This Style 1 ‘Vault’ 45-style build is the combination of the best of the best from Richard Hoover and staff at the Santa Cruz Guitar Company. A guitar with a story and history? You bet. 50 years in the making, The Style 1-45 Vault Guitar utilizes their Master grade Private Stock woods, the pinnacle of tonewoods that made their way to Richard, the founder of SCGC. Hand picked and stored in a vault, the Vault Series represents the best of the best from Richard. Literally his legacy in a guitar.
This one of a kind 12-fret build features extremely rare Vault grade 125+ year old Bryan Athyn Cathedral Brazilian Rosewood back and sides paired with historic Vault grade Tunnel 13 Redwood top with custom shaded burst- literally the last set of this storied wood available. Richard Hoover seriously saved the best for last. Artistically matched features include Abalone Pearl ‘Tree Of Life’ fretboard and headstock overlays, vivid Abalone Pearl 45-style trim on every edge- top, back, sides, fretboard, headstock, neck heel, backstrip and custom wedge, Abalone Pearl fretboard and headstock trim, full Snakewood body, fretboard and headstock bindings and Waverly Gold engraved tuners.
The back, sides and headstock overlay of this build has hallowed origins. 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 late 1800s/ 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.
Talk about wood with a story, the top wood is none other than the last available set of of the historic Tunnel 13 Redwood, harvested in the Siskiyou mountains of Oregon from the wreckage of the famed ‘last great train robbery in the West’ in 1923. This was reclaimed from a virgin Redwood beam that was supporting tunnel #13 on the Southern Pacific train line since the mid 1880’s. The premium timber has aged for over 120 years, being inundated by the vibration of countless trains over that time (wonderful for guitar wood), and was witness to the October 11, 1923 attempted robbery of Southern Pacific train number 13 (coincidentally), the Portland-San Francisco Express, dubbed ‘The Gold Special” (pulling 13 cars) by the DeAutremont Brothers, where 4 men were killed. This led to a massive manhunt and pioneering in modern forensic science, which eventually aided in the capture of the 3 brothers. This fine-grained old growth Redwood is thought to have been more than 2,000 years old at the time of harvest, imbuing this instrument with historical significance, tone, and beauty.
The handmade scrimshaw “howling wolf” heelcap is work of art in itself hand done with intricate detail. Other features include Bryn Athyn Cathedral Brazilian Rosewood peghead overlay, Adirondack Spruce bracing, hot hide glue construction, Abalone Pearl backstrip, Ebony fretboard and pyramid bridge, Mahogany buffed neck with haircut headstock, Snakewood custom wedge, Ebony pins with Abalone dots, 1 3/4″ nut width and 24.75″ short scale length.
The Style 1 45 Vault stands as a collector’s heirloom, telling Richard Hoover’s autobiography through a masterful musical work of art—worth far more than a thousand words.
Includes deluxe Ameritage hardshell case and Lifetime Warranty.
Free shipping in the continental United States.
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