The Iconic Tony Rice, Santa Cruz Guitar From Your Favorite Records | Interview With Richard Hoover

🎵We flew to NAMM with a mission: to surprise Richard Hoover with Tony Rice's legendary guitar. Watch as we sit down with Richard Hoover, the mastermind behind Santa Cruz Guitars. Join us as we uncover the captivating stories and rich history behind one of Tony Rice's iconic guitars.
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00:00 - Our Guitar Hero
01:21 - Surprising Richard
03:20 - Full Interview
15:49 - Tone Samples
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🎶A Guitar with a Legacy: Featured on albums such as "Tone Poems," "The Bluegrass Album Band Vol. 6," and numerous records with John Carlini, this guitar certainly helped Tony Rice shape the sound of bluegrass and acoustic music. It has traveled the world, sharing stages with Tony Rice himself, and we are incredibly honored to have had the opportunity to film with it.
⭐Insightful Conversations: In this interview, Richard Hoover shares invaluable insights into the unique characteristics of Tony Rice's Santa Cruz guitars, and the cherished memories associated with it. Thank you so much, Richard, for giving us your time. @SantaCruzGuitarCo
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#RichardHooverInterview #SantaCruzGuitars #TonyRiceGuitar #NAMM2024 #Luthiery #AcousticMusic #BluegrassHistory #GuitarLegacy #NAMMShow2024 #tonyrice

[@mtweaver1978]

Thank you again to all of you guys that made this happen. It really means a lot to me to see my/Tony’s guitar. I have always felt as though I am just borrowing from him.

[@SantaCruzGuitarCo]

thank you!

[@rphd07]

As a previous owner of this historic instrument, I have to correct some things that old buddy stated on the video. Tony owned it from 93-95. It was not his “most used” Santa Cruz for advertising, etc. It was NOT the Santa Cruz used on the HomeSpun tapes. That was the SC built for Tony in 2000(don’t recall the serial number right off), which also happened to be his most popular and documented. Richard did NOT build 262(962). Adam Rose built it at Santa Cruz. If you haven’t done it yet, take your phone (when you have the strings off next) and stick in inside the sound hole and take a pic near the bridge on the underside of the top. Adam Rose’s signature is there and can be confirmed via Santa Cruz. The serial number is actually 962, per Santa Cruz. If you look at the tag with Tony’s autograph, the leading two was written first and then they tried to turn it into its actual number “9”. With the build sheet, I personally obtained the build sheet by calling Carolyn and getting Richard’s permission for a copy. They normally don’t give out that information from what I was told. As far as the neck, Snuffy Smith shaped it for Tony. Glad you’re enjoying it. Play it like it’s meant to be played🤘🏼

[@mtweaver1978]

@@rphd07 there are actually quite a few videos of him playing it, I have them saved on my computer. The picture on the front of the Homespun video is 262, because they took the pic from an advertisement. He didn’t use it in the video, that is correct. He also did use it in a lot of the D’Aquisto advertisements as well. It was his most used in recordings i.e. Tone Poems, River Suite for Two Guitars, Crossings, Bluegrass Album Band Vol 6 and I think I might be missing one. There wasn’t another Santa Cruz used in more recordings that I am aware of. Yes, I do know about the “962” and “262” issue but it stands at “262” as of now ha! Thanks for sharing your knowledge as well.

[@rphd07]

Was the Homespun the “New Acoustic Guitar” with 6 CD’s from 2003? If that’s the one that’s not 262. The thing I always looked for first to differentiate was to see where the Santa Cruz emblem was on the neck. 262 should be on the 12th fret if I remember correctly and his most played in video SC (that I’m aware of and used on the Homespun video with Happy Traum) has the emblem on the 16th fret. I’m telling you man, I obsessed over finding video footage and never located any. One cool tidbit….when Tony was inducted into the Bluegrass Hall of Fame in 2015 (I believe), on the screen onstage had a pic of him holding 262.

[@mtweaver1978]

@@rphd07 the video with Happy Traum was his 2004 Santa Cruz. He says it in the video.

[@firecrackerheart]

"There there, big fella". dangit, i love me some richard hoover .. . thank, john and TAS crew. this was wonderful. just wonderful .. .

[@752brickie]

My wife and I got to spend an afternoon with Richard in his shop about 6-7 years ago when we were in California to see the grandson. What an amazing man Richard is !!! I learned more in those few hours about building a guitar than I ever knew ! He and is amazing staff were so so kind and wonderful to us. There was only my wife and myself there and you would have sworn we were his biggest dealer and one of the greatest guitar players like Tony Rice but we were jus fans of his guitars . Hopefully someday I will have him custom build me one !! Thank you Richard and GOD BLESS AND KEEP YOU !!!!

[@ermancroney3805]

What a treat!!! That is very special. God bless you. The sound bites you gave us demonstrates the beauty of its tones. Wow!

[@BulldoggerJK]

My very first concert seeing professional bluegrass musicians was Doyle Lawson, J D Crowe and The Tony Rice Unit. At the end of the show the Album band played. I remember seeing Tony playing that very guitar. The pickguard really stood out at the time. Wyatt was also playing a Santa Cruz that night. I spent every dollar I had at the tape tables. It’s wild I’ve been able to strum that guitar. It’s a very special instrument and a piece of history.

[@rphd07]

What year was that concert? Tony only owned that Santa Cruz from 1993-1995

[@BulldoggerJK]

@@rphd07 my buddy owns it now. We’ve done the math.

[@BulldoggerJK]

Yeah, I know you owned it from the multiple other comments you’ve made where you said you owned it.

[@rphd07]

@@BulldoggerJKoh, ok. Just making sure you know😂🖕🏼

[@BulldoggerJK]

@@rphd07no need to get mad at facts. You should delete nearly every post you’ve made. None of it is making you look good. Talking money is completely unprofessional. Doing it multiple times is crazy. I can’t figure out why you’d say any of it.

[@stevestalock3200]

Every interview with Richard is a treasure! Thank you for sharing.

[@dalesearcy5734]

This was the BEST Video EVER! I'm a big Tony Rice fan. Thank you for posting this and letting us see and hear this wonderful guitar. My bandmate inherited a Santa Cruz Tony Rice guitar, from his father. His has East Indian Rosewood though.. It is a powerful guitar.

[@tinman8518]

Great interview. Many thanks to you all.

[@macdaddyblues1]

That probably made Richards day, you could see him light up when he realized what it was... Very cool guys!

[@AcousticShoppe]

We like to hope it did!

[@SantaCruzGuitarCo]

What a wonderful video thank you so much!

[@stuco]

Tony had the playing and the tone, so good.

[@dannybaca2354]

Wonderful job, guys. Very much worth the wait after the live feed issues at NAMM.

[@lilycat1694]

Terrific video, thanks for sharing!!!

[@SamFugarino]

How cool can it get? Congrats John.

[@AcousticShoppe]

Right?

[@SamFugarino]

@@AcousticShoppe Right what? I was just thinking how cool it was to play any instrument Tony Rice played.

[@AcousticShoppe]

@@SamFugarinoI meant like we're agreeing. Like "Right, it's so cool"

[@texhaines9957]

Thanks. Yes, some notes need to run clear, others blend. I have one of the 150th Anniversary Chris Stapleton Epiphone Frontier dreadnoughts for my son. It is torrified Adirondack and maple made in Bozeman MT by Gibson. Not nessisarily my style, but it has uses. I can hear some of that voice in the guitar. I wonder how that TAS 10TH Anniversary dreadnought will compare to this Rice guitar. Thanks John

[@AcousticShoppe]

It's hard to think that anything can compare to one of Tony's guitars, this was an awesome experience!

[@lhvent]

Very cool

[@martymcpeak4748]

I remember Billy Strings bought one of the prototype Santa Cruz T.R. model. he treasures it.

[@AlexA99423]

Fascinating and touching. A fitting tribute to a master luthier and a master guitarist. Long may it play.

[@mvp019]

Great video, John.

[@trkcop]

Awesome video...

[@cbalyn]

the guy who knew more about Clarence White’s D-28 was Roy Noble. Roy rebuilt the D-38 after Clarence bought the guitar from McCabe & Camp’s in Santa Monica ,Cal, Retraced the top, installed a Gretsch white bound ebony fretboard, which was a 25.25” scale. Clarence bought three more guitars from Roy. I was apprenticing with Roy when the shop was in Van Nuys, Cal,. I helped build Noble # 069., #069:was Clarence's go to Acoustic guitar thru most of his career with the Kentucky Colonels, Nashville West, The Mule Skinners, and the Byrds

[@mtweaver1978]

Awesome story!

[@Gdownification]

What a great piece of music history! Thanks for making this video, I really enjoyed hearing about Tony's guitar. One very minor correction--I think in Tony's letter he compared it to his 1935 D28, not a 1935 D18. I could be wrong, it just looks to me like he wrote a "2" rather than a "1," but being cursive the numbers look quite similar. I'm not trying to be pedantic or detract from your efforts, just figured I'd mention it in case anyone got confused. Great work!

[@mtweaver1978]

You are correct!

[@ZionForman]

that's awesome!

[@riceflatpicking4954]

This is the guitar on Song For Two Pamelas on the Tone Poems record.

[@ricknielsen4160]

Super video. I learned some things about TR that I didn't know. Thanks.

[@AcousticShoppe]

Thanks for watching!

[@michaelmullins1290]

I got to play another Santa Cruz that was Tony's. Certificate of authenticity with Tony's signature. Guitar was named " Chocolate" by Tony. It was for sale the last time I heard. In case you need another!

[@johnchapman4232]

That was this one. I mistakenly called it Brownie

[@rphd07]

I’m not sure about that. I believe Chocolate was built in 1997. I could be wrong, but in 3.5 years of ownership I never ran across that bit of information about it.

[@mtweaver1978]

@@rphd07 This is Chocolate built in 1993

[@kidguzzi_chrisgalardi]

A fantastic video. Well worth the wait. Thank you for the effort and time to put this together 👍🙏

[@AcousticShoppe]

We appreciate the kind words, thanks for watching!

[@rphd07]

@@AcousticShoppeI owned that exact guitar from December 2013 until May 2017. That was not the guitar used on the Homespun tapes. The Santa Cruz used on the Homespun videos was built in 2000. Also during my time of ownership I searched high and low for video footage of Tony playing it and never found any. His most notable Santa Cruz (the one built in 2000) has countless hours of video footage. I personally obtained the build sheet with special permission from Richard and included it in that blue binder. I also found the advertisement for the strings. I was the third owner behind George.

[@NTKHZN]

Great video guys!

[@DustyNonya]

Weirdly I don't have a moment like that I remember. Both of my parents had lots of music around, both with good voices and timing. I had an antique kid's banjo by the age of 4, mini steel string guitar by 6..which is one of the eventual hints I was, sadly, left handed 😂. I don't recall ever not being able to sing. So I eventually picked up a lefty acoustic. Why? I didn't wanna be "just a singer" and trombones cant do chords.

[@oklahomachris6298]

Love being able to find back ground like this. What was this guitars worth?

[@BulldoggerJK]

Billy Strings bought one of the others that has no bonafides and never used on any recordings for $30K. This one would be worth WAY more.

[@stever3206]

Hi - can I kindly ask for the link to that intro of Tony playing solo? It’s really incredible and I’d love to view in its entirety. Thank you for sharing! Steve NJ

[@AcousticShoppe]

Of course! I believe I just used this one: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bomle4GXhb6Ze8ksi=qN5qgSEIzzbZYqjW

[@wilhelmrogue1]

That pickguard is all Tony rice

[@johnr8820]

I would love to see that measurement sheet for nerd purposes 🤓

[@BenAdam-om2hr]

I once knew a nerd dolphin...😎

[@waynechurchill7212]

Woo great tone what strings😮

[@natemink572]

His handwriting... omg

[@AcousticShoppe]

It's so cool!

[@JPMGuitarPicker]

Even in his handwriting you see Tony’s dedication to precision and clarity

[@DonHawkinsPhoto]

How did you safely fly that guitar out to California for NAMM?

[@jeremychapman7243]

Carried on in a Calton Case. If it didn't fit in the overhead, the flight crew would store it in their closet.

[@JeffSimpson-yy2si]

That’s one smart lookin dred

[@danherrick5785]

I've looked at nut widths. They vary all over the place. What are the nut widths for yours and Tony's guitar?

[@johnchapman4232]

They both come in at 1 11/16"

[@danherrick5785]

@@johnchapman4232 Thanks friend.

[@senorphilipe4242]

I have a Tony rice pro and it’s excellent - though I’m going to ditch the monels and go back to parabolics - the monels are amazing for mahogany but not rosewood

[@TMoody]

Who owns this guitar now.... how did he acquire it.... how much did he pay for it..... etc. Inquiring minds want to know! :-)

[@AcousticShoppe]

Just for his personal privacy, I don't think he wanted that information publicized, sorry!

[@saveurselves989]

Just a fine instrument, they just don't make em like that anymore 😢!

[@SantaCruzGuitarCo]

sure we do!

[@mtweaver1978]

@@SantaCruzGuitarCo you definitely do!