This exquisite Dreadnaught acoustic guitar was built by two former employees (Joe "danger" Cox & Eric Padilla) of Santa Cruz Guitar Company. They were the luthiers at the short lived, but highly regarded Carmel Guitar Company. (there's still a website up that you can glean some info from about the company when it was still active). It was boxed and finished but never completed at the very end of the company's existence. It has some of the most striking Brazilian Rosewood we have seen in many moons. The photos just don't do it justice and it's hard to fight the glare.. It also has a Brazilian rosewood fingerboard and head stock overlay. Rolling waves logo at the 12th fret is the only marking. Since it was never completed at Carmel there's no label, but the serial # is penciled in as D-082. I personally located and spoke with the primary builder (Cox) to authenticate and confirm materials and construction methods on this fine instrument. Upon further inspection, I found a build date of 8-1-2012 and a signature (Cox?) written on the underside of top by the sound hole. The neck is made of old growth Honduras mahogany with some beautiful ribbon striping. (note: lines on back of head stock are reflections, not cracks). Classic herringbone trim gives this guitar an instant prewar aesthetic and it sounds phenomenal. If you consider that it would cost well over $10,000 to purchase a new prewar D-style guitar with this wood combination and construction details from Martin, SCGC or Collings etc., this guitar is a real bargain at this price. As a side note, my client acquired this guitar as payment for a debt. It had been stored away in it's case incomplete. I installed the Waverly tuners, made a bone nut and saddle and drilled for an end pin. I also had SCGC install one of their beautiful tortoise pick guards to complete the look. It's set up with GHS Americana Phos. Brnz. Lt. and has nice low action. It already sounds fantastic with very little play time. Just wait until this baby gets broken in a bit, not to mention 10 years down the road. A very rare find for a guitar of this build quality and material selection. It will be as if you commissioned it and just took delivery. Of course it comes with the original, deluxe hard shell case. This is a lifetime, heirloom instrument. Don't let it get away.
