The H13-42 Cathedral is a guitar to behold. The major components of this H13 13-fret build have hallowed origins. First, the heart-swelling 125+ year old example of beautiful Brazilian Rosewood that comprises the body of this instrument comes from a board Richard Hoover from SCGC acquired that was abandoned in a stonewalled room of the Bryn Athyn Cathedral in Pennsylvania. Originally sourced in the late 1800’s/ 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 125+ years. Beautiful in color and contrast, this wood is just not found at this age and stored condition. A collector’s set of premium Brazilian Rosewood from hallowed grounds.
The 200+ year 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’s 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.
The H13 Cathedral features Abalone Pearl 42-style top purfling, rosette, fretboard trim, headstock trim and back strip, Gold Pearl and Mother of Pearl Moderne fretboard and headstock inlays plus backlit tortoise full body, fretboard and headstock bindings tying it all together. 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, Ebony fretboard and pyramid bridge, Mother of Pearl Santa Cruz script logo, Moderne Vault fingerboard inlay, Waverly Gold engraved tuners, Adirondack Spruce bracing, Hide Glue construction, Mahogany neck with slotted headstock, Ebony pins with Abalone dots, 1 3/4″ nut width, 25.375″ scale length and more.
The H13 is Santa Cruz’s 13-fret deeper body build. Similar to a 000 but in the vein of the early 20th century Nick Lucas models, SCGC’s concept for the H13 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.
Includes Ameritage hardshell case and Lifetime Warranty.
Free shipping in the continental United States.
–
