A unique build from from Santa Cruz Guitar Company, the custom 45-style Firefly is built with rare 3000 Year Old Ancient Sitka Spruce top from Alaska paired with African Blackwood back and sides, with 45-style Abalone purfling on every edge- top, back, sides, rosette, neck heel and wedge plus custom fretboard and headstock purfling and backstrip. Full Ivoroid body, fretboard and headstock bindings create a nice contrast to the tonewoods and Adirondack Spruce bracing with hot hide glue under the hood help drive this small body wonder.
Measuring 13″ across at the lower bout and a body depth of 4 3/16″, this is one of the smaller builds for Santa Cruz. Do not let the size of this guitar fool you though. As the saying goes, dynamite comes in small packages. This is one of the most premium custom Firefly models Santa Cruz has ever built. The Firefly is an amazing design to begin with, but with these extremely rare tone woods, it just completely puts it over the top.
The Ancient Sitka Spruce top was unearthed on an island of Alaska after being buried in a landslide over 3000 years ago. Over the 3 millennia, the color has changed to the ghostly hue it is now. That is not a stain- the smokey green/ grey color is the actual color of the wood. The tree was estimated to be 1000 years old when it fell. Due to the capsulizing of the tree, it did not rot but rather it aged over that time. That it was retrieved, found to be in workable condition, and then quarter sawn to make an amazing guitar, is an extraordinary feat for this piece of wood. There is an amazing tone and clarity of this Ancient Sitka Spruce top, which had been curing and aging already for a 1000 years at the time of Christ. You can feel the history with every strum.
The body is premium African Blackwood (Dalbergia melanoxylon) a true Rosewood from east and central Africa some say rivals or can exceed the rare and coveted Brazilian Rosewood. Properly named for it’s dark and black appearance, African Blackwood is a bit heavier than it’s Brazilian cousin which makes it perfect for the Firefly body size and has no relation to the Australian or Tasmanian Blackwood (which is not black at all ironically) which, like Koa, is in the Acacia family.
Other features include Ebony fretboard and bridge and overlay, Mahogany buffed rounded neck, custom African Blackwood headstock overlay, Gotoh Gold tuners, SCGC Pearl logo at the 12th & 13th fret, Ebony pins with Pearl dots, Bone nut and saddle, 1 11/16″ nut width, 24″ short scale and more.
Includes Ameritage hardshell case and Lifetime Warranty.
Free shipping in the continental United States.
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About the Firefly
Santa Cruz is thoroughly represented in television, film and top 40 hits of most genres by first call session aces. The celebrity front man usually sports an instrument on stage that is supplied by the brand with the biggest artist relations budget. But when it comes to their recordings, only the best guitar and player will do. Santa Cruz has provided the top studio professionals with style specific customizations for decades. The FireFly concept: Current technology has allowed artists to lay down tracks from remote locations creating a need for a sophisticated guitar that travels well and still delivers a professional performance. The Western Red Cedar top and Indian Rosewood back and sides along with the 24″ short scale work perfectly for the recording studio, home or anywhere ease of playing is required. Amazingly balanced and focused, you will be amazed by the versatile tone out of this guitar.
Some impartial observations from Guitar Player Magazine: “I’ve never reviewed a guitar that caused so many people to utter some variation on the phrase, “This might be the best guitar I’ve played in my life.” “This isn’t just the best small bodied guitar that I’ve played in years – this is one of the best guitars I’ve ever played period.” “The SCGC FireFly is a truly inspirational composing guitar.” To read the complete review, click here.
Includes deluxe Ameritage hardshell case and Lifetime Warranty.