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I had no idea that Santa Cruz FJZ existed…. much less that it’s a 17″ arch top. I have a heritage eagle 17″ sitka maple right now and it’s been the only guitar I’ve played since I got it a few months ago. Thanks for letting me know that Santa Cruz makes one
Well one thing I’ve found out in the past year is that those small diaphragm condensers and good preamps add a lot of mid range character to the guitar that’s hard to get acoustically … that is a really nice recorded sound. Thanks for sharing!
I would like to hear his thoughts on a 17″ lower bout FTC. I prefer the 17 to 16 and 18 inch on arch tops and would love to hear an FTC with a bit bigger sound. It would be better for us who don’t fingerpick I would think and like a chunkier response
Hank’s question about binding would also be interesting to hear, when I ordered my guitar they said it was just cosmetic but in the years later they said it all helps here and there and effects it … so I’d be curious if they pinned down the effect of wood binding. I know that the binding they use when it’s not wood is plant derived though
Hmmmm, maybe because of the situation right now they rushed through telling you it’s ebony… it looks like a rosewood or something. Beautiful guitar, congratulations. I could be wrong looking at it though, like he said, email in the serial and double check… maybe send a pic along with it. I definitely am not a guru of ebony, but I agree with you it typically looks black or with a bit of white streaking. That has the texture, pattern, and color of the rosewood on the rest of the guitar
I really enjoyed the first four or five podcasts, since then I haven’t had time to sit down with an empty mind and listen to any of them – miserably busy when most people are bored and locked down
I didn’t notice any difference or struggle, the video I sent you I picked it up and immediately was recording. First time ever playing one. I remember it feeling totally natural, I personally would not worry about it, I can recommend it with ease if it’s something you’re interested in. It did not feel tight, cramped, or out of place
JAMKC, I think the Firefly is one of the top Santa Cruz experiences I’ve had. It sounds like a guitar that an engineer recorded and polished. I love the Firefly, F, and Sloped Shoulders. The firefly doesn’t sound small like the F even though the F is much bigger.
If you type in Carmelo Santini into YouTube or Carmelo Santini Santa Cruz Firefly it should bring up a video Santa Cruz Firefly #260. I actually find that the firefly is the ONLY santa cruz I have ever played that not only was I satisfied with the stock setup, I would actually prefer it – THE ONLY ONE! Everything else I much prefer having hide glue and adirondack top and braces etc… they don’t even sound right to me with sitka or italian so far. Firefly has been the exception. I loved it. I would get one myself if it ever pops up on Reverb when I’m in the position.
To answer your question about the size, I did not notice any difference when I picked it up to play, it was very comfortable. I’m not one too bothered by scale length or spacing changes though, I’ll play anything if it sounds good
They allowed me the option of pre-war bracing or deep body on my OM Grand, I took the pre-war bracing. I kick myself though because I think in hindsight for me a deep body and slightly shorter scale would have been just what I need. The way it’s setup right now is killer for finger style , I think the deeper body and shorter scale whatever the length be would have been better for strumming
I think part of a recipe for an OM Grand for me that would have improved what I ordered on my Italian Cocobolo prewar braced one would be to have a slightly shorter scale… 24.9 or 25.25 as well as a deep body. I notice the skye model uses that as well on the OO and I think it would really complete the package. I’m surprised more OM Grands haven’t gone out with those specs. I’d really be curious to see a 12 fret version as well. I think that would be super tasty and for me sit the guitar I have now into perfection based off of how it effects other models.
Zorro, I know I can speak for myself that when we only have 1 santa cruz we always have those frustrations playing one all the time when we ourselves try to cover a lot of ground haha. I wish we were all able to have a collection such as you! One cure for being tired of a sonic characteristic is to have an opposite and complimentary one available hehe, after all my long scale projective focused metallic OM Grand can in no way strum the way a RS or VS would , and I have a particular affinity for adirondack and have not found anything else to replace it. Yes I like sitka and italian, but ohhhh something about that pick response from adirondack and power is just so quintessential
Hmmmm, I went to edit my post but it’s not showing. I was just trying to add on that my wife always tells me my guitar sounds better when I play with my fingers – but then I tell her I like to strum! She can see my predicament with the guitar sounding so good, but only being the right guitar to use 15-25% of the time for me. I can get by with it as a strummer with medium gauge 80/20 strings on the slightly higher saddle Richard cut. It still shines with lights and fingers though. I’m so glad that she gets down in the nitty gritty with me on guitars and supports having multiple… she even wants to pick up some instruments now! Winner!
That’s pretty good! I did a comparison in Austin between my Italian/Cocobolo and an Adirondack/African blackwood. Totally liked the shop one better than mine, until I gave up on santa cruz strings and put on 80/20 on mine. I think 80/20 really helps with rosewoods being less metallic for me. I wouldn’t choose again a rosewood OM Grand for strumming, but a deep body mahogany I might give a shot… or a deep body on that African blackwood one.
I’m actually selling my Italian/Cocobolo on reverb, I feel like it’s more of a Skye model , very rich and complex more for finger style. I like to strum with thick picks and sing and it gets in the way of my voice. If anyone ever becomes interested… I love the guitar for what it does, but that is something that I pretty much never personally do music wise
Tad I agree with you, a lot of Santa Cruz mahogany guitars are more pleasing to me behind the guitar, but when I listen to video my wife shoots the rosewood sounds good when you get far away from the guitar whereas the mahogany can start to sound a little too dry in a bigger acoustic audience. Always very interesting… I would love to have many santa cruz guitars to use for whichever situation
