I think that main reason why Santa Cruz ukes don't get the respect they deserve is that they make so painfully few of them. I called them up and they told me that they make something like 12 a year! No matter how enthusiastic the owners of these ukes are, they would never be vocal enough to create any kind of significant marketing buzz. All of their ukes are handcrafted, but maybe people think that they're production ukes--I don't know. Anyhow, I don't mean to be a shill, but the quality of this uke is really amazing. Every inch of it is perfectly crafted, and the sound is perfect in its resonance. It's also incredibly responsive--I really love it. I have played many great ukes, including custom ukes of the highest caliber. I would probably put the Santa Cruz as one of my top 3--and that's really saying something. Would love to hear what other Santa Cruzers have to say.