford it.” Well, I like the “beauty mark” very much, and glad Bruce won that one –

Anyway – 42 years old now, so it shows a few marks and scars – nothing serious. The crew at SC took it in, reset the neck and fine tuned the set-up, and installed a set of the cool gold retro tuners that they used on the anniversary FTCs. Who knows, maybe having this in the shop was one of the inspirations for the special run they did for their 40th Anniversary? Maybe not – but it was a good call for them to make those guitars – enjoy the “guitar porn”!

• This topic was modified 2 years, 3 months ago by tadol.

[tadol]

And the documentation – and the problem in the living room that I need to explain to the wife – I think I have another week until the sofa comes back –

 

[iim7V7IM7]

Cool guitar Tad (thanks for sharing)!

It is always difficult to see if there are internal pitch pockets in a 1” billet of maple or spruce. Archtop makers deal with this challenge routinely. As you know, I own three non-SCGC carved back flattops (one being a nylon string) and they all have a unique voice compared to their ladder braced, flat backed cousins. In fact, I also own a carved top / flat backed archtop (the inverse).

[haasome]

Man, that is something to behold! Lucky boy. I have to ask you Tad, why do you need more than 1 guitar?

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– Paul –

[Anonymous]

I feel like a real cheap scape with only four guitars now. You have a nice collection.

[Hank]

I just showed this to my wife….She asked “Is Tad Still married ?

I told her you have more at your “Studio”…….She just shook her head.

I, on the other hand am supremely envious……

[bert]

I was on the phone with my daughter in Nebraska yesterday, I told her that I still have five guitars. She asked why do I need so many…. I said ’cause, just cause’.

Tad, while I can’t put myself in your shoes, I do understand. you go brother

🙂  bert

[tadol]

I am blessed with a very understanding wife – although, I have pushed that understanding pretty close to the edge –

no one needs this many guitars – least of all me. But every time I start to go through and decide which to keep and which to let go, each one reminds me of a time, or a place, or has some other special meaning which elevates it above just being an instrument. And it certainly doesn’t help that I’ve been a woodworker for so many years, and the beauty of these wooden objects appeals to me even if they were unplayable –

I have since gotten another couple FTCs, which are more “me” – but this feels like it has some historical significance with its documentation, and I’m hoping someday it makes it into a collection at the SCGC shop, for guests and future luthiers to enjoy and learn from –

[haasome]

It’s the perpetual question many of us get (mostly) from non-players. I usually answer with something like, it makes me happy. I have 10 or so guitars in my collection and the thing is, the longer I play and buy, the harder it is to sell. Over time some really great guitars have found their way into my home and I think — why would I want to sell this one. So the pressure seems to be on an expanding lot.  My wife and I like to see smiles, so all is well here too.

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– Paul –

[Matt Hayden]

Is this the one I played at your place?

If so, my takeaway was that it had a bright bark that is like a jazz guitar with huge warm bottom, and lots of string-to-string clarity.

Love those things.  I will eventually track one down….

[tadol]

Thats a pretty good description of an FTC in general! 😉  But yes, I think this is the one you played. Looking forward to getting together again – someday –

[Chrisakadigdog]

I think thats the one I played out front of the SC Civic auditorium many years back ?

[tadol]

It was either #18, or #28 – #28 has the inlays, and a spruce top, voice has a little less “bark” –

[Author]

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