vangoghsear Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 Got this yesterday. Only a few made from 1989-1990 in Japan, USA and Korea. This one's not mine but it looks just like this. Santa Rosa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riffster Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 That'd be a cool lounge acoustic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vangoghsear Posted September 23, 2014 Author Share Posted September 23, 2014 FZ, Funny you should say that. It's the forerunner of the Telecoustic and the Stratacoustic, both guitars that I think are fugly, but this one is truly cool... fugly but cool. Although it has the sound hole (about 1/2 an inch covered depression) it's a chambered solid body with an under saddle pickup. No acoustic tone, not even as much as my JT133 (Cheap ES335 copy), but plugged in it sings like a $3000.00 acoustic. Great plugged in tone. The lead singer from the country group Restless Heart plays one on stage. I tried the Stratacoustic when it came out and hated that, hated it's looks and the way it sounded, but this, this I like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 I remember them. rct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 I remember them. Fondly? I've never heard of them before let alone seen a picture of one. I rather like the look TBH. If I came across one I'd be sure to try one out. P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 Fondly? I've never heard of them before let alone seen a picture of one. I rather like the look TBH. If I came across one I'd be sure to try one out. P. Like many things from the three American companies, it's not rare for good reasons. People somehow equate "rarity" and "quality", and I just don't get it. It's the first failed attempt at the failed attempt that would be come the Stratacoustic and Telecoustic. They are somewhat "rare" in the first incarnation because they "sucked", but you can't put that in an ad usually. So no, not fondly, not for me at least. rct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vangoghsear Posted September 23, 2014 Author Share Posted September 23, 2014 Like many things from the three American companies, it's not rare for good reasons. People somehow equate "rarity" and "quality", and I just don't get it. It's the first failed attempt at the failed attempt that would be come the Stratacoustic and Telecoustic. They are somewhat "rare" in the first incarnation because they "sucked", but you can't put that in an ad usually. So no, not fondly, not for me at least. rct Don't think that if you tried a Stratacoustic or Telecoustic you tried a Santa Rosa. The only similarity is the body silhouette shape. The Santa Rosa is chambered basswood semisolid body guitar with a set neck. I don't equate rarity and quality. A sale price of $739 in 1990 for a guitar made in Asia could have kept people from buying it, doesn't make it a bad guitar. Then again, if you think about it, a guitar made in Asia in 1990 selling for 2x what the average guitar coming out of Asia in that day was selling for could be one heck of a quality instrument. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 Don't think that if you tried a Stratacoustic or Telecoustic you tried a Santa Rosa. The only similarity is the body silhouette shape. The Santa Rosa is chambered basswood semisolid body guitar with a set neck. I've tried all three, I remember the California acoustics well. I use an Ovation if I have to go out and plug in an acoustic, if that means anything. I don't equate rarity and quality. A sale price of $739 in 1990 for a guitar made in Asia could have kept people from buying it, doesn't make it a bad guitar. Then again, if you think about it, a guitar made in Asia in 1990 selling for 2x what the average guitar coming out of Asia in that day was selling for could be one heck of a quality instrument. That 739 was list. We woulda sold you more than two of them for 739. rct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 Got this yesterday. Only a few made from 1989-1990 in Japan, USA and Korea. This one's not mine but it looks just like this. Santa Rosa Congrats on your purchase, HNGD! Would be interested in actual pictures of yours. Did I see this right - 24 frets? How about the intonation on the latest ones? It isn't even that precise on electrics with compensated saddles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 I think I played at one of 'em some years ago; never plugged it in and it wasn't comfortable from my perspective so it was just kinda "Oh, yeah, I remember..." But I think that if a picker and a guitar bond at all, that's good for both. The guitar certainly doesn't have to be one I'd care for. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 But I think that if a picker and a guitar bond at all, that's good for both. The guitar certainly doesn't have to be one I'd care for. Absolutely. Mr. Vangoghsear will make a record I'll love with that thing and I won't have any idea what he used nor will I care as long as I like what I hear. rct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vangoghsear Posted September 23, 2014 Author Share Posted September 23, 2014 I didn't go to the store intending to bring this guitar home. I went to look at Teles. They are a small shop, mostly just repairs and used stuff and didn't have any Teles in stock, so the guy points at the Santa Rosa and says the only Tele shape guitar I have is this weird acoustic Fender. First thing I thought was "Telacoustic, yuck." Then I started to look at it; set neck, narrow solid body, different, not a Telacoustic. I pulled it down and strummed a couple of chords and thought "Meh, very little acoustic tone." The guy comes over and plugs it into a 150 watt guitar amp head sitting on a 4x12 cabinet and I pushed up the volume and strummed another chord. Wow! Not thin, tinny or harsh like a piezo pickup usually sounds. It's mellow and resonant and still articulate. I've tried this thing through four amps, the one at the store, Vox Mini3 G2, an Orange 35 DXL, and a Vintage Sound Classic 22 and it sounds great through each of them. I haven't even tried it through an acoustic amp yet. It sounds sweet through guitar amps. Would be interested in actual pictures of yours. Did I see this right - 24 frets? How about the intonation on the latest ones? It isn't even that precise on electrics with compensated saddles. I tried to post a picture of mine, but the site said it was too large. I'll resize it later and try again. Yeah, 24 frets. It's the only guitar I own with 24 frets. I haven't spent much time playing it, I just plugged it into the various amps that I had setup close and strummed a few chords, noodled a bit. I haven't tested the intonation yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vangoghsear Posted September 26, 2014 Author Share Posted September 26, 2014 Here's my photo: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 I still say I like it..... ...Mr. Vangoghsear will make a record I'll love with that thing and I won't have any idea what he used nor will I care as long as I like what I hear. Does anything else really matter? P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.