Blues guitarist Otis Taylor and the Santa Cruz Guitar Company have a long history of working together. Several years ago, Santa Cruz introduced its first Otis Taylor signature model, a guitar based on its H model (which in turn takes inspiration from vintage Gibson Nick Lucas guitars), and now the company is offering a second model, the Otis Taylor Chicago.

While the original Otis Taylor model is built with rosewood back and sides and a spruce top, the Chicago has an all-mahogany body, similar to the construction of Santa Cruz’ 1929 series guitars. Like the first Otis Taylor, the Chicago has a 13th-fret neck joint and is only fretted up to the 14th fret. The fingerboard extension over the body has just the one fret, but sports an inlay with Otis Taylor’s logo.

The Santa Cruz Otis Taylor Chicago is a great sounding guitar with a bluesy growl, but also a versatile voice that would work well in a variety of styles. It is demonstrated here played fingerstyle in standard and D A D G A D tunings by Peghead Nation Co-Founder and Producer Teja Gerken and played with a flatpick by Peghead Nation Co-Founder and Editor Scott Nygaard.

SPECS: H body with 13-fret neck. Solid mahogany top, back, sides. Mahogany neck. Ebony fingerboard and bridge. 25.325-inch scale. 1¾-inch nut width. Vintage-style open-back Gotoh tuning machines. Made in USA. santacruzguitar.com.

Santa Cruz FTC 40th Anniversary Read More

Martin 0-18 A classic small-body returns to Martin’s standard series. Read More

Taylor 858e 12-String Taylor’s latest 12-string is the first built with its grand orchestra body. Read More

Taylor 810e DLX Taylor’s oldest model gets a deluxe treatment. Read More

Santa Cruz Catfish Special An all-mahogany 0-size 12-fret made for blues guitarist Catfish Keith Read More

Martin OM-28 Authentic 1931 Martin releases its most accurate vintage-reissue OM to date. Read More

2016 Taylor 610e Taylor expands its maple 600 series with a great-sounding dreadnought. Read More

Martin OMC-28E Great-sounding cutaway OM includes Fishman’s latest electronics package. Read More

Fender PM-2 Standard Parlor 12-fret 00 with vintage style, a contemporary feel, and Fishman electronics. Read More

Taylor 322e 12-Fret Mahogany-top grand concert combines modern and vintage design elements. Read More