The Dreadnought: the design that introduced boutique lutherie. In the early 1970’s, it was the rare player who would consider any guitar smaller than a dreadnought. Stellar players were handicapped by the traditional D’s predominate bass and thin trebles. The strength of the typical dreadnought guitar is in its power and volume, which is achieved by the guitar’s large body size. The increased air space also gives the instrument a predisposition to the bass range, an asset to some playing styles and a detriment to others.

The Santa Cruz D Model has a unique tapered bracing, voiced to enhance the midrange and treble without compromising the bass volume. This voicing gives the D Model a more even balance and a greater versatility than traditionally braced dreadnoughts. The Santa Cruz Guitar Company Dreadnought Model was carefully conceived to accommodate the modern player’s need for sophisticated balance with more substance in midrange and treble. To deliver these qualities in the acceptable dreadnought-sized body required a very non-traditional approach, as compared to the factory offerings of the day. Using time honored lutherie skills, SCGC created a Trojan Horse – familiar on the outside, dangerous on the inside. SCGC’s innovative D Model remains a mainstay of artists who require acoustic volume without compromising the quality of higher frequencies.