The Santa Cruz Guitar Company has been building high-end steel-strings that combine vintage designs and contemporary features for more than four decades. And while the company’s catalog includes variations on most vintage templates as well as several influential original designs, the company continues to come up with new models, often inspired by custom orders. Acoustic blues specialist Catfish Keith has played Santa Cruz guitars for years, and he recently ordered a custom instrument that Santa Cruz decided to turn into a production model that it is calling the Catfish Special. We recently had the chance to check one out in the Peghead Nation video studio.

The Catfish Special is based on Santa Cruz’ 1929-O model and has the same all-mahogany construction. But the 1929-O has austere appointments and relatively plain-looking woods, while the Catfish Special has stunningly figured mahogany throughout and a light sunburst shading, along with ivoroid binding on the body, neck, and peghead; a three-ring rosette; and a beautiful pyramid bridge. While most vintage 12-fret 0’s have a slotted peghead, Catfish opted for a solid design that is home to a set of open-back Schaller tuning machines.

The Catfish Special has the compact, intimate playing feel typical of 12-fret 0-size guitars, and the 1¾-inch nut width and relatively slim neck profile give the instrument a contemporary feel. Catfish Keith’s dynamic playing style puts high demands on his instruments, and Santa Cruz has managed to build a guitar that can keep up. Mahogany-top guitars often do well when played hard, as the slightly compressed sound inherent to a hardwood top helps control the attack, and the Catfish Special has no problems with forceful picking. But I was surprised by how beautifully it responded to gentler playing, providing a rich voice with great sustain and volume. The sustain and balance were especially impressive when I played single-notes with a bottleneck slide.

All in all, the Catfish Special is a wonderful 12-fret 0-size guitar that will appeal to anyone looking for a small-body flattop with a huge sound. And for players who want more elaborate appointments, the model is also available as the Catfish Special Professional, which includes Catfish Keith’s logo in the peghead and bubble position markers in the fretboard.

SPECS: 12-fret 0-size body. Solid figured mahogany top, back, and sides. Mahogany neck. Ebony fretboard and bridge. 24.75-inch scale. 1¾-inch nut width. Schaller tuning machines. Made in USA. $7,420 (list). santacruzguitar.com

Santa Cruz Otis Taylor Chicago The Santa Cruz signature model for bluesman Otis Taylor is all about mahogany. Read More

Santa Cruz FTC 40th Anniversary Read More

Taylor 400 Series Taylor updates its popular mid-level line with sunburst finishes and a completely new Grand Pacific version. Read More

Martin 012-28 Modern Deluxe and 0012-28 Modern Deluxe A pair of 12-frets that brilliantly combine vintage and contemporary features. Read More

Taylor American Dream Sunburst Series A trio of guitars in Grand Theater, Grand Concert, and Grand Pacific sizes. Read More

Martin D-18 Authentic 1939 A great vintage-accurate mahogany dreadnought. Read More

Martin 000Jr-10E Shawn Mendes The pop star’s signature model is an affordable small-body guitar built from FSC-certified woods. Read More

Martin Custom Shop Super D A supersized dreadnought that sounds as big as it looks. Read More

Huss and Dalton Statesboro SC Classic A single-cut electric made from supreme materials. Read More

Taylor Academy Series 20e and 22e New versions of Taylor’s popular entry-level models feature walnut construction. Read More