Introduced at the 2024 NAMM Show this January in Anaheim, CA, this D The Vault 45-style build is the combination of the best of the best from Richard Hoover and staff at the Santa Cruz Guitar Company. Displayed in a glass cabinet for all to admire, this was THE dreadnought the entire show. What else can we say other than it was stunning to behold. 50 years in the making, The Vault Guitar Series utilizes the pinnacle of tonewoods that made their way to Richard Hoover, the founder of Santa Cruz. A guitar with a story and history? You bet.
The major components of this holy roller D Model dreadnought build have hallowed origins. First, the drop-dead and heart-swelling example of Brazilian Rosewood that comprises the body of this instrument comes from a piece Richard Hoover from SCGC recently acquired that was abandoned in a stonewalled room of the Bryn Athyn Cathedral in Pennsylvania. Originally sourced in the early 1900s/ turn of the century for inner adornments and lining of the Pennsylvanian cathedral, some leftover quartered Brazilian Rosewood was left to age to perfection in this stone room which is akin to a cave for consistent temperature and humidity- the most ideal conditions to age this extremely rare wood for the past 120 years. Beautiful in color and contrast this wood is just not bound at this age and stored condition. A true collector’s set of master grade Brazilian Rosewood from hallowed grounds.
The 200+ year old Maestro Grade old growth Northern California Redwood top hails from reclaimed timber beams that made up the room of the chapel from Fort Ross, which was established in 1812 by fur trappers on the West Coast of what would become California, near what is now Bodega Bay in Sonoma County. The Chapel was built circa 1824, entirely of old growth Redwood planks with mortise and tenon joints. An accidental fire destroyed the chapel on October 5, 1970 and during the reconstruction that ensued, the beam this top came from was partially burned and removed and was found to have spectacular quarter sawn vertical grain. Richard Hoover set aside this set in his vault as the best of the best of this marvelous wood. His assessment is the processed lumber is over 200 years old and based upon the thickness of the beams, their width and length, tightness and shape of the annual rings, that the original trees were quite massive and possibly thousands of years old.
45-style colorful Abalone Pearl purfling graces every edge- top, back, sides, fretboard, headstock, neck heel, wedge and backstrip, plus the one of a kind Gold Pearl and Mother of Pearl Moderne fretboard and headstock inlays plus full backlit tortoise body, fretboard and headstock bindings tie it all together. The Crown Jewel of this custom build is the ‘ Diamond Vault Window’ on the headstock with floating Diamond gem which is an absolute beauty to behold. Exudes dazzling brilliance, this is a build like no other- a true collector’s heirloom instrument that is part of Richard Hoover’s autobiography in a musical work of art, which is worth more than a 1,000 words.
The handmade scrimshaw “Cathedral” heelcap is work of art in itself hand done with intricate detail of the Bryn Athyn Cathedral. Other features include Bryn Athyn Cathedral Brazilian Rosewood peghead overlay, Brazilian Rosewood bridge, Vault with Diamond Window peghead inlay with Mother of Pearl Santa Cruz script logo, Moderne Vault fingerboard inlay, Waverly Nickel engraved tuners, Abalone rosette, EVO Gold fret wire, Ebony pins with Abalone dots, clear finish, LR Baggs HiFi pickup system and more.
Includes deluxe Ameritage hardshell case and Lifetime Warranty.
Free shipping in the continental United States.
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