The Catfish Special
A signature 12-fret, all-figured-mahogany small-body guitar built for blues musician Catfish Keith, based on his personal custom O.
About this guitar
Originally a one-off custom build for blues musician Catfish Keith, strong demand turned this figured-mahogany, 12-fret 1929-O-based design into a catalog signature model, keeping Keith’s peghead inlay style and sunburst finish. A “Professional” tier with Keith’s own custom fingerboard inlays is available by inquiry.
Specs
| Body - Body Wood | Figured Mahogany |
|---|---|
| Body - Back Stripe | none |
| Body - Body Binding | ivoroid |
| Body - Side Purfling | black .020 |
| Body - Other | 12 fret, black .020 back purfle |
| Top - Top Wood | Figured Mahogany |
| Top - Rosette | ivoroid / tortoise/ ivoroid |
| Top - Purfling | black .020 |
| Top - Bracing | scalloped |
| Top - Other | 12 fret |
| Top - Soundhole | 3-3/4″ |
| Neck - Peghead | Solid VJ |
| Neck - Peghead Binding | ivoroid |
| Neck - Overlay Material | ebony |
| Neck - Headstock Inlay | SCGC Vintage Script Logo |
| Neck - Scale Length | 24.75 |
| Neck - Other | V |
| Fingerboard - Inlays | none |
| Fingerboard - Width at Nut | 1-3/4″ |
| Fingerboard - Width at 12th | 2-3/16″ |
| Fingerboard - F-Board Binding | ivoroid |
| Fingerboard - Side Dots | black |
| Finish - Type-Body | sunburst |
| Finish - Type-Neck | sunburst |
| Finish - Type- Top | sunburst |
| Finish - Style-Body | buffed |
| Finish - Style-Neck | gloss |
| Finish - Style-Peghead | buffed |
| Set-Up - Pickguard | tortoise – O17 shape |
| Set-Up - Strings | SCGC Low Tension |
| Set-Up - Action | 3/2 |
| Set-Up - Gears | Waverly Nickel w/ Ebony |
| Set-Up - Bridge Spacing | 2-3/16″ Pyramid |
| Set-Up - Bridge/End Pins | bone |
| Set-Up - Label | custom 'Catfish Special' label |
| Custom Options | Long list of wood/hardware/finish options available at no additional charge via Design Your Own configurator |
| Higher Tier | A "Professional" version with Catfish Keith's own peghead inlay and custom bubble fingerboard inlays is available by inquiry (not a separately published SKU) |
Quick answers
- How much does the The Catfish Special cost?
- Santa Cruz Guitar Co. sells through dealers and doesn't publish a price; their dealer locator lists where to buy.
- Is the The Catfish Special still available?
- Yes. Santa Cruz Guitar Co. lists it as a current model that's available to order.
- Who makes the The Catfish Special?
- Santa Cruz Guitar Co., building gear since 1976. Where it's built: Handcrafted in Santa Cruz, California, at 400 to 500 guitars a year. It's listed here as an acoustic guitar.
- What warranty does Santa Cruz Guitar Co. offer?
- Lifetime warranty and customer service for registered guitars. New guitars must be registered within 2 weeks of purchase.