Since 1976, Richard Hoover has embarked on a never-ending quest to craft guitars that combine sound projection, exceptional dynamics, refined elegance, and respect for the rare materials they are made from.
Santa Cruz is neither a factory nor a small manufacturer trying to emulate the big brands in the industry. Santa Cruz is a Custom Shop, a workshop where anything is possible, and only that. At Santa Cruz, the nature and the city surrounding the workshop have, in a way, defined the way Richard Hoover and his team work. Here, the mild Northern Californian climate and the bohemian history of the city that bears the same name influence the daily manufacturing process. We take the time to do things. Patience is the key. Santa Cruz only makes about thirty guitars a month and 400 guitars a year, what some brands make in a single day.

The secret of Santa Cruz guitars is the balance between a drastic selection of the woods used and the omnipresence of the human factor, which allows the manufacturing to be adapted to each piece of wood to adjust its response, frequencies and projection. Many consider Santa Cruz guitars to be the best "pre-war" guitars in the world. These are dedicated to lovers of wood and beautiful guitars.

Finally, all the woods used by the brand are traceable and come only from responsible, ultra-selected sources. Santa Cruz guitars are made with respect, fairness, and humility, for a lifetime.