Since the mid-1920s, Martin, with their OM shape, really won over everyone. For several years the OM shapes have been an unprecedented success in the Santa Cruz brand, and here at Leadmusic is an exceptional OM, with the most figured koa back and sides you could find on an OM. This 1988 instrument in very good condition and is above all part of the first productions of Richard Hoover, who began the Santa Cruz adventure in 1976, and introduced his first OM in 1982. At that time, the production was 35 annual instruments on average, and in 1987, after hiring two employees, Hoover and its Santa Cruz company began to become popular. It is also interesting to note that the first guitar that Santa Cruz produced was a D in Koa, and it was the brand’s only model for 2 years. In 1989, after buying out his partner’s shares, Richard Hoover developed the brand and production. In short, this superb Koa OM is a first generation Santa Cruz instrument and is a superb guitar.

This instrument is simply amazing, super light, yes, we’re talking about 1.66 kilos, but above all super balanced, with a really warm and round tone and above all volume!! The OM body offers unprecedented precision and acoustic response quality. This guitar is a remarkable instrument and the quality of the craftmanship is amazing. A solid Sitka spruce top, a solid and beautiful koa body, mahogany neck with a V-shaped profile and an ebony fingerboard and nut width of 1 3 /4, this guitar is simply superb and despite its age is in very good condition. A few scratches, a few small scattered dents, slight chips on the binding with a small infiltration of air under the varnish in a few places, but this OM has no cracks or structural damage. A K&K Pure Mini pickup was fitted and the beauty underwent a refretting which we improved by profiling the frets and replacing the nut. The playability is absolutely perfect now.

Delivered with its original hardcase and a 2012 signed document from Richard Hoover.