This 2011 Santa Cruz Guitar Company OO Skye, handcrafted in Santa Cruz, California, is a beautifully built boutique acoustic from one of America’s most respected luthiers. Founded by Richard Hoover, Santa Cruz Guitar Company has earned an outstanding reputation for exceptional craftsmanship, remarkable attention to detail, and instruments with extraordinary tonal character.

I contacted Santa Cruz Guitar Company directly, and they confirmed that this guitar is serial number OO Skye-523, completed in 2011 as a standard OO Skye model.

The OO Skye was designed in collaboration with acclaimed fingerstyle guitarist Eric Skye and is prized for its incredibly responsive feel, balanced voice, and effortless playability. This model features a solid Adirondack spruce top with Adirondack braces attached using traditional hot hide glue, paired with solid Cocobolo back and sides—a premium tonewood combination that delivers exceptional clarity, warmth, sustain, and dynamic range. The 12-fret neck and deeper body design provide impressive low-end response and projection while maintaining the comfort and intimacy of a smaller-bodied guitar.

Additional factory specifications include:

• Solid Adirondack spruce top with scalloped Adirondack bracing
• Solid Cocobolo back and sides
• Traditional hot hide glue construction
• 12-fret OO body with deeper body design
• 24.9” scale length
• 1-13/16” nut width
• Comfortable V-shaped neck profile
• Slotted headstock with Cocobolo overlay
• Nickel Waverly tuning machines with ivoroid buttons
• Herringbone top purfling
• Ivoroid bindings with black accents
• Ivoroid rosette
• Tortoise pickguard
• SCGC logo inlay at the 14th fret
• Zipper back strip
• Clear gloss finish on the body with a matte clear neck finish

Besides what appears to be prior moisture that got into the front near the edge, the guitar remains in excellent overall condition and has been well preserved over the years. The neck feels solid and comfortable, and the instrument is exceptionally responsive, delivering the lively, expressive sound that has made Santa Cruz guitars highly sought after by discerning players.

This instrument comes from a thoughtfully assembled personal collection gathered over many decades by a lifelong guitarist and close friend who selected instruments based on tone, character, and individuality.

He has recently passed away, and this guitar is now being offered so that it may continue its life with someone who will play and appreciate it as much as he did.

Tonally, the guitar offers a warm, balanced voice with outstanding clarity, exceptional note separation, rich overtones, and impressive responsiveness. The Adirondack spruce and Cocobolo combination provides tremendous headroom while remaining remarkably sensitive to a light touch, making this guitar equally at home with fingerstyle playing, light flatpicking, and accompanying vocals.

Cosmetically, the guitar presents beautifully and remains in excellent condition, showing only the light signs of careful ownership that would be expected from a well-cared-for instrument. Nothing affects the structure, playability, or sound of the guitar.

The guitar includes its original Santa Cruz hard shell case, which is also in excellent condition.

Please feel free to reach out with any questions or if additional photos would be helpful.