SANTA CRUZ, CA May 8, 2008— The Santa Cruz Guitar Company, a leading handmade acoustic guitar manufacturer, is introducing its newest model, the “Otis Taylor OT signature acoustic,” coined after famed blues musician Otis Taylor. This represents the latest in Santa Cruz Guitar Company’s catalogue to feature Elixir® Strings, pioneer of long-life strings.

“We have been using Elixir Strings on all of our guitar models since first discovering the company in 2000,” explains Willie Carter, Sales & Marketing, Santa Cruz Guitar Company. “Once we ship our guitars to the stores, we lose control over the consistency of the string tone quality, which can be affected by the amount of customers who are sampling the guitars in the showroom. In using Elixir Strings on our models, we have confidence that the string quality that exists when we ship the guitars to retailers will last for months while they are housed in the shops.”

Based on its H-13 model, Santa Cruz Guitar Company’s new Otis Taylor OT signature acoustic is strung with Elixir® Strings Acoustic Light with NANOWEB® Coating and consists of Madagascar Rosewood back and sides, Italian Spruce Top, Adirondack spruce bracing with hot hide glue as well as customized tint, OT fretboard and headstock. With an MSRP of $6905.00, the Otis Taylor OT signature guitar is available for order now.

About Santa Cruz Guitar Company

Founded by luthier Richard Hoover while building guitars and carved-top mandolins in 1972, Santa Cruz Guitar Company has refined craftsmanship in handmade custom acoustic guitars that are played by some of the world’s best players, including Eric Clapton, Doc Watson, Tony Rice, Warren Haynes and Elvis Costello.

About Elixir® Strings

Elixir® Strings is the pioneer in coated string technology and is available in two string ‘flavors.’ Ultra-thin NANOWEB® Coating provides the bright tone and punch of uncoated strings, yet keeps their lively tone three to five times longer than ordinary strings. The thin coating is nearly undetectable – providing the feel of traditional strings. Elixir® Strings with original POLYWEB® Coating also sound great three to five times longer than ordinary strings, have a balanced tone with smooth response, feel comfortably smooth, and reduce finger squeak. Elixir® Strings are available in a full range of gauges for acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass, banjo, and mandolin.

Today, Elixir® Strings are installed as original equipment by a growing list of discriminating electric guitar and bass manufacturers including Ibanez, Tom Anderson Guitarworks, Brian Moore Guitars, Carvin, Melancon Guitars as well as premium acoustic guitar luthiers such as Taylor Guitars, Santa Cruz Guitar Company, Alvarez-Yairi, Lakewood Guitars, RainSong Graphite Guitars, Carvin, and Goodall Guitars. Elixir® Strings are endorsed by popular artists such as Melissa Etheridge, Train, Dave Mason, Michael W. Smith, Jim Messina, Christopher Cross, Bob Seger, and Drowning Pool.

Elixir® Strings are manufactured by W.L. Gore & Associates, the company widely known for such innovations as GORE-TEX® fabrics. For more information, please visit www.elixirstrings.com.